1. Today’s building is “a sensor-rich environment,” says Andy McMillan of BACnet International. When a facility manager is selecting or upgrading BAS, he says, “make sure you can add sensors easily and on your own.”
2. Complex equipment, such as variable frequency drives, may have sensors with 40 or 50 data points. While BAS may use three to five of these data points today, a web service may need access to 15 data points or more. “You need to have a strategy for adding points that you don’t need today, but might need two years from now,” observes McMillan. “You don’t want to be paying money again and again as you add data points.”
3. When moving data into the cloud, McMillan recommends choosing a cloud service provider “with staying power.” He admits that can be difficult as many cloud providers are new players.
Where Does the Building Automation System Fit In An Internet of Things World?
Use BAS For Onsite Systems and Operations, But Make Use of Third-Party Software As Well
SIDEBAR: 3 Tips To Make Good BAS Choices
