Problem:
Automated Logic doesn’t have a system that is intuitive for administrators in school buildings to operate for events in their building
Solution:
By working with Automated Logic to design logic flows in their system that would watch inputs and activate the HVAC system if contacts were closed, we were able to work around this. Our in-house solution was to connect Shelly 1 Plus smart relays to their input board and have free software called Home Assistant activate the relays based upon calendars for each of our event spaces
Design:
With Automated Logic watching their inputs for contact closure, we tie the Shelly 1 Plus into each set of contacts. Since the 1 Plus has dry contacts, there isn’t any issue with voltage or anything for the low voltage dry contact.
I then configured Shelly’s to talk to Home Assistant, which is the broker between Google Calendars and the HVAC. Home Assistant watches the ical links for our Google Calendars and reads in any events that are listed on the calendar.
I then wrote automation that activates the HVAC and now also Door locks, using Shelly’s, for that space. This allows our admin staff to just place events on the calendar and the space is conditioned and ready to go when the event starts. The HVAC is then shut down when the event is scheduled to end.