Facility Staff Essential to BAS Success
June 19, 2009
As important as hardware and software are to a building automation system, they aren’t the whole story. If the facility staff doesn’t have the proper qualifications and training, the best technology in the world won’t ensure long term success.
That’s why staffing should be considered during the planning process for installation of a building automation system. Ensure that the building automation system implementation plan includes sufficient time and money for training. That may be especially important for experienced facility staff members who have worked for years with old controls and are now being asked to make the transition to new technology.
That’s not to say that those veteran employees don’t have valuable knowledge. Their years of experience has often taught them invaluable lessons about how the building actually operates. Younger employees may adapt to new technology more quickly, but they can benefit from working with experienced staff to get a feel for the operational quirks of an individual building.
A properly trained staff offers facility executives flexibility. In one hospital, the building automation system plays a central role in the operational plan for the emergency power system. But because of the number of factors that have to be considered in implementing the plan, the hospital chose not to automate the process. Instead, the building automation system operator is responsible for getting input from key parties to determine how to proceed.
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