Sophisticated building management system (BMS)

The environmental parameters of QASP are managed by a unique sophisticated ‘Building Management System’ (BMS) manufactured by ‘Johnson Controls’, a world leader in products, services and solutions to maximise energy efficiency of buildings. The BMS digitally manages air flow, temperature, humidity and air pressure remotely from a central location in the main building or externally. All environmental parameters are automatically logged so trends can be plotted. Parameters are set according to the requirements of the research and if the specified ranges approximate being breached, an alarm is automatically triggered and members of the QASP are immediately notified, regardless of the time of day or night.

The BMS can be remotely accessed via the internet so the designated on-call staff member could rectify many issues immediately. If the issue requires physical resolution, QASP provides this service 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with access to additional University or contractor maintenance staff when necessary. This ensures all parameters are met during projects in order to maintain the integrity of all research.

It is part of QASP standard practice to be ‘research ready’ prior to the commencement of new research projects. To achieve this, usually, a full week rehearsal is completed prior to any animals being introduced, with specific environmental parameters entered into the BMS to reproduce the requirements of the project. This ensures the project can start immediately with a reduced likelihood of any issues or external variables interfering with research.