Building Automation System

A Building Automation System (BAS), (also referred to as a Building Management System or a Building Control System), is a system that controls various electric, electronic and mechanical systems throughout a building.

It is a distributed control system that integrates different types of building systems together into one centralized location. Building automation systems are primarily utilized to control the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) in a building, but are also used to control lighting, security and other building systems.

BAS works as a computer networking system that monitors and controls a range of other electronic and mechanical systems. It provides a means for these disparate systems to communicate across platforms, software and languages.

Building Automation System benefits

• An extensive BAS can control many systems (such as fire and flood safety, ventilation and security)  at one time, which diminishes the opportunity for human error.
• A BAS system can monitor the performance of various systems.
• A building automation system can provide fail-safe mechanisms to come online when electronic or mechanical failures occur. This is especially important in dangerous, high-risk work environments.
• It can improve the efficiency of the other systems within a building.
• An energy management system can reduce energy consumption and subsequently the operating expenses of the various systems involved.
• It can extend the life cycle of various utilities so that you get more bang for your buck and less frequent repairs.
• A BAS can provide a consistent level of comfort for occupants.
• A building automation system can run lockouts, which ensure that machinery doesn’t turn on unless it’s supposed to.
• It can run diagnostics to monitor temperature, pressures, flows, etc. over various systems.
• A well-integrated BAS eliminates the redundancy that can occur when too much of the automation in a building overlaps.

Some systems that are controlled by BAS

HVAC

Most energy-efficient HVAC is run by BAS. This is the most common avenue through which BAS is integrated into the electronic and mechanical systems of a building.

Lighting

BAS can manage the lighting in a room based on actual occupancy. It can also manage lighting based on daylight versus nighttime hours.

Security System

BAS can control when security systems are engaged and when they’re not. They can manage video surveillance, keyless entries, passcodes and remote access.

Ventilation/Air Purification Systems

BAS controls ventilation and air purification, particularly in buildings where ventilation and the purification of the air is an absolutely necessary component and, as such, should not be reliant upon human judgment and control.

Air Handlers

BAS is necessary for maintaining the air handlers in particular industries, for example in oil refineries, chemical plants or nuclear power plants. Mechanized air handlers have necessary safeguards and double reinforcement to ensure the safety of workers and the population in the area.

Sterilizing/Sanitizing Systems

Building automation systems are necessary in the proper functioning of sterilizing units. Much of what is done is such systems require automation.

Sustained Environments

BAS in necessary for the consistent functioning of sustained environments. The conditions necessary often revolve around the constant monitoring of human or animal vitals. In such cases, it is best to have a fully automated process managing the environment.

building automation system hierarchy

In a standard building automation model system functionally is divided into three level that are ordered hierarchically

Environmental data are measured and parameter physically controlled at the field level 

Automatic controlled is performed at the automatic level

Global configuration and management task are realized at the management level