Some companies think their office buildings are simply where they go to work. However, smart business owners know that a building is more than just your office location—it is part of your team. Office buildings have different characteristics depending on their structure and location. When equipped with the proper Building Automation Services (BAS), productivity rates soar and energy costs drop.
Want to know how your company can benefit from Building Automation Services? This article outlines some of the most compelling reasons to invest in automation this year.
What is BAS?
Your office building is composed of different kinds of systems. Some of these are:
- the heating, ventilating and air conditioning or HVAC system
- the security and access control system
- the video system
- the data system
- the lighting system
- the lawn sprinkling system
- the utility monitoring system
Building Automation Services (BAS) integrates all of your building’s individual systems into one programmable and easy-to-use system so you can check everything that goes on in one location. It is like having a remote control to all of your building’s key features.
How does this translate to savings?
An automated building system lowers utility costs.
Energy Star utility reports exhibit a consistent drop of up to 40% of total energy costs when BAS is in place. An automated HVAC system will automatically adjust the temperature settings to ensure that your air conditioners and heaters are functioning at their most efficient level. This reduces energy waste, which in turn lowers electricity usage.
Another way BAS can lower your utility costs is by monitoring your building’s water consumption. An automated system will also prevent unnecessary or excess usage of water from any of your building’s faucets or hoses.
An automated building system protects your resources.
The BAS is also in charge of linking together your building’s CCTVs, security lights, door locks and alarm systems. You can program your automated system to switch off certain lights when all employees leave the building. You can also choose which lights should be kept on or which lights should be dimmed after hours. This reduces the human error factor that could result to fluctuating energy bills because someone kept the building lights on the whole night long.
More importantly, the BAS is your security command center. You can protect your equipment, resources, and manpower by programming your security system exactly the way you need it.
An automated building system can lower maintenance costs.
Aside from lowering your utility bills, BAS can also bring down your maintenance costs. An automated system will be able to spot problem areas from a central location without the need for expensive and time-consuming inspections. By spotting the problem early, you are also minimizing the risk of complications and other hazards in your building.
You can program BAS to send you notifications whenever a key component of your building equipment systems are in need of replacement or cleaning. This will eliminate unnecessary guesswork and delays that could enlarge the problem at hand.
An automated building system increases your entire building’s property value.
In the event that the building owner decides to sell the property, he or she can guarantee a higher selling price because of the automated building system in place. Real estate reports have pinpointed the figures, and they reflect that automated systems can increase property value by up to $8 per square foot for every $1 of square foot savings.
If you have a 100,000 square foot building, and BAS allows you to save $0.10 per square foot, you can sell your building by up to $80,000.00 more than its original selling price without BAS.
If your building doesn’t have an automated system yet, let this be the year that you enjoy big savings and many other returns. Contact Level One HVAC for design consultation, installation, service and maintenance for Building Automation Services. Call us at (248) 486-6500 and let us help you achieve your building needs!
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