When you’re running a large commercial building, you want to make sure that it’s being used to its full potential. After all, wasting energy means wasting money. This is where making full use of a Building Management System (BMS) is key. In this article, we discuss what a BMS is, the parts of the building it controls and the main benefits of using a BMS.
What is the purpose of a Building Management System?
Put simply, a Building Management System allows for a greater degree of control over all the facilities present in a building. An integral part of modern buildings, they monitor and control the building’s mechanical and electrical systems such as heating, ventilation, lighting and hydronics.
Essential for the safe and efficient operation of a building, a BMS maintains environmental conditions, keeps equipment operating efficiently and allows facility personal/building owners to monitor the plant operations. Through monitoring environmental conditions with sensors, the BMS control process produces corrective actions, such as driving outputs or actuators, in response to changing conditions.
Which aspects of a building do a Building Management System control?
The aspects of your building controlled by a Building Management System depending on your project requirements as each building type should have its environmental controls configured dependent on the needs of the building and/or occupants.
Below are just a few of the aspects a Building Management System can control:
- Heating/Cooling: Temperature control and monitoring are one of the most common functions of Building Management Systems. Temperature sensor readings provide vital information from which the BMS can control the heating and/or cooling to maintain comfort conditions, which can optimise occupant productivity.
- Ventilation: Building Management Systems control the ventilation systems of a property to regulate the airflow to meet demand within spaces and achieve a better indoor climate. By utilising carbon dioxide sensors, the BMS can be used to control air quality. Occupant well-being is improved by maintaining ventilation and fresh air levels.
- Air Pressure: Pressure control and monitoring are an integral part of a Building Management System. From extract to air movement applications that are key to ensure air movement within a building and the equipment used to deliver this are kept as efficient as possible.
- Lights: A Building Management System can control the lights in a property and use motion sensors, light level sensors and timers as a means of lighting spaces only when required to save energy.
- Access control: Companies use Building Management Systems as a means of ensuring that only people with the right accreditation enter buildings through the use of card readers and RFID sensors.
What are the benefits of a Building Management System?
- Improved energy efficiency through control on demand, not only saving on energy and improving a company’s environmental credentials but also saving a significant amount of money in the long term
- Improved well-being and productivity for the occupants
- Improved visibility of the building performance through trending and monitoring, building owners and facilities managers benefit from assessment of historic trend logs and alarm indication of faults
- Reactive maintenance for predicting when plant equipment needs replacing or servicing before it goes into fault
Try Titan Products
At Titan Products, we simplify the complex to help our customers create truly smart spaces promoting well-being, comfort, safety and energy efficiency. Our range of HVAC and smart building products and services provide innovative monitoring & control solutions for residential, education, retail, hospitality and healthcare settings.
If you’re interested in having more control over your building, giving efficient control and saving money for years to come, try our environmental sensors and controllers.