Building

Automation
Significance and Scope

Ar. Rakesh Koolwal

Ar. Giriraj P. Nagar
 Building Automation System (BAS)
The commonly accepted definition
of a Building Automation System
(BAS) includes the comprehensive
and co-coordinated control of one
or more major system functions
required in a facility, such as
heating, ventilating and air
What is BAS? conditioning (HVAC) systems Fire
and Life Safety, and Vertical
Transportation. As the technology
moves forward, there are lot more
functionalities that could be forged
with the conventional building
automation system.
Building Automation System (BAS)
 Building Automation System (BAS)

A computerized, intelligent network of

electronic devices designed to monitor
and control the all type of mechanical,
electronic and electrical systems in a
building
So….. BAS is
The advanced functionality provided
by the control system of a building
E.g., security & access control, fire
detection & alarms, HVAC, lighting
control, air quality, smoke detection,
intrusion detection, environmental
control, asset location/management
 Home Automation System (HAS)

Home automation :
Automation of the home, housework or
household activity and control of
Lighting, HVAC (Heating, Ventilation and
Air Conditioning), appliances
Then what is HAS ?? and other systems

Home automation system :

An integrated system (computer-based)
offering home automation
functionalities Integrates electrical
devices in a house Through a
communication network Possibly
includes devices using different
communication protocols.
Home Automation System (HAS)
 BAS vs. HAS

Building
Automation
Home
Automati
on

Home Automation is almost a subset of

Building Automation
Most functionalities are shared.
 Protocols and Technologies may differ.
 Building automation and control systems
(BACS)

Building automation and control systems (BACS)

are collections of hardware and software that are
networked together in order to monitor and
control environmental systems in buildings.

What is BACS ?? A BACS usually consists of a number of sensors

and controllers, a centralized Web server and at
least one user interface device. Controllers are
basically small computers designed to control
specific environmental devices or sub-networks
of other controllers. The Web server monitors
the controllers, and the user interface device,
often a desktop or handheld computer, allows
the person in control of the BACS to receive
feedback about the system from the Web server.
 Building Management Systems
(BMS)

Building automation and control systems (BACS)

are also known as BMS. Basically BMS is broad
term widely used for BACS in automation
industry.

What is BMS ??
 (BACS)

The objectives of building automation are

improved occupant comfort, efficient
operation of building systems, and reduction
in energy consumption and operating costs,
and improved life cycle of utilities.

Objectives of
BACS BACS core functionality keeps building climate
within a specified range, provides light to
rooms based on an occupancy schedule,
monitors performance and device failures in
all systems, and provides malfunction alarms
to building maintenance staff.
 (BACS)

A BACS reduces building energy and

maintenance costs compared to a non-
controlled building.

So BACS is an example of a distributed control

Objectives of system – the computer networking of
electronic devices designed to monitor and
BACS control the mechanical, security, fire and flood
safety, HVAC and humidity control and
ventilation systems in a building
 (BACS)
There are a number of applications and devices that
can be automated and controlled by a BACS.
 Mechanical Services.
 Plumbing Services.
 Electrical Services.
 HVAC system.
• Boilers / chillers,
• Air handling units,
What Can A • Rooftop units,
BACS Do For • Heat pump units ,
Us? • Variable air volume boxes.
 Lighting .
 Parking Management .
 Basic environmental services.
 Alarms and security
• Closed circuit video and card,
• Keypad or biometric access.
 Power management.
 Fire alarm systems.
 (BACS)

What Can A
BACS Do For
Us?
 (BACS)

A Simple Example of a Intergrated Building Automation System

 (BACS)

Types of inputs Analog inputs are used to read a variable

measurement. Examples are temperature,
and outputs
humidity and pressure sensors.
Analog outputs control the speed or position of
a device, such as a variable frequency drive or a
valve or damper actuator.

A digital input indicates if a device is turned on or

not.
Digital outputs are used to open and close relays
and switches. An example would be to turn on the
parking lot lights when a photocell indicates it is
dark outside.
 (BACS)
Infrastructure Controller : Controllers are essentially purpose-
built computers with input and output capabilities.

•Inputs allow a controller to read temperature,

humidity, pressure, current flow, air flow, and
other essential factors.
•The outputs allow the controller to send
command and control signals to slave devices, and
to other parts of the system

Temperature sensor provides feedback to the

controller, so it can deliver heating or cooling as
needed.

occupancy sensors to activate lighting or climate

conditioning
 (BACS)

Occupancy is usually based on time of day

schedules. In Occupancy mode, the BACS aims to
provides a comfortable climate and adequate
lighting, often with zone-based control so that
users on one side of a building have a different
thermostat.

