Integrated Building Management System
What is an Integrated Building Management System?
An Integrated Building Management System is a single, cohesive building management system controlling lighting, HVAC, fire, security, and other facilities. Integrated Building Management Systems bring many benefits when trying to squeeze the best performance from your building.
Better Management
Within smaller buildings, the ability to monitor and instruct the system from a single workstation, with a single display, means the System Manager's task is more efficient. They spend less time moving between systems with different GUIs and more time improving the building operation. Imagine checking the temperature, lighting levels and fire-detector status of a building, and comparing total energy usage with occupancy - all from a single screen.
When several engineers are managing larger sites, displays can be optimised for management function (energy saving, maintenance, help-desk) rather than for system function (lighting, HVAC, etc). Maintenance staff can check plant operation across all control fields, management can check energy usage, security staff can deal with access control, CCTV, and intruder alerts.
Better Control
Integrated Building Management Systems allow a level of control optimisation to take place which is unavailable to stand-alone Building Management Systems. Security and access systems can instruct HVAC and lighting systems when the building is occupied; fire systems can control lifts; CCTV systems can be used to check fire alarms; heating systems can interact with cooling systems - the list goes on.
Occupants feel better, because the system is responding to them more. At the end of the day, the system responds by changing it's operation as the staff leave - late workers don't get colder. Real intelligent control is now possible. Better control not only brings happier occupants; energy-savings increase, because energy is used only when needed.
North's Compass product-range can be used with existing management systems, as well as systems based on standard protocols such as BACNet, Echelon and EIB. The ObSys software system (stand-alone or client/server) provides a simple, engineerable display to keep you better informed, and allow you more control over your management systems.
Open an illustrated example of an integrated building management system.
Small Building System |
Solutions
Case Study
South Western Area Health Board, Eire.
A small Compass and ObSys installation not only provides an integrated user interface for
the air conditioning and Heating systems, but also provides an energy saving interlock between
the heating and cooling systems via a simple ObvEngine strategy.
read case study..
Interfaces
North provide interfaces to hundreds of compatible building automation systems
see interface list..
Integrated Systems: Increasing Building and Workplace Performance
The technological boom has brought with it advances in every field, including building operations, and has made the role of the property professional an ever-changing one. New technologies are designed to make buildings run more efficiently and to assist property professionals with day-to-day tasks. Integrated systems - simplified operator access to multiple systems, centralized information and systems that are able to communicate with one another - improve building performance; reduce operational, management and maintenance costs; and increase tenant attraction and retention. This, in turn, increases workplace performance.
Download white paper from BOMA Buildings Magazine.