An Automated NSW Smart Solutions Guide
Building Automation Systems (BAS) are essential for monitoring facilities, maintaining comfort, and keeping energy costs in check. But when a critical alarm goes off, speed matters. Without a clear, intuitive interface, facility managers can waste valuable time hunting through cluttered dashboards trying to figure out what’s wrong and where.
That’s where Reflow by NiagaraMods comes in. Reflow transforms how you view and manage alarms in Niagara 4, giving you a customizable, visually dynamic interface that makes it easy to spot and respond to critical issues fast.
The Problem with Traditional Alarm Management
Most traditional BAS interfaces show alarms as text-based lists buried somewhere in a cluttered dashboard. Sure, they work, but they’re not exactly efficient. Critical alarms get lost in the noise, responses get delayed, and eventually, everyone starts ignoring them. Sound familiar? That’s alarm fatigue.
Traditional alarm management creates information overload. Critical alarms disappear among dozens of non-urgent alerts. Legacy systems weren’t built for smartphones, making on-the-go responses painfully slow. You’re stuck with whatever alarm manager screen the manufacturer gave you with no customization and no flexibility.
Stay tuned for our blog series on ISA 18.2, Alarm Management!
How Reflow Makes Alarm Management Better
Reflow is a modern, web-based visualization platform that works seamlessly with Niagara 4 on any device. Whether you’re on a PC, tablet, or phone, Reflow presents your BAS data and alarms in a way that’s actually easy to use and tailored to what your team needs.
Customizable Alarm Dashboards
Create dashboards that show exactly what you need to see. Build custom alarm views designed for the fastest possible response. Color-code alarms by severity with red for critical, yellow for warnings, and green for resolved issues. Sort and filter by type, priority, or location. Track alarm trends over time to spot recurring problems. You can even link alarm procedures directly to the dashboard so your team knows exactly what to do.
Visual Alarm Mapping
Instead of scrolling through endless lists, Reflow lets you see alarms directly on interactive floor plans and equipment graphics. Spot alarm locations instantly on a building layout. Click on any alarm for detailed information, timestamps, and fault history. See which areas are affected so the right people can respond quickly.
Mobile-Friendly Design
Reflow works on any device, which means you can monitor alarms from anywhere. This is huge for facility managers who aren’t always at their desks. Get instant alarm notifications on your phone. View graphical representations of affected areas remotely. Forward alarm details to the right people immediately.
Smart Alarm Prioritization
Not every alarm needs immediate attention. Reflow lets you set up rules so critical alarms always rise to the top. Automatically sort alarms by severity. Set up custom notifications for specific situations like high temps in server rooms or low pressure in roof top units. Group related alarms together for easier troubleshooting.
Easy Integration with Niagara 4
Reflow plugs directly into Niagara 4’s alarm system without requiring major reconfiguration. Pull live alarms from Niagara into Reflow dashboards. Set up visual indicators that trigger when Niagara alarms fire. Enhance your current workflows without overhauling your entire BAS.
The Bottom Line
Good alarm management keeps buildings safe, efficient, and comfortable. Reflow gives facility managers the tools to see what’s happening, prioritize what matters, and fix problems faster. With its intuitive graphical interface, your team gets better situational awareness, quicker response times, and fewer operational headaches.
Stop fighting with outdated alarm lists. Start managing alarms the way they should be managed.