Integrated controls are increasingly crucial to a high-performance, smart building. Improvements in technology, interoperability, and intelligence at the device level mean that more buildings than ever before can implement these systems.
One of the biggest advantages of integrated controls is improved energy efficiency. In this video, Slipstream's Claire Cowan and Scott Hackel team up to highlight how integrating networked lighting controls with HVAC controls can improve building energy performance.
By integrating networked lighting controls with HVAC, says Hackel, the return on investment can be as short as five to six years for integrating the two systems together. That’s much shorter than the payback for lighting controls or HVAC controls separately.
One important tip, says Cowan, is to make sure you involve IT in the process of implementing integrated controls. As well, designate a professional and expert systems integrator to make sure all goes smoothly in connecting the controls systems.