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Building Automation & Control
Building automation and control (BAC) systems involve a combination of hardware and software that control aspects of a building’s systems, potentially including power, lighting and illumination, access and security, heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC), environmental sensors, elevators and escalators, and entertainment. Benefits of building automation and control systems can include efficient control of environmental conditions, individual room control, increased staff productivity, effective use of energy, improved equipment reliability, and preventative maintenance. For example, systems can provide information on problems with building equipment, allowing for computerized maintenance scheduling as opposed to reactive identification and management of issues. Building management systems are most commonly implemented in large projects with extensive mechanical, HVAC, electrical, and plumbing systems. Building management systems (BMS) are central to BAC use cases. Systems linked to a BMS typically represent 40% of a building's energy usage; if lighting is included, this number approaches 70% on average. BMS systems are thus critical components for managing energy demand. Improperly configured BMS systems are believed to result in the wastage of 20% of a typical building's energy usage, or approximately 8% of total energy usage in the United States.