Maintaining a comfortable building climate can be a challenge. You’ll need to juggle temperature, lighting levels, and ventilation while staying within the ideal utility costs.
It’s easier said than done, but recent industry developments make it possible. Continue reading to learn why businesses looking to improve their facility management often turn to building automation systems.
How Do Building Automation Systems Work?
Building automation is an intelligent system that combines software and hardware to consolidate your facility management. By connecting your security, lighting, and HVAC into one easy-to-use platform, you can efficiently monitor your building’s status.
This technology gives you access to tools and information that help you assess your facility’s operational performance while improving comfort levels for your occupants.
The Components of Building Automation Systems
To fully understand how building automation systems work, let’s explore how each component operates.
Sensors
Sensors are the most critical elements of all building automation systems. They detect and monitor:
- Occupancy
- Temperature
- Humidity
- Ventilation
- Air quality
- Ambient light levels
- Security systems
Once evaluated, BAS systems transmit this data to centralized controllers to fine-tune resource allocation in your facility.
Controllers
Controllers are essentially computers with both input and output capabilities. They act as the “brain” of building automation, compiling data from the sensors and sending commands to your operating systems.
Output Devices
Once the controller sends out a command, output devices implement the action required – such as increasing or decreasing the temperature in a particular part of the building, dimming lights in unused areas, or turning on the air conditioning before the workday begins.
Terminal Interface
The terminal interface is another important component of building automation systems, as it’s how facility managers physically control the system. When evaluating different BAS products, make sure you choose one with a user-friendly interface.
What Can Building Automation Control?
Basic building automation systems allow you to monitor standard facility functions, such as:
- Lighting
- Chillers
- Boilers
- Air Handling Units (AHUs)
- Roof-top Units (RTUs)
- Fan Coil Units (FCUs)
- Heat Pump Units (HPUs)
- Variable Air Volume boxes (VAVs)
For business owners looking for a complete control solution, additional services are available, with the most popular being:
- Power monitoring
- Security
- Close circuit video (CCTV)
- Card and keypad access
- Fire alarm system
- Elevators/escalators
- Plumbing and water monitoring
Efficiently monitoring your facility operations enables you to make real-time adjustments, saving you both time and money.
5 Ways Building Automation Services Save You Time and Money
If you’re looking to optimize your facility operations, BAS systems bring the following benefits:
Increase Productivity
Good building owners know the relationship a comfortable working environment has on productivity. Building automation solutions are an effective way for businesses to reduce their energy usage while still keeping the same internal temperature.
Because you can program your system to control your climate throughout the day, you can turn down your utility usage after operating hours. By automatically regulating your temperature, building automation systems ensure your facility is comfortable during working hours while reducing energy usage after everyone goes home.
Having a consistent temperature creates a comfortable building environment leading to fewer occupant complaints, happier employees, and a more productive workspace.
Improved Energy Efficiency
Building automation systems are highly regarded because of their ability to bring considerable energy savings. For most commercial buildings, 30% of their monthly utility bill is due to unnecessary energy consumption.
When you combine your water, electricity, gas, and HVAC under one management system, you’re able to easily identify areas that need improvement.
Building automation systems then use this data to correct any inefficiencies. By reducing excess waste, you can maintain your ideal building climate while reducing your monthly energy usage, delivering a lower utility bill.
Reduced Maintenance Costs
Unexpected equipment breakdowns are costly, leading to disrupted business operations and expensive maintenance repairs. Luckily, computerized controls are highly effective in preventing potential problems.
Because building automation systems reduce wear-and-tear on your energy infrastructure, you’ll quickly notice an improvement in your equipment’s lifespan. By monitoring and optimizing facility performance, BAS systems automatically identify potential problems and make adjustments to remediate them—leading to fewer maintenance issues.
Increased Property Value
The value of your commercial building is largely tied to its net operating income. Using building automation systems to reduce your utility costs can significantly increase the net operating income of your business.
Let’s look at this theory on a dollar-for-dollar basis. Every $0.10 per square foot saved in energy increases the market value of your property by $0.80 per square foot. For example, if you have a 100,000-square-foot building, Saving energy by as little as $0.15 per square foot increases your value by as much as $120,000. Taking the proper measures to improve your building operations is seen tenfold through your property value.
Consistent and Comfortable Climates
Last but not least, it is essential to recognize the impact that building automation systems have in terms of maintaining comfort levels in your building. These systems keep your humidity and temperature at comfortable levels throughout your building while also ensuring that adequate light levels are delivered over different times of the day. This enables you to automatically maintain your ideal climate while your building components operate at sustainable levels.
Your Trusted Provider for Building Automation and Control Systems
Since 1984, A&G Services has been the premier mechanical contracting company in Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. Our industry-leading building automation solutions go a long way toward enhancing the daily operations of your building. Ready to take the next step? Reach out to our expert team for a free consultation—we’re happy to help you find ways to enhance your property value.
