ENVIRONMENT

AL RESPONSIVE
DESIGN

Building
Infrastructure
Topic – Building
Automation
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 INTRODUCTIO
•
N
BUILDING AUTOMATION IS THE AUTOMATIC CENTRALIZED
CONTROL OF A BUILDING'S HEATING, VENTILATION AND
AIR CONDITIONING, LIGHTING AND OTHER SYSTEMS
THROUGH A BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR
BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM (BAS).

• THE OBJECTIVES OF BUILDING AUTOMATION ARE

IMPROVED OCCUPANT COMFORT, EFFICIENT OPERATION OF
BUILDING SYSTEMS, REDUCTION IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION
AND OPERATING COSTS, AND IMPROVED LIFE CYCLE OF
UTILITIES.

• BUILDING AUTOMATION IS AN EXAMPLE OF A DISTRIBUTED

CONTROL SYSTEM – THE COMPUTER NETWORKING OF
ELECTRONIC DEVICES DESIGNED TO MONITOR AND
CONTROL THE MECHANICAL, SECURITY, FIRE AND FLOOD
SAFETY, LIGHTING (ESPECIALLY EMERGENCY LIGHTING),
HVAC AND HUMIDITY CONTROL AND VENTILATION
SYSTEMS IN A BUILDING.

• BAS CORE FUNCTIONALITY KEEPS BUILDING CLIMATE

WITHIN A SPECIFIED RANGE, PROVIDES LIGHT TO ROOMS
BASED ON AN OCCUPANCY SCHEDULE (IN THE ABSENCE OF
OVERT SWITCHES TO THE CONTRARY), MONITORS
PERFORMANCE AND DEVICE FAILURES IN ALL SYSTEMS,
AND PROVIDES MALFUNCTION ALARMS TO BUILDING
MAINTENANCE STAFF.

• A BAS SHOULD REDUCE BUILDING ENERGY AND

MAINTENANCE COSTS COMPARED TO A NON-CONTROLLED
BUILDING. MOST COMMERCIAL, INSTITUTIONAL, AND
INDUSTRIAL BUILDINGS BUILT AFTER 2000 INCLUDE A BAS.
MANY OLDER BUILDINGS HAVE BEEN RETROFITTED WITH A
NEW BAS, TYPICALLY FINANCED THROUGH ENERGY AND
INSURANCE SAVINGS, AND OTHER SAVINGS ASSOCIATED
 WORKING OF BUILDING AUTOMATION :

MODERN BUILDINGS TYPICALLY HAVE CENTRAL HVAC PLANTS TO

PROVIDE HEATING AND COOLING FOR THE ENTIRE BUILDING.

SOME HIGH RISE BUILDINGS CAN HAVE SEVERAL CENTRAL PLANTS

EITHER IN THE BASEMENT, ON VARIOUS FLOORS, OR THE ROOF OF THE
BUILDING.

INSTITUTIONAL BUILDINGS ALSO, HAVE CENTRAL PLANTS THAT

PROVIDE HEATING AND COOLING FOR THE BUILDINGS THAT ARE
SPREAD OUT OVER CAMPUS. BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS OR BAS
ALLOWS ALL THESE SYSTEMS INTEGRATION BETWEEN CONTROLLERS,
THE INTERNET, AND THE BAS SERVER.

 THEY ALLOW PRECISE CONTROL BASED ON SEVERAL FACTORS,

INCLUDING WEATHER CONDITIONS, DEMAND FACTORS OF OCCUPATION,
AND OTHER VARIABLES DOWN TO THE MICRO-LEVEL THAT ALLOW FOR
THE SYSTEMS TO BE VERY ENERGY EFFICIENT. IN THE OLD DAYS, A
CENTRAL PLANT WOULD MAINTAIN A CHILLED WATER TEMPERATURE OF
55° F.

WITH BAS AND PRECISE COMPUTER CONTROL, THAT SET POINT

TEMPERATURE CAN BE CHANGED WHEN CERTAIN CONDITIONS EXIST.
EXAMPLE IN THE SPRING OR FALL, THE TEMPERATURE OUTDOORS IS
48° F AND ONLY A QUARTER OF THE LOCAL FAN COIL UNITS ARE FOR
COOLING, THE INTELLIGENT RESPONSE OF BAS INVOLVES INCREASING
THE SET POINT TEMPERATURE FOR THE CENTRAL PLANT CHILLERS.

