What the Best Building Automation Systems Have in Common

A building automation system allows for the control of a building’s operations through a central point, using automated means to manage HVAC, electrical, lighting, security, and other systems. These can vary in complexity, depending on the building type and primary objectives for installing it. But while each system should be customized for each building, there are basic elements the best building automation systems (BASs) have in common.

What Should a Building Automation System Do?

The best building automation systems can be tailored to do practically anything a building owner wants, whether it’s improving maintenance, reducing energy costs, increasing comfort and productivity, or enhancing safety and security. Integrating all appropriate building equipment and IoT technologies with advanced analytics allows you to optimize the capabilities and value.

Improving Maintenance

Keeping buildings operational and well-maintained requires smart maintenance. Intelligent and integrated building automation systems make preventive maintenance possible by identifying and addressing problem areas as early as possible to prevent breakdowns and limit unplanned downtime. 

Reducing Energy Costs

One of the primary reasons building owners integrate automated systems is the potential to reduce energy usage. The best building automation systems use IoT devices to gather data that is then interpreted by an advanced analytics platform to identify waste, make automatic adjustments, and offer recommendations for improving efficiency. This is especially important in climates where HVAC systems must run at high capacity to maintain comfortable indoor conditions. 

Increasing Comfort and Productivity

In conjunction with reducing costs, an advanced BAS helps enhance thermal comfort by monitoring and modulating temperature and humidity levels. Research shows that this can increase the productivity of employees in commercial buildings, helping both building occupants and building staff work to their full potential. It also helps eliminate disruptions caused by unforeseen system failures that interfere with day-to-day operations.

Enhancing Safety and Security

Keeping building occupants safe, healthy, and secure should be a key element of any building automation system. Monitoring airborne pathogens, filtering air to keep it free from allergens, and maintaining ideal lighting will help mitigate conditions that can harm occupants’ health. Meanwhile, smart security systems can keep occupants and building assets safe by controlling access to both physical spaces and digital data. 

The Best Building Automation Systems Are Data-Driven

The best building automation systems require thoughtful integration and intelligent use of building data. An experienced master systems integrator can ensure that all equipment, sensors, and devices are connected within a secure, well-architected system with powerful analytics capabilities that turn data into action. The analytics platform you choose will play a key role in ensuring your BAS performs at its best. 

onPoint is an innovative cloud-based platform born from the collaboration of building controls experts, data analysts, and mechanical engineers. It continuously monitors building data to identify ways to enhance occupant comfort, decrease energy use, and troubleshoot building-related concerns. With machine learning capabilities, proven data models, and customizable reporting, it gives you a new level of control and insight into how your building behaves and how it can improve. 

onPoint:

• Mines data to identify and predict performance issues.
• Tracks and predicts energy usage based on historical data.
• Limits nuisance alarms by defining rules and automated responses.
• Includes extensive rule library developed by mechanical engineers and building scientists.
• Features a mobile-friendly user interface that offers single-pane-of-glass control.

With onPoint, your BAS becomes a vital tool for improving day-to-day operations while giving you the insights you need to plan for the future.

Buildings IOT offers the services and technologies to create the best building automation systems. Contact our team today.