In recent years, we have seen a growing trend towards smart buildings equipped with Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS). The adoption of BACS offers multiple advantages, such as reducing the energy consumption of buildings, improving the quality of life of occupants and the integration of renewable energy systems, providing flexibility to connected energy networks. Innovative policy initiatives related to building automation currently exist or are in development to support next-generation systems that reduce CO2 emissions. According to Glenn Weinreb, CTO, Manhattan 2, the goal is to reduce the use of fossil fuels, reduce energy consumption, increase comfort and reduce costs.
BACS aims to complete the autonomous control of an entire installation. It involves skillful use of computer networks of electronic devices designed to monitor and control the mechanical, security, fire, lighting, HVAC, and ventilation and humidity control systems in a building or across multiple campuses.
In a BACS-regulated utility, the building climate is maintained within a specified range; Rooms are lit based on an occupancy schedule, device performance and failures are monitored across all systems, along with malfunction alarms. Unlike an uncontrolled building, automation systems considerably reduce building energy and maintenance costs. It offers you a considerable amount of data related to the performance of your building, and with this feature, you can establish a truly intelligent building or “smart building”.
What does BACS mean?
The term BACS encompasses centralized systems that monitor, control and record building services functions. When monitored and controlled by a reliable BACS, buildings tend to maintain their environment more efficiently to reduce environmental impact and energy costs.
BACS comprises centralized, interconnected networks of hardware and software, which are designed to monitor and control the environment across diverse facilities, including commercial, industrial and institutional bodies. During the management of your building systems, the automation system aims to optimize the operational performance of the installation and the comfort and safety of the building's occupants.
Typically, BACS are installed in new buildings or adopted as a replacement for an outdated control system in a renovation.
Main functions of BACS
- Exercise control over the building environment.
- Operating systems in sync with occupancy and energy demand.
- Monitor and correct system performance.
- Providing sound alerts
- Installations that can be controlled by a BACS system include mechanical systems; plumbing; Electrical systems; heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC); light control; security and surveillance; alarms and elevators.
Gradually, BACS concepts began to incorporate technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT) to efficiently manage smart buildings.
How does BACS work?
Sensors, controllers, output devices and panels are the main protocols of a BACS regulated system .
While sensors measure values such as temperature, humidity, lighting levels, room occupancy and so on, controllers analyze the system's response from the collected data, using algorithms that apply logic and send commands. Output devices are used to execute controller commands. Next we come to the panel that facilitates the user interface for generating data reports and interacting with the BACS system.
Building automation, in general, begins with the control of systems in the mechanical, electrical and hydraulic (MEP) areas. Among them, lighting control contributes greatly to optimizing building performance. And the most talked about are the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems that come with a series of equipment. These include chillers, boilers, air handling units (AHUs), rooftop units (RTUs), fan coil units (FCUs), heat pump units (HPUs), and variable air volume boxes (VAVs).
Other systems that can be controlled and integrated into a complete automation system include energy monitoring, security; closed circuit video (CCTV); card and keyboard access; fire alarm system; elevators/escalators, plumbing and water monitoring.
Various types of “controllers” rely on “sensors” to provide input data. They efficiently manage hardware devices mounted on equipment or hidden under floors or ceilings and parts of the network.
The BACS journey
Today, wireless technology, characterized by direct digital control or DDC devices, is beginning to replace traditionally wired building infrastructure.
But it wasn't like that before, when control systems were pneumatic (air-based), generally restricted to controlling different aspects of the HVAC system through devices such as controllers, sensors, actuators, valves, positioners and regulators. In the 1980s, analog electronic control devices provided faster response and also greater accuracy than pneumatic ones.
However, the automation system in the real sense only became possible until the advent of digital control devices in the 1990s. However, in the absence of established standards for digital communication, the automation system was not “interoperable” or capable of connect to products from different manufacturers. The late 1990s and 2000s saw the introduction of “open” communication systems.
How to manage BACS?
While you need a properly trained in-house team to manage the operation and maintenance of building automation systems, dedicated controls professionals or controls contractors, from mechanical, electrical, to multifunctional systems integrators, handle system design as well as initial installation. Later, these control professionals can educate your in-house team to perform services on their own.
Latest BACS Trends
Following are the latest trends in building automation:
Wireless technology
Wireless is without a doubt one of the fastest growing trends at the moment. As it begins to replace traditionally wired infrastructure, wireless technology makes use of sensor-type devices. While a pneumatic control system can pave the way for a DDC system, strategies can also be devised for the pneumatic bridge to DDC.
Wireless functionality provides flexibility and ease of installation when building new systems and modifying old systems. Connecting automation to the cloud is simpler and more effective.
IoT Network
Different systems in buildings have generally been their own separate closed blocks, with their own interfaces and no communication with external systems. Gradually, automation begins to be fully integrated into the same network with other systems such as fire alarms, access control units, elevators, etc.
In the future, smart buildings, people, traffic and urban infrastructure will eventually communicate with each other, leading to a smart city in the true sense.
Adopting low carbon control systems
Today the trend is toward green multi-story buildings that rely on energy, air and water conservation methods. These buildings use low-power DC devices, often integrated with Power over Ethernet wiring, and have sophisticated ventilation and humidity monitoring systems.
An automation system can significantly contribute to a building's ability to receive accolades like EPA Energy Star or LEED certification.
Environmental awareness and hope for a better tomorrow are driving the development of smart buildings that embrace the elements of an efficient, low-emissions world. But care must be taken that low carbon systems cost less than traditional non-automated systems or, if they cost more, they must compensate users by consuming less energy.
Focus on usability
As customers become more demanding, the building automation industry has begun to focus on product usability. Cryptic user manuals, poor user interfaces, and endless text menus of the past have given way to a seamless user experience, paving the way for effortless functionality.
Open control platforms
Big data, open databases, machine learning, artificial intelligence and energy optimization are some well-developed applications. Still, they need to be brought onto open, open-source platforms to benefit owners, designers, professionals who install the systems, and the construction engineers responsible for their operation. Open source offers us many new opportunities to develop better and better building automation applications with open minds.
The system must be accessible, supported and compete in the free market with the product and platform designed to communicate with other systems through open protocols and standards. Overcoming current proprietary controls, a freely distributed and openly licensed open system can help reduce costs, time and hassle during design and construction. It can allow building developers and managers to build the system that achieves the design intent, whilst ensuring long-term flexibility in maintenance as it is supported and maintained in the open market.
There is a growing preference for open protocol monitoring and control systems as developers, owners and end users seek a system that meets their needs while benefiting from an open and competitive environment supported by vendor participation. and service providers.
BACS Market Scope
The BACS market is mainly driven by the use of industrial buildings, commercial buildings and residential buildings. A recent 'Global Building Automation and Control Systems Market Report' offers decisive insights into the overall building automation industry along with market dimensions and valuation for the period 2020 to 2029. According to this report, the industry The world of building automation and control systems faces a period of immense economic and technological challenges that, if faced successfully, will ultimately transform the world in which we live.
The report identifies key market players including ABB, Honeywell Building Solutions, Siemens Building Tech, Schneider Systems Services, Johnson Controls Building Efficiency, Legrand SA, United Technologies, KMC Controls, Distech Controls, Crestron Electronics, Ingersoll-Rand PLC, Hubbell and Robert Bosch GmbH. The report states that North America is dominating the building automation and control systems market due to the presence of global players in the US, as well as the growth in the size of organizations and the increase in application areas of building systems. automation and building control. Europe occupies the second position in the world market. In contrast, Asia-Pacific has emerged as a fast-growing market, thanks to the growing economies of Asian countries such as India and China.