As we all know, advances in information technology are numerous and affect several industries. Construction and building management are no exception. Building equipment can now collect and relay more and more information that can be used by smart systems. That’s all the science and technology behind building automation.
WHAT IS BUILDING AUTOMATION?
To fully understand what building automation is, we will use an analogy. Let’s imagine that building automation is the equivalent of a control tower at a large airport. The occupants of your building will be the passengers and the various floors will be the planes.
Pragmatically, building automation allows you to visualize the status and control all the systems in a building. To use our analogy, building automation is the control tower that allows you to manage security, ambient temperature, the concentration of carbon monoxide in the air, ventilation, arrivals and departures from your building, lighting and much more. All in real time and adaptively.
Building automation also makes it possible to optimize all systems, on all floors of a building. This advanced management mode allows you to properly control the energy consumption of your building and connect all the systems together. You can finally make your building smart.
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BUILDING AUTOMATION AND HOME AUTOMATION?
Home automation and building automation have their origins in similar concepts, but on different scales. Home automation refers more to the connected systems of a house while building automation refers to the systems of a building, or even a group of buildings. It would be like comparing flying a small plane to managing a fleet of planes.
WHAT IS THE ADVANTAGE OF BUILDING AUTOMATION IN REAL ESTATE?
Using building automation in real estate is like adding a brain to your building. You no longer have to manage your systems separately and manually. Building automation allows you to integrate various systems, determine operating parameters and let the brain of your building do the regulatory work. In addition, building automation allows you to add advanced features that will notify you of any breakdowns in progress or maintenance to be planned. It’s a smart building. You will also be able to better regulate your energy consumption .
SOME STATISTICS ON REAL ESTATE AUTOMATION IN QUEBEC
Several manufacturers and building automation specialists have come together to develop the vision of the future ( ASHB ). According to the ASHB, 64% of buildings use some form of monitoring and only 30% of these buildings manage energy consumption centrally. Still according to the ASHB, the North American smart building market will reach $2.8 billion in 2025 . The demand is constant to consume less and do better with what we already have. The various levels of government have put forward policies favoring the reduction of energy consumption . Energy suppliers like Hydro-Québec encourage better consumption in order to help the province reduce the carbon footprint and be more efficient . Building operators seek to control costs and optimize occupant comfort.
WHAT IS THE JOB OF A BUILDING AUTOMATION TECHNICIAN?
The profession of a building automation technician is booming! They are the architect and project manager behind the control of your building. From air-conditioning in a restricted area to lighting in the presence of workers, they are the right person!
On the lookout for the latest technological trends, with a curious mind and good interpersonal skills, the building automation technician finds solutions to his clients’ problems while respecting the requirements. The objective is to make buildings smart and adaptive. He is the one who designs your control tower! Once you have made your decision to take your building to the next level, you will need to identify your needs and surround yourself with a competent team.
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