Project Profile: Juan Santamaría International Airport

Juan Santamaría International Airport, named for Costa Rica’s national hero, is the primary airport serving San José, the capital of Costa Rica. The airport opened in 1958 and has undergone several renovations and expansions to accommodate its increasing flow of passengers. With more than 5 million travelers served since 2016, Juan Santamaría is the second busiest airport in Central America.

Authorized Dealer Solmatec installed a Reliable Controls building automation system in the airport during a retrofit project.

Solmatec used RC-RemoteAccess to meet the complex challenge of integrating three BACnet/IP subnetworks on different local area network segments without any downtime to airport operations. MACH-ProCom and MACH-ProSys controllers on each subnetwork communicate over BACnet/IP with third-party equipment and provide a router to a BACnet Virtual Private Network (B/VPN). The B/VPN eliminates the need for a BACnet Broadcast Management Device and simplifies network architecture.

Solmatec replaced malfunctioning and aging third-party devices in the local area networks with Reliable Controls products. EnOcean wireless sensors monitor the temperature in the migration area, and the Reliable Controls system commands two water-cooled chillers. MACH-ProZone controllers control small air-handling units and fans.

Today facility operators use RC-WebView software to access the B/VPN and display information from Reliable Controls devices and other mechanical equipment. RC-Reporter software brings clarity to facility performance with readable, reliable reports, and RC-Archive provides a robust record of building data.

Reliable Controls and Solmatec were pleased to deliver nearly $32,000 annual savings thanks to the new building automation system.