Look at Green Building Needs When Planning BAS
Building Automation, LEED-EB certification, Green Design, IAQ, Energy January 22, 2009
There are many advantages to a good building automation system, but one that is increasingly important but often overlooked is the way that a sophisticated control system can help a facility pursue green strategies.
A building automation system can be designed to make it easier to save energy and to ensure good indoor air quality. But achieving those benefits to the fullest may entail extra points of control, which may raise the cost of the system. Understanding how those benefits support the larger goal of green design can help to justify any extra costs, as well as the time required for the facility executive to ensure that those control strategies are part of the specification.
A building automation system can be particularly important in facilities that decide to seek LEED for Existing Buildings, or LEED-EB, certification. One of the biggest challenges of LEED-EB is gathering information to document building performance. A sophisticated building automation system can provide a lot of that information.
Even if a building never seeks LEED-EB certification, the environmental benefits from the building automation capabilities remain — a fact that should be considered at the earliest stages of BAS design.
Next
Read next on FacilitiesNet
