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Building Management Systems:

Beyond Electronics
H T Mustafa and P K Bansal
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Auckland

Building management systems (BMS) have come a long way since their introduction in the early 1970s.
Modern systems cost less, are faster and more reliable, offer more features, have a more user friendly
interface and are easier to learn and use. They have been installed successfully in facilities of all sizes and
types, making them practically an essential requirement to the successful management of operating costs.
This article addresses managerial implications concerning the BMS in the building industry.

What do we need to know about (BMS)? Primary Functions of Building Management Systems
Building Management Systems (BMS) (also called Automation Building management systems provide a variety of functions.
or BAS) are used in buildings for automatic monitoring and These are listed below:
control of services such as lighting, plumbing, fire services,
• Automatic ON/OFF switching of plant
heating and air conditioning systems. The term refers to a
This can be based on time, type of the day and/or
system that uses sensors, controls and activators. All these
environmental conditions.
use an electronic digital processor to implement control
algorithms and have the capability of communicating with • Monitoring of plant status and environmental
other controls. The BMS term covers all control elements, conditions
including hardware, controllers, any linking network and Building personnel can be alerted to alarm conditions
central controllers. in time to take remedial action. A good BMS will allow
a pro-active rather than a reactive approach to the
Generally, a control system consists of three basic elements: a
management of service faults.
sensor, a controller and a controlled device. The organisation
of these various control elements into a comprehensive BMS • Energy Conservation Tool
is termed the system architecture. Each component in this
Along with good building design and efficient HVAC
architecture is connected with each other via a
plant, the BMS plays a vital role in the prevention of
communication system. The communications network is
energy waste and reducing the environmental impact of
characterised by two essential parts:
the building.
• Physical medium - that transports the signals, e.g.
• Building Services Management Tool
wire, optical fibre, radio.
BMS provides a wide variety of summaries, logs and
• Protocol - a set of common language rules for the reports. This provides useful information for forward
communication signals. services and costing. This information can also provide
value added services to tenants so that the perceived
Several protocols have been developed but not all of them
worth of the tenancy is increased. For example, after-
have been exploited for use in BMSs. Historically,
hours air conditioning use can be accurately monitored,
manufacturers have developed their own proprietary protocols,
recorded and automatically invoiced where applicable.
but there is now a strong move for standardized protocols. A
major advantage of using a BMS network with a standard • Remote Monitoring Capabilities
operating protocol is the degree of compatibility that may be
BMS provides a building centralised monitoring and
achieved between different pieces of control equipment; it is
control. From a single location one can obtain
the benefit of using a “single seat workstation”. BACnet is
information such as temperatures, pressures and
one the most high level protocols used in the BMS industry
equipment status, indicating how well the building is
that can be used to integrate building automation and
running. Moreover, this central location is not limited
control products from different manufacturers into a single
geographically.
cohesive system [Newman M, 1996].

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system for their facility needs. These considerations are

• Fault Detection Tool discussed briefly below.
BMS provides the opportunity to see the big picture of
1. BMS Capabilities
the building systems, which boost faults diagnosing
The ability of BMS to control energy cost and to modify the
process.
operation of equipment from remote locations reduces energy
• Ability to integrate building systems waste and labour costs, while improving tenant comfort. Also,
In doing so, the facility can run more efficiently, reduce integrating building functions and operations in one system is
cost and increase the productivity of the facility staff. one of the most important features of today’s automation
systems [Piper J, 1998 a].

