Every aspect of our living has evolved, also affecting houses and buildings. 10 years ago, it was quite rare to find a wireless internet connection for your computer or phone, nowadays it is rarer to find a household without a wireless internet connection.
In times of smart home solutions, one aspect is not taken into consideration: Whilst all new smart home technologies are focussing on single households (not to be mixed up with households for singles), the complexity of a commercial building as such is not taken into consideration. System integration therefore plays a major role, when it comes to realising solutions and applications, which can be controlled by a building management system.
However, since building automation, unlike the hype around smart home systems, is not new, one major question remains: How to choose the right building automation system amongst the huge number of systems in the market?
Although some might think that this question can be answered just by pointing at the right technology, this question is more complex than many might think. Therefore, the following should give you the best overview in order for you to choose the right building automation system (in a rush? Then jump directly to 4.).
1. What are the customer’s needs?
When it comes to building automation, many have the controlling of building solutions via the phone or tablet in their mind. Needless to say that building automation systems do not stop there, but offer infinite possibilities to make the building smarter, resulting in a higher level of comfort and security. However, more does not mean better, especially for the customer, which might only look for one or two additional solutions.
In short, a customer will not recommend your services to someone else based on an installation which covers more than the customer actually asked for.
Therefore, before being able to choose the right building automation system, it is most important to know, what the customer wants!
2. Which systems are available in the market?
Once the customer needs have been clearly defined, the system integrator can dive in a pool, filled with available solutions and systems. Especially due to the continuous raise of smart home systems by companies, such as Apple and Google as well as many start-up and micro-companies, new ‘systems’ are introduced almost every day. However, these ‘so-called’ systems often turn out not to be systems, as they just cover single solutions and are not able to communicate with other applications. Further than that, they often do not meet the requirements for implementing a reliable system, which is required by the building’s complexity.
Basically, by focussing on ‘real systems’ in the market, the choice amongst available Building Automation Systems can be contained and even further, when the customer needs are clearly defined.
3. How does the customer make the right investment in the right building automation system?
To make it short: Building Automation System, no matter if it comes with a new build or as part of a refurbishment, requires a certain degree of investment. So what should the investment be? Correct – sustainable and reliable. Further than that, again depending on the customer’s wishes, the system should be flexible and easy to extend.
So how can all these requirements be met? Also here there are several answers. One approach is to choose a system by a well-known company. As the investment needs to be sustainable and reliable, it would not be wise to go for a system, which is offered by a company no one has ever heard of, not supporting all necessary applications, and, most importantly, having the possibility to be gone from the market from one day to the other. Especially the last would result in missing support and in worst case, the replacement of the whole system.
But is the system of a major company the really the right choice? Well, to judge if the choice was the right one is completely up to you. Maybe the solution is the right one, maybe not. Let’s focus on the ‘maybe’:
The past and also the present show that major companies can also cease product lines, when they do not create the expected profit, or if their products create more problems than benefits. So, if you cannot even trust the big and major companies, the question should not be, ‘How to choose the right building automation system’, but rather ‘is there a right automation system?’, right? – No, as there is still the right technology!
4. Conclusion: The right building automation system is an ‘open system’!
Let’s summarize the previous points: The installation should fulfil the customer’s needs, it should be able to cover various applications and solutions in one system, and it should be a reliable investment in the future. So which building automation system can meet all these requirements?
The answer is actually very simple: an open building automation system!
Open building automation systems meet all requirements:
- It can provide the right solutions and applications for the customer’s needs
- All applications and solutions are available
- It is sustainable and reliable, since the devices from different manufacturers can be exchanged without any problem
Furthermore, Open Building Automation Systems are easily modifiable and extendable, as devices can easily be added to an existing installation. Beauty of this openness is having the devices communicating with each other without any problem and thereby realising solutions, which can be tailor-made according to the customer’s needs.
Also, in regards for the integration, open building automation systems allow the configuration of an installation with devices by different manufacturers with only one single tool. So by choosing an open building automation system, you do not only make your customer happy, but also save a lot of work and stress while integrating the system. Although commissioning tools are available for systems, which are provided by manufacturers, the possibility to commission a complete installation with only one tool, consisting of devices by various manufacturers, is only given by open building automation systems.
5. More information about open building automation systems
The main advantages of an open system can be found in this presentation. Furthermore, in order to learn more about, how an open system works and how easily it can be commissioned, this quick training will give you the best overview.
