Building automation or what’s known as a building automation system is often compared to a human’s central nervous system. And since the job of the central nervous system is to take information from every part of the body and to coordinate and integrate that during daily activities, it’s an apt comparison.
Buildings, large and small, include many systems that must be interwoven to keep the structure running efficiently, safely, and comfortably for the people who come inside every day and night. Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning systems. Alarms. Electrical systems. Closed-circuit television cameras. Lighting. Even plumbing.
So, while each system created for a structure is designed and optimized individually, there is often no move to ensure that all parts mesh together to produce an entire building that runs effectively, day after day.
That’s where building automation comes in. Specially designed devices are deployed throughout the structure to monitor and control electronic and mechanical systems and keep them working in concert.
And building automation goals like the following are accomplished:
(1) Holding the building climate within a specified temperature range.
(2) Providing lighting based on a given occupancy schedule.
(3) Constant monitoring of system performance, including device failures when they happen.
(4) Immediate notifications to engineering or maintenance staff, regarding critical problems within building systems.
Building automation gives building owners and managers constant feedback on the state of electronic and mechanical systems in the structure. That means more ways to save on operation and energy costs while still keeping everyone inside happy.