Benefits of a BMS 2. Selecting a system

The selection process of a BMS should be considered in view
It is necessary to remember that the benefits of a modern of the following factors:
BMS are enjoyed vigorously by different users involved with • Supplier reputation in similar projects,
the building. Table (1) lists some of the benefits to be • How long the system has been on the market
achieved with an effective modern BMS [CIBSE guide (2000)]. • Training package provided by the supplier to the
These benefits will only be obtained if the system is properly operation and maintenance staff
specified, installed, commissioned, operated and maintained. • Supplier after sale technical support and supplier
Table 1: Benefits of a BMS guarantee of spare parts availability for a reasonable
Building owner future period [Eastwell A, 1988].
• Higher rental value 3. System limitations
• Flexibility on change of building use BMS are not the cure-all for operations and maintenance
• Individual tenant billing for services problems. While they can help make operations more efficient,
Facilities manager they cannot overcome operational shortcomings, such as lack
• Central or remote control and monitoring of building of preventive and planned maintenance.
operations 4. Identifying automation needs
• Low operating cost BMS can identify the shortcomings of the existing operations.
• Efficient use of building resources and services Typical deficiencies that motivate facility managers to
• High productivity consider installing a new building automation system include:
• Rapid alarm indication and fault diagnosis
• Good plant schematics and documentation • High energy use
• Low maintenance productivity
Building tenant/occupants • Unorganised maintenance activities
• Effective monitoring and targeting of energy • Inability to adapt building systems to changing
consumption. occupant requirements
• Good control of internal comfort conditions • Lack of coordination among various building systems
• Possibility of individual room control
• Increased staff productivity 5. System ability to adopt future trends
• Improved plant reliability and life Selected BMS should be capable of accommodating future
• Effective response to HVAC-related complaints trends in the industry easily, so that facility managers in the
future can adopt new features into their systems without
Maintenance Companies facing huge bill. It is simply the ability of upgrading systems.
• Ease of information availability problem diagnostics.
• Computerised maintenance scheduling BMS as a competitive advantage for maintenance
• Effective use of maintenance staff companies
• Early detection of problems BMS provides a rare opportunity for maintenance companies,
• More satisfied occupants especially small to medium size companies, to compete
aggressively in the building maintenance market. It provides
maintenance companies with the following tools:
Choosing the right BMS • The power of information: Maintenance operations will
Buying and installing a BMS is a significant investment. be more closely integrated with the operation of the
Systems are complex and expensive, and installation can systems, making information available to maintenance
cause disruptions to operations. Facility managers can take personnel to help diagnose problems, as well as to
several steps to ensure that the BMS they buy is the best identify problems that otherwise may go unnoticed
• Effective use of maintenance staff (e.g. remote

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monitoring, increase productivity) the organisation the ability to choose components and
• Early detection of faults will reduce maintenance costs, system retrofits in a price-competitive environment.
increase system life and allow better maintenance Freedom of choice can bring savings on initial and
scheduling operating costs.
In addition the above tools raise the importance of • Identify single source of responsibility: For many
continuous staff training on all new BMS in the market. organisations, this final benefit is the biggest of all. An
experienced integrator can put it all together and make
Why integrate building systems?
it work, from design and installation through
Modern BMS systems provide a single source of enterprise commissioning and customer turnover. A single source
information. One system integrates all subsystems in the of responsibility and one point of contact are also
building to work in a coordinated manner. Here are seven top valuable assets when a problem arises. A single source
reasons why building owners and facility managers prefer to of responsibility means a triple play of efficiency, cost-
integrate building systems- effectiveness and productivity.
• Site-wide, single seat interface: Single-seat navigation
Why do some BMS projects fail?
from a central BMS enables facility professionals to
view all systems and facilities from one workstation. Unfortunately, too many building automation upgrade projects
Information on any system’s performance and varying never achieve their full potential. Here are four mistakes in
conditions can be viewed, assessed and processed from project planning that can ruin the project before it gets
one common graphical interface. This helps in running started [Fennimore J, 1998].
a facility more efficiently and at lower cost, while
improving staff productivity.
The benefits of an effective modern
• Use the power of information: Modern technology
makes it possible for facility managers to obtain
building management system....will only
precisely the information they need to achieve a wide be obtained if the system is properly
range of specific objectives: monitoring, alarming,
diagnostics, initial troubleshooting, maintenance, and specified, installed, commissioned,
energy analysis. Shared information between systems operated and maintained.
means the facility runs more efficiently and at
lower cost. • Not doing the homework: Failing to examine
information on product offerings and features available
• Respond to occupant and building needs: System
from different manufacturers and talking to other
integration gives the opportunity for building systems
competitors to find out what they have found
to target occupant comfort efficiently and promptly. By
that works well.
making it easier to be more responsive, integrated
systems deliver more efficiency and lower costs. • Not doing the numbers: Failing to calculate actual
savings gained from such systems, considering the fact
• Get the most out of what you’ve got: System
that each building may result with small benefits.
integration extends the BMS’ capabilities for data
Management also, needs to have a solid understanding
collection, archiving, networking and decision making
of the costs and benefits of the project.
to other building systems. This allows the BMS to tap
into inherent strengths of other pieces of equipment • Keeping it secret: Building engineers must be a part of
that are often under utilised. The organisation gets the planning team for the project to succeed. No matter
more mileage out of its investment in equipment. how good the end product may be, operational staff not
involved in the process may become resentful, feel
• Do more with less: Facility professionals are being
threatened, complain and avoid using the new equipment.
challenged to do more with the same or fewer
The involvement of building engineers in the project is
resources. eg. staff reduction; a hiring freeze; the need
very important.
to expand business without increases in staff. The
result is that the productivity gains are coupled with • Ignoring the real world: It is absolutely necessary to
operating cost savings. ensure what you see on the computer screen is what you
get in the real world.
• Have vendor independence: Today’s BMS design is
based predominantly on open system technology, which BMS Future Trends
means that the BMS can communicate as needed with a
There are several trends that significantly affect the present
variety of other systems and applications in a facility
revolution or rapid evolution of large buildings automation as
that communicate using different protocols. This gives
explained over the page.
’
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lower cost and increased functionality of combining powerful

