The benefits of a building automation system (BAS) are countless. Savings in utility costs and increased efficiency are well-known qualities of automated solutions. But what about the environmental impact of automation? Learn where automation systems fit in the fight for a greener Earth.
How Green Can Building Automation Be?
Automation is a growing trend in building management. It’s a flexible solution to building control that has made the maintenance of HVAC, electrical, and security systems a cinch. As managers continue to invest in new control systems and organizations come closer to being fully automated, there’s likely concern brewing in the back of your mind, with questions like: “What impact are these building systems having on the environment? Am I contributing to a healthier Earth or making things worse?”
Fortunately, you can relax, because the environmental impact of automation is much more positive than you may have figured. The benefits of a building automation system (BAS) are naturally conducive to a green environment. As industries trend toward smart building management and manufacturing processes, it has become easier than ever to outfit facilities with the technology they need to improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
When you invest in a green automated solution, you get the following environmental benefits:
- Lower heating requirements
- Reduced material waste through streamlined processes
- Access to analytics to adjust energy loads on machines and systems
- A reduction in waste accumulated during off-hour operations
- Drastically lower lifetime utility costs
Making the Most of a Green Automated Solution
Simply having an automated building management system isn’t enough to make a true impact on the environment. You need to tune and adjust your solution to ensure it’s doing the most to optimize energy usage and reduce emissions. A highly automated solution still needs human input to customize in a way that’s environmentally friendly and productive. Keep reading to learn how you can position your automated system for success.
Reduce Your Building’s Energy Consumption
Running a building is expensive. There’s no denying that fact. But exactly how much you’re spending on costs in day-to-day operations is up to you. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), facilities with outdated manufacturing processes have suffered $80 billion in wasted electricity. Expenses like daily energy consumption don’t have to be exorbitant. With the right green building automation solution, costs can be manageable.
While it’s uncommon for a BAS to measure energy consumption, you can program your building system to operate within specific usage guidelines. You can teach a BAS with machine learning to schedule HVAC systems to run at low levels on days when the building receives direct sunlight. Designing your environmental automation system to use renewable energy is an effective way to improve energy usage in your facility.
Give Back to Your Community
Large buildings need a lot of energy to facilitate day-to-day operations. For an enterprise to be sustainable, the building needs to produce nearly as much energy as it’s consuming. Your BAS can supervise functions at intervals that will reduce peak load and reduce strain on the electrical grid. This frees up energy for the grid to use, benefitting your neighbors.
Cut Back Utility Costs
If one manufacturer upgraded their equipment with energy-efficient systems, they could save $240 million every year. A building’s lifetime operation costs can amount to three-quarters of total expenses. Such dreