The benefit of building management
What is building management automation?
A building automation system (source: Wikipedia) is a computer-based control system installed for the purpose of managing, controlling and measuring engineering and electrical equipment installed in a building.
Such equipment may include:
Building management systems also consist of software and hardware and are usually configured in a hierarchical manner.
Building management systems are most commonly installed in medium-sized and large buildings. Their core functionality is to regulate the environmental conditions, i.e. temperature, carbon dioxide level and humidity in the building’s rooms. The most common task that any building management system has is to regulate heating and cooling systems that deliver air to every part of the building (e.g. by operating fans or opening/closing dampers), then locally control the appropriate combination of heating and cooling in order to achieve the desired temperature in the given room. Measuring carbon dioxide exhaled by people is one possible secondary function, along with mixing fresh outdoor air and used indoor air in order to keep oxygen levels at the desired level, which also goes towards minimising heating/cooling loss.
Subsystems that interface with a building management system account for nearly 40% of the building’s overall energy usage; if lighting is included, this number approaches to 70%. Building management systems provide a critical intervention option for buildings that can be used to optimise their energy demand. Improperly configured systems can increase a building’s energy usage by up to 20%. Fire alarm and smoke detector systems can also transmit signals to building management systems, e.g. in case a fire is detected, the system shuts off dampers in the fans to prevent fire/smoke from spreading.
Such equipment may include:
- ventilation,
- heating,
- cooling,
- lighting,
- power supply,
- consumption metering.
Building management systems also consist of software and hardware and are usually configured in a hierarchical manner.
Building management systems are most commonly installed in medium-sized and large buildings. Their core functionality is to regulate the environmental conditions, i.e. temperature, carbon dioxide level and humidity in the building’s rooms. The most common task that any building management system has is to regulate heating and cooling systems that deliver air to every part of the building (e.g. by operating fans or opening/closing dampers), then locally control the appropriate combination of heating and cooling in order to achieve the desired temperature in the given room. Measuring carbon dioxide exhaled by people is one possible secondary function, along with mixing fresh outdoor air and used indoor air in order to keep oxygen levels at the desired level, which also goes towards minimising heating/cooling loss.
Subsystems that interface with a building management system account for nearly 40% of the building’s overall energy usage; if lighting is included, this number approaches to 70%. Building management systems provide a critical intervention option for buildings that can be used to optimise their energy demand. Improperly configured systems can increase a building’s energy usage by up to 20%. Fire alarm and smoke detector systems can also transmit signals to building management systems, e.g. in case a fire is detected, the system shuts off dampers in the fans to prevent fire/smoke from spreading.
Benefits of building management systems
If you are a tenant/resident
- Internal comfort can be controlled as needed
- Possibility of individual room control
- More effective building management, predictable energy consumption
- Specific data about cooling, heating and ventilation in case of complaints
- Save money and time during maintenance
If you are the owner
- Your building will have more value due to its added level of comfort
- You can regulate systems flexibly, depending on use
- You can invoice utility charges individually to your tenants
- You can manage and monitor the building centrally or using remote management
- You can save time
- You can also use remote control to monitor individual subsystems
If you are a maintenance technician
- Information is easier to access using the management system
- You can use maintenance staff more effectively
- You can detect problems earlier
- A more efficient system will also make your occupants more satisfied
Preparation/Design
We can provide assistance as early as the conceptual design stage in order to allow the implementation of a system that best suits your expectations.
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Implementation
You can rest assured, our expertise and experience will also take you through the implementation stage.
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Maintenance
Proper maintenance helps ensuring and increasing the system’s operational reliability.
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Upgrades/Modernisation
Enhancement of automation systems can be warranted for a number of reasons.
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