DDC microprocessors with standard communication protocols
is resulting in the componentisation of controls for the HVAC
industry.
• “Enviromation”:
This new word describes the radical, exciting changes that
are occurring in the integration of communication and
automation with our green building environment. Office
hotelling has allowed the sharing of expensive office
buildings with an increased number of telecommunicating
occupants. To effectively manage this phenomena,
coordination of everything is required, i.e. phones,
workstations, data links, security access etc. The greenest of
buildings extends beyond sharing office space; it includes
sharing the total transportation and support infrastructures
while making home units more efficient [Sinclair K, 2001c].

• Interoperability Standards:
One of the most significant recent developments in the BMS
field is the implementation of interoperability standards. Two
standards to govern how systems communicate between
devices are in place: ASHRAE’s BACnet **, and LonMark’s
LonWorks ##[PKB1]. Managers who buy a system that
Building management systems are not conforms to one of the standards no longer are locked into
one manufacturer for components and devices. There is huge
the cure-all for operations and competition and development between manufacturers in this
maintenance problems....they cannot area [Piper J, 1998 b].
** For more information about BACnet refer to www.bacnet.org
overcome operational shortcomings, ## For more information about LonWorks refer to www.lonmark.org
such as lack of preventive and planned • Systems Integration:
maintenance. Buildings now use a number of independent systems,
• World Wide Web: including energy management, fire safety, security, lighting,
The internet allows BMS to become integrated with and maintenance management. There is often a need to share
enterprise functions, eliminating geographic information between the systems. Sharing information
restrictions, easing access to all data from any site and, through systems integration will reduce installation and
accordingly making it easier to use and support operating cost, improve building efficiency, and the
building systems operation. productivity of facility staff will increase. Integrated and
interoperable systems are the wave of the future [Sullivan E,
• Wireless Revolution: 1998].
There is a great potential in the wireless technology e.g.
wireless sensors, wireless monitoring. Field service technicians • Software Development:
will be able to take advantage of this technology through The most significant changes taking place in the BMS industry
handheld computers wirelessly connected to the Internet. are software related. Manufacturers are seeking ways to use
wide range of information now available within the systems.
Moreover, a wireless approach has the advantages of allowing Also, the user interface will continue to become easier to
the comfort system to follow occupants through the building learn and use. Future systems will be even more graphical and
and to automatically adjust occupancy, ventilation, lighting intuitive than presently available [Piper J, 1998 b].
and thermal levels to meet personal preferences wherever the
occupant travels through the building [Hartman T, 2001]. • Expert Systems:
It is an automated diagnostic process. Following known facts
• Componentisation of the Control of the HVAC Industry: or occurrences, an expert system can guide the user through a
For building HVAC systems, field devices that were series of procedures to solve the problem.
traditionally supplied by the control vendor are now appearing
as component controllers as part of each HVAC device. The Conclusions:

