wifi thermostats to make a cheap BMS?

Dsisson

I'm purchasing a small industrial building that is heated by multiple ceiling hung gas space heaters. I plan on dividing the building into several tenant spaces. Total of 5 tenant spaces plus a few common areas. Probably 8-10 zones total. I'd like to allow each tenant to control their own space heaters, but be able to remotely view and control the heaters - mainly so I can make sure that the spaces don't get too cold and freeze the sprinkler system. I know I can attach a wifi thermostat to each heater individually, but I don't know if I can:

1) view and control multiple thermostats from a single wifi app
2) allow the tenants to make limited changes to the heating via wifi to a single thermostat. In other words, I'd like them full control, but not able to reduce heat below a certain setpoint (say 50 deg).

Is this possible without installing a full building management system? I'm familiar with the Honeywell app, because I use it at my home, but I have no idea if the same system would have the level of control that I want. I see that the Honewell Total Connect app will control multiple thermostats, which looks perfect, but I don't know if I can allow the tenants to access just one thermostat and have limited control.

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Tim Potter

I use BayWeb thermostats to monitor & control 4 locations in 3 states. The alerting function saved my house from freezing up in the high colorado mountains when my boiler control failed in 10 below weather...

Here is one of their case studies, might be just what you need.

http://www.bayweb.com/media/26485/baja-insurance-case-study.pdf

Take care,
Tim

VDBLU

There was a thread on Garage Journal about this same situation.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=317886&highlight=ecobee+tenant

Dsisson

Very interesting. The ecobee definitely has the options I'm looking for, but might even be overkill. Is it just a thermostat, or do you need to install some other controls/boxes/etc?

VDBLU

They would all have to be able to connect to a wifi point. Other than that no. There is a web portal and a smart phone app you control everything with. You can even lock the thermostats if you need.

MilanD

Any one of Honeywell wifi tstats will let you access them remotely. They all need wifi tho. You can set-up temp range on which to email you if exceeded. Only downside is if someone inadvertently puts them in vacation mode, you will have to get to them physically to turn off the vacation mode. Not sure why they did that lockout, it's kind of stupid really. If I were on a vacation, I'd want to turn the system off vacation mode a day before I was to return.

Dsisson

I know what you mean about the vacation mode. My BIL was staying over in our guestroom (controlled by the Honeywell wifi tstat) & my MIL tried to adjust the temp. She ended up putting on the A/C, 65 deg, vacation mode --- on a 20 deg snowy night. I had to wake up the BIL to fix the problem. Silly.

MilanD

Yep. I installed a lock box after that happened to me. Anyone wants change of programming, got to send me an email, text, or call. I'm not sure if they can be set-up as master user/limited user. I only needed to stop unauthorized changes to programmed temps at thw tstat, so lock box did it. I want to say yes, but need to look up the manual.