 EVERY BUILDING IS DIFFERENT, AND THE BAS ENGINEER NEEDS TO

SELECT THE PROPER HVAC CONTROL SYSTEMS AND PROGRAMS TO
CONTROL THE VARIOUS TYPES OF HVAC SYSTEMS IN A PARTICULAR
AUTOMATED BUILDING.
 DETAILED BUILDING AUTOMATION
SYSTEM CHECKLIST:
EQUIPMENT/LIGHTING SCHEDULING-
BAS SHOULD ALLOW THE OWNER TO SET UP SCHEDULES OF OPERATION FOR THE EQUIPMENT AND
LIGHTING SYSTEMS SO THAT ENERGY SAVINGS CAN BE REALIZED WHEN THE BUILDING OR SPACES IN
THE BUILDING ARE UNOCCUPIED.
 OPTIMAL START-
•BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS SHOULD ALLOW THE EQUIPMENT OPTIMAL START WITH ADAPTIVE
LEARNING.
• OPTIMAL START IS ALLOWING THE EQUIPMENT TO BE BROUGHT ON IN AN ORDERED AND SEQUENTIAL
MANNER AUTOMATICALLY ON A SCHEDULE BEFORE THE BUILDING IS REOCCUPIED SO THAT SPACE SET
POINTS CAN BE REALIZED BEFORE OCCUPATION.
•ADDITIONALLY, ADAPTIVE LEARNING ALLOWS THE SYSTEM TO COMPARE SPACE TEMPERATURE, OUTSIDE
AIR CONDITIONS, AND EQUIPMENT CAPABILITIES SO THAT THE EQUIPMENT CAN BE TURNED ON AT AN
APPROPRIATE TIME TO ENSURE SPACE SETPOINTS ARE ACHIEVED BEFORE OCCUPATION.
 TRIM AND RESPOND-
•BAS CONTROL SYSTEMS SHOULD HAVE “TRIM AND RESPOND” CAPABILITIES. BASED ON ZONE DEMAND,
THE SET POINT FOR VARIOUS HEATING AND COOLING SOURCES WILL CHANGE ACCORDING TO DEMAND
FROM THE ZONES.
• IN A VAV SYSTEM, ALL THE VAV BOXES ARE SERVED FROM A CENTRAL AIR HANDLING UNIT. MOREOVER,
IF ALL THE ZONES ARE AT SET POINT, THEN THE SUPPLY AIR TEMPERATURE SET POINT OF THE AIR
HANDLER IS AUTOMATICALLY CHANGED TO PREVENT MECHANICAL COOLING FROM OCCURRING WHEN IT
IS UNNECESSARY.
ENERGY USE MONITORING-
BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS SHOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO
MONITOR ENERGY USAGE, INCLUDING THE ABILITY TO METER
ELECTRIC, GAS, WATER, STEAM, HOT WATER, CHILLED WATER, AND
FUEL OIL SERVICES.

PRECISE ECONOMIZER CONTROL-

BAS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE APPROPRIATE MECHANICAL SYSTEM
SET-UP SHOULD OFFER TO ECONOMIZE BASED ON ENTHALPY
CALCULATIONS OR CO2 SET POINT CONTROL.
PREDICTIVE CONTROL-
BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS SHOULD HAVE SUCH BAS
CONTROL ALGORITHMS AS RESET SCHEDULES FOR HEATING
PLANTS, STATIC PRESSURE CONTROL, AND OTHER SYSTEMS WHERE
ENERGY SAVINGS CAN BE REALIZED THROUGH THESE PREDICTIVE
PROGRAMS.

LOAD SHEDDING (PEAK SHAVING)-

BAS SHOULD OFFER LOAD SHEDDING WHEN POWER COMPANIES
ARE AT PEAK DEMAND AND NEED BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO CUT
BACK ON POWER USAGE TO PREVENT BROWNOUTS. BUILDING
AUTOMATION SYSTEMS ALLOW THE OWNER TO CYCLE VARIOUS
THINGS OFF LIKE WATER HEATERS OR DRINKING FOUNTAINS
WHERE THE USE OF THESE THINGS WILL NOT BE NOTICED EVEN
THOUGH THEY ARE OFF.

BUILDING OPERATOR ALERTS-

BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEMS SHOULD OFFER THE ABILITY TO
SEND ALARMS VIA EMAIL, PAGER, OR TELEPHONE TO ALERT
BUILDING MANAGERS OR TECHNICIANS OF DEVELOPING PROBLEMS
AND SYSTEM FAILURES.

BILLING/TRACKING TENANT ENERGY USE-

MANAGEMENT COMPANIES WHO ACQUIRE A GOOD BUILDING
AUTOMATION SYSTEMS CAN HAVE THE SYSTEM SET UP TO BILL
TENANTS FOR ENERGY USAGE.

INTEGRATION-
BAS SHOULD HAVE THE COMMUNICATIONS ABILITIES TO BE
INTEGRATED WITH OTHER BUILDING AUTOMATION CONTROL
SYSTEMS.