Project Profile: City of Arts (Ciudad de las Artes)

The City of Arts development, a project of the Panama Ministry of Culture, is dedicated to developing and strengthening arts and culture in Panama. Comprised of seven buildings, the complex provides facilities for the National Ballet of Panama, the National Symphony Orchestra, the National Institute of Culture, the National Council of Writers, the National School of Dance, the National School of Plastic Arts, and much more. The City of Arts is expected to house educational, exhibition, and collection spaces for an estimated 20,000 people per year, including 5,000 youth.

Authorized Dealer Copanac installed a Reliable Controls building automation system during construction of the City of Arts complex to control HVAC, lighting, power generation, heat pump, fire alarming, and security equipment.

Copanac used BACnet to integrate Reliable Controls technology with chilled water plant pumps and a fire alarm system and used Modbus to integrate power generator boards. In total, 177 Reliable Controls devices monitor and control 22,000 square meters of floor space across the seven buildings.

Today facility managers can efficiently manage the automation system over the internet using RC-WebView software, an easy-to-use browser-based solution that combines the power of enterprise tools with a simple interface. RC-WebView is ideal for sites like this one with multiple internet-connected buildings; it provides the ability to handle alarms in bulk, schedule a campus of buildings at once, define user roles on a directory server, and more without compromising performance. City of Arts staff are especially pleased with the capacity to display live system data using interactive HVAC, lighting, and security graphics.

RC-Archive and RC-Reporter software provide facility managers with easy access to energy management and building data, delivering a comprehensive record of performance that empowers them to continuously improve operational efficiency.

The seven buildings in the complex—each named for a regional artist—are connected through an open plaza. Reliable Controls and Copanac are proud to contribute to this integral space in Panama City.