Building Automation System

What is it?

A building automation system (BAS) is a computer-based solution designed to monitor and control a building’s equipment, like HVAC, lighting, ventilation, alarms, security access, cameras, etc. This helps to optimize the functioning of these systems, promote occupant comfort, increase staff efficiency, reduce operational costs, create energy savings, and improve remote access control. The end user of a BAS may customize control settings, check system status, and identify possible issues by leveraging the user interface.

How does it work?

Building automation systems consist of servers, supervisory devices, field controllers, field buses, inputs, and outputs. Servers run BAS software, gathering and serving up data. Supervisory devices are divided into software-based supervisors inside of servers and physical, hardware-based ones. They connect field controllers together and send messages across field buses.

For supervisory devices to get return messages, field buses connect controllers back to them. Field controllers themselves receive signals such as temperatures, humidity, pressure, or airflow from input devices. The program within a controller processes this data and determines what action should be taken. After that, the controller directs a command to an output device.