Occupancy is one of two or more operating modes

Infrastructure for a building automation system. Unoccupied,
Morning Warm up, and Night-time are other
common modes.

Lighting can be turned on, off, or dimmed with a

building automation or lighting control system
based on time of day, or on occupancy or motion
sensor, photo sensors and timers
 (BACS)
One typical example is to turn the lights in a space
on for a half-hour since the last motion was
sensed. A photocell placed outside a building can
sense darkness, and the time of day, and modulate
lights in outer offices and the parking lot.
•Air handlers with Analog or digital temperature
sensors
Infrastructure •The return and supply air ducts
•Actuators are placed on the hot and chilled water
valves
•The outside air and return air dampers.
The supply fan is started and stopped based on
either time of day, temperatures, building
pressures or a combination.
•Constant volume air-handling units
•Variable volume air-handling units
•Air Handling unit (AHU) Discharge Air Temperature
control
 (BACS)

•Central plant
A central plant is needed to supply the air-
handling units with water. It may supply a chilled
Infrastructure water system, hot water system and a condenser
water system

Alarms and security : Many building automation

systems have alarm capabilities. If an alarm is
detected, it can be programmed to notify some
one. Notification can be through a
computer, pager, cellular phone, or audible alarm

Main/repeater fire alarm control panel,

smoke/heat detectors, visual/audible strobes and
manual call points are integral components of the
system.
 (BACS)
•Security systems can be interlocked to a building
automation system.
•If occupancy sensors are present, they can also
be used as burglar alarms
•Fire and smoke alarm systems can be hard-wired
to override building automation.

The following functional systems are

Infrastructure interconnected to the Fire Alarm System:

•Shutting down of Air Handling Units of the

affected areas
•Closing of smoke check doors for segregation of
affected areas from non-affected areas
•Start-up of pressurization fans
•Start-up of smoke extraction fans (mechanical
smoke control)
•Public Address System
•Grounding of all elevators
 (BACS)

Security: With Home Automation, the consumer

Infrastructure can select and watch cameras live from an
Internet source to their home or business.
Security systems can include motion sensors .This
category also includes control and distribution of
security cameras.
Detection of possible intrusion
•Sensors of detection of movement
•sensors of magnetic contact of door/window
•sensors of glass breaking
•sensors of pressure changes
 (BACS)
Simulation of presence.
Detection of fire, gas leaks, water leaks
Medical alert.
Tele-assistance.
Precise and safe closing of blinds.
Infrastructure CCTV (cctv stands for closed circuit television)
All kinds of businesses stand to benefit from
installing these camera systems in their stores and
office buildings
Must be integrated with alarm systems and
additional security elements

Burglar alarms : Kept hidden, without the reach

and knowledge of the offender Cost effective
Triggered easily even by a child in case of
emergency .Used with a combination of CCTV
devices .
 (BACS)
Biometric security (identification) systems identify
Infrastructure a human from a measurement of a physical
characteristic or behavioral trait to determine or
verify an identity.
There are several different types of biometric
security technologies:
•Facial Recognition
•Fingerprint Recognition
•Hand Geometry
•Iris Recognition
•Voice Recognition
Attendance & Payroll Management System
•Proximity Card Based
•Biometric based solutions
•Remote locations at one centralized place
•Attendance & leave management
•Productivity and Time loss management
•Movement reports
•Personal information of the employees
 (BACS)

Infrastructure Single Unit Video Intercom System is

perfect to be used in residential houses
and homes
works as follows:
Visitors press the music key of outdoor
phone
On holding the indoor phone it displays
the image of the lobby
Indoor user intercommunicate with
visitors
After confirming the visitor, on pressing
"Unlock" the electric lock of the lobby is
opened
 (BACS)

Electrical fault detection systems can turn

entire circuits off, regardless of the number of
alarms this triggers or persons this distresses.
Fossil fuel combustion devices also tend to
Infrastructure have their own over-rides, such as natural gas
feed lines that turn off when slow pressure
drops are detected (indicating a leak), or when
excess methane is detected in the building's air
supply.
 Room automation
Room automation is a subset of building
automation and with a similar purpose; it is the
consolidation of one or more systems under
centralized control, though in this case in one
room.
The most common example of room
automation is corporate boardroom,
Room presentation suites, and lecture halls, where
the operation of the large number of devices
Automation that define the room function (such as video
conferencing equipment, video projectors,
lighting control systems, public address
systems etc.) would make manual operation of
the room very complex. It is common for room
automation systems to employ a touch screen
as the primary way of controlling each
operation