Site survey & HVAC audit
Walk the building. Inventory zones, indoor units, OEM and generation, exposed protocols, control panel locations, network availability, and target operating outcomes. Deliverable: site survey report.
Flagship product
VRV / VRF Automation for the system you already own.
AmbiAutomation retrofit-automates existing VRV and VRF air-conditioning systems using an on-site BACnet / MODBUS automation server and a supervisory mobile and web application. The equipment is retained. Centralised control, scheduling, zone-level monitoring, and energy optimisation are added as a supervisory layer above it.
Why retrofit
The equipment is fine. The supervisory layer is missing.
Most commercial buildings already run capable VRV or VRF systems. The equipment is fine. What is missing is the supervisory layer above it — centralised control, scheduling, zone-level monitoring, and energy insight. Replacing functioning HVAC to gain that layer is wasteful, disruptive, and expensive.
AmbiAutomation adds that supervisory layer without modifying the equipment. The HVAC Bridge Board on-site server communicates with the HVAC fleet over BACnet IP or MODBUS RTU; the supervisory application is the operator interface.
- No HVAC replacement
- No new IT infrastructure required (cellular backhaul available)
- Typical retrofit of 30–80 indoor units commissions in 5–10 working days
Supervisory capability
What is added to the building.
- Centralised HVAC control. One supervisory console for every zone, floor, and site.
- Scheduling. By zone, floor, tenant, or day-type — recurring or one-off, with hard lockouts.
- Zone-level monitoring. Live setpoints, return-air, mode, fan speed, fault codes.
- Occupancy-aware operation. Where occupancy data is available, set-back and recover ahead of arrival.
- Alarms. Setpoint drift, runaway units, comms loss — routed via the supervisory application.
- Reports. Energy by zone, run-hours per unit, schedule compliance — exportable for audit.
Architecture
Two components on-site. One supervisory plane.
01
On-site server
The HVAC Bridge Board sits on your control panel. BACnet IP and MODBUS RTU. RS232 / RS485, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, GPRS/CAT 1, NB-IoT. IP65. 1.5 kV galvanic isolation. Edge-resident logic.
Server spec →
02
Mobile + web app
Schedule, control, monitor, and alert. Role-based access. Multi-site rollups. Audit log for every change. Designed for facilities teams operating from the floor.
App features →
03
Cloud (optional)
Multi-site dashboards, long-horizon trending, and report exports. The site continues to operate if the cloud is unavailable.
Deployment lifecycle
From site survey to long-term operation.
Six engineering stages. Each stage has explicit deliverables; SAT (Site Acceptance Test) is handed over before operations begin. The same engineering organisation runs every stage.
Control architecture design
Zone mapping, schedule templates, setpoint policy, alarm thresholds, role-based access matrix, backhaul plan. Deliverable: as-designed architecture document.
Hardware & gateway sourcing
HVAC Bridge Board(s) sized to building, plus any OEM-side BACnet / MODBUS gateways required. Deliverable: bill of materials, lead times.
Field installation
Mount the on-site server inside the HVAC control panel, wire BACnet / MODBUS, configure backhaul (Ethernet, Wi-Fi, or cellular). No HVAC downtime required. Deliverable: as-built record.
Commissioning & SAT
Device discovery, address mapping, schedule push, alarm test, user provisioning, walk-through of every zone. Deliverable: Site Acceptance Test sign-off.
Operations & optimisation
Training handover, post-install observation period, baseline measurement, schedule tuning. Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) available. Deliverable: operations runbook.
OEM compatibility
Supported HVAC OEMs and protocol surfaces.
AmbiAutomation integrates with any HVAC OEM that exposes a BACnet IP or MODBUS RTU interface — either natively on the indoor / outdoor units, or via the OEM-supplied gateway. A site survey confirms protocol exposure and gateway requirements for the specific installed base.
| OEM & generation | BACnet IP | MODBUS RTU | OEM gateway | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daikin VRV (II / III / IV / 5) |
Yes | Yes | Often required (DTA116, DCM601) | Wide deployment in Indian CRE. Gateway model depends on generation. |
| Mitsubishi Electric (City Multi VRF) |
Yes | Yes | Required (BAC-HD150, AE-200) | BAC-HD150 most common. AE-200 provides supervisory + gateway in one. |
| Hitachi (VRF / IVX) |
Yes | Yes | Required (CSNET Web / KNX-BACnet) | CSNET Web bridge typically present in larger installs. |
| LG (Multi V series) |
Yes | Yes | Required (PACS4B000, ACP) | ACP Plus is the supervisory + gateway unit; PACS4B000 is BACnet-only. |
| Toshiba (SMMS / SHRM) |
Yes | Yes | Required (BMS-IFBN1280U-E) | BMS-IFBN1280U-E is the standard BACnet IP interface. |
| Samsung (DVM S / DVM S2) |
Yes | Yes | Required (MIM-B17 / B19) | MIM-B19 supports BACnet IP and MODBUS TCP on newer DVM S2 lineage. |
| Chillers & VAVs (any OEM) |
Often native | Often native | Varies | Most BMS-ready chillers expose BACnet directly. VAVs are typically MODBUS RTU. |
OEM gateway part numbers above are reference examples and may change with OEM product revisions. Confirmation of the specific gateway required is part of the site survey deliverable.
Frequently asked
Common questions from FM teams and integrators.
Do I have to replace my existing VRV / VRF system?
No. AmbiAutomation is a retrofit. The on-site automation server communicates with the existing VRV / VRF units, chillers, and VAVs over BACnet IP or MODBUS RTU.
Which HVAC OEMs are supported?
Any system exposing BACnet IP or MODBUS RTU — natively or via the OEM gateway. See the compatibility table above. A site survey confirms what is required for the specific installed base.
Does the system depend on cloud connectivity?
No. The on-site server runs edge logic. Schedules, alarms, and overrides continue to operate when backhaul is interrupted. The supervisory application reconnects when connectivity returns. The cloud layer is optional, used for multi-site rollups and long-horizon trending.
How is the network connection secured?
Backhaul over Wi-Fi, Ethernet, GPRS / CAT 1, or NB-IoT is encrypted (TLS). RS485 and RJ45 ports carry 1.5 kV galvanic and up to 15 kV serial isolation. Role-based access controls govern the supervisory mobile and web application. Firmware updates are signed end-to-end.
What is the typical commissioning timeline?
A typical retrofit of 30–80 indoor units commissions in 5–10 working days, depending on building access, OEM gateway availability, and zone-mapping complexity. The HVAC system does not need to be shut down during installation.
Is there post-deployment support?
Yes. Site Acceptance Test (SAT) is handed over on commissioning. Operations support is available under an Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) with remote diagnostics and on-site response. Spare-parts stocking is sized to the deployed base.
Engage AmbiAutomation
Send us a site brief.
Number of floors, HVAC OEM and generation, current control mechanism, and target outcomes. Our engineering team will return a deployment shape, timeline, and savings estimate within one business day.