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IT’S A
With the advent of microprocessors, computer-based control systems have REVOLUTION
become the rule in most commercial and industrial buildings, generating
significant energy savings while improving system performance, operability and IN CIRCULAR
reliability.
No doubt Integrated and interoperable building systems are the wave of the CEILING
future. The next decade will bring more integration to all building systems and
not only for the HVAC systems. It will also include lighting controls, security, DIFFUSERS!
elevators and even fire safety. The Internet will further play a significant part in
this process.
Now is the time to begin preparing for an interoperable future, which will create
the communication infrastructure that features open-architecture and standard-
OPTIMUM
protocol as much as possible. This open platform for systems to communicate on ROOM AIR
will open the doors for the intelligent building age.
CONDITIONS
References FASTER
CIBSE guide (2000): “Building Control Systems”, UK THE CRA CIRCULAR
CEILING DIFFUSER
Eastwell A. (1988). “Building Energy Management” from McClelland, S. (ed) DELIVERS HOT OR COLD
Intelligent Buildings: An IFS Executive Briefing, IFS Publications, UK. AIR DEEP INTO A
ROOM..FAST!
Fennimore, J. (1998).”Four ways to sink an upgrade”, an article in Building
The CRA circular diffuser is avilable in
Operating Management Online, July issue, retrieved 10/10/2001 from the web: manual or automatic pattern control. In
the heating mode air is delivered into
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/NS/NS3b8gh.html|ticket
the occupied zone in a downward
Hartman, T. (2001). “Occupant connectivity for building controls”, an article in pattern. In the cooling mode air is
delivered into the occupied zone across
AutomatedBuildings.com, March issue, Retrieved 10/8/2001 from the web: the ceiling. The resultant air distribution
http://www.automatedbuildings.com/ pattern creates optimum room
conditions with maximum efficiency and
Mustafa, H. and Bansal, P. (2002). “ Building Intelligence via building genuine energy savings.
management systems” thesis, University of Auckland, New Zealand The patented mounting system used in
the CRA diffuser cuts installation costs
Newman, H. (1996). “Integrating Building Automation & Control Products Using radically. The installer will really
the BACnet Protocol”, ASHRAE Journal, Vol.38, Nov. issue, USA. appreciate the unique features of the
CRA diffuser.
Piper, J. (1998 a). “Finding the Right BAS”, an article in Maintenance Solutions
NOW THAT IS CERTAINLY A
online, November Issue, Retrieved 10/8/2001 from the web: REVOLUTION IN CIRCULAR
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/NS/NS3m8ke.html|ticket CEILING DIFFUSERS
Melbourne Auckland
Piper, J. (1998 b). “Building Automation Today”, an article in Maintenance
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Solutions Online, March issue, retrieved 12/8/2001 from the web: Sydney Wellington
http://www.facilitiesnet.com/fn/NS/NS3m8cb.html|ticket (02) 9602 6555 0-4-387 2199
Sinclair, K. (2001c).”The greening of buildings with automation”, Engineered Brisbane Christchurch
systems online, Feb. issue, retrieved 10/10/2001 from the web: (07) 3801 2345 0-3-366 6545
http://www.esmagazine.com/es/cda/articleinformation/
Sullivan, E. (1998). “Is The Future Now”, an article in Building Operating
Management Online, April issue, retrieved 10/10/2001 from the web:
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