Jim Coogan, P.E., will be speaking on “Applying [building automation systems] (BAS) to help users conserve energy” at the 2013 International Institute for Sustainable Laboratories (I²SL Annual Conference) at 10 a.m. on September 24, at the Minneapolis Convention Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

Jim Coogan, P.E., engineer principal at Siemens Industry, Inc. Photo courtesy of Siemens Industry

BAS functions and user interfaces are designed to assist and encourage action that makes the building work effectively and efficiently. It is well known that buildings consume a lot of energy but, according to Coogan, the role that people play in that consumption is often overlooked. Part of Coogan’s paper looks at the interaction between buildings and the people who use them.

“The relationship between people and buildings is the next hurdle for energy efficiency,” says Coogan. “Siemens’ goal is to design this interaction so the building encourages conservation and efficient behavior.”

Coogan has chaired several ASHRAE committees including Control Systems, Laboratory Systems, and Standard Method of Test for Airflow Controls. He is a member of the AIHA committee that revised the Z9.5 Standard: Laboratory Ventilation, and participates in various programs for Labs 21. He has published several technical papers on room pressurization and laboratory system commissioning, and has a bachelor of sciences degree in mechanical engineering from MIT in Cambridge, Mass.

A principal engineer in product development and application for the Building Technologies Division at Siemens Industry, Inc., Coogan is considered a top innovation expert as relates to energy consumption. With more than 30 years of experience in designing controls for mechanical systems, Coogan’s work has led to several patents for products ranging from simple room controllers to Internet-based interfaces. He is located at the company’s North American headquarters in Buffalo Grove, Ill.