Today’s building automation systems have advanced far beyond their HVAC-centric past to handle additional functions such as lighting, security and more, providing key oppor­tunities to save operational and maintenance dollars.

Integration and interoperability are key trends in building automation systems (BASs), creating new opportunities for hospitals to save money. At the same time, new wireless applications are allowing health facility professionals to check building vitals from almost anywhere.

“For years, BASs were based on proprietary networks, which meant facility managers were locked into a single vendor,” says Ron Holdaway, P.E., CEM, LEED AP, chief mechanical technical resource at the design and engineering consulting firm of Smith Seckman Reid Inc., Nashville, Tenn. “Now, with industry standard protocols such as BACnet and LON, an owner is no longer committed to a single vendor,” he says.

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