DemandControlSupport

DemandControlSupport, often abbreviated DCS, is a software capability within building energy management systems that enables demand-controlled operation of electrical loads. It provides data ingestion, decision logic, and actuation coordination to help reduce peak electricity use while maintaining safety and occupant comfort. DCS coordinates multiple subsystems to support both energy efficiency and demand response programs.

Core functions include collecting data from smart meters, submetering, occupancy sensors, weather forecasts, and equipment status; applying rule-based or model-based control algorithms to generate demand-reduction signals; and communicating with building automation systems and device controllers (such as HVAC, lighting, and motor loads) to modulate setpoints, schedules, or duty cycles. It may also accept demand-response signals from utilities or aggregators and provide analytics, dashboards, and reporting for monitoring and compliance.

Implementation and interoperability considerations are central to DCS. It is typically modular and API-based, allowing on-premises or cloud-based deployment, and it often integrates with standard protocols such as BACnet, Modbus, OPC UA, and others. Security, data governance, and audit trails are important, as is the ability to simulate or test strategies before live deployment.

Applications span commercial offices, hospitals, campuses, and data centers, where DCS helps to lower peak demand charges, smooth load profiles, and improve overall energy efficiency. Potential trade-offs include preserving occupant comfort and process constraints, which DCS addresses through adaptive thresholds, user overrides, and staged reductions. See also: demand response, building management system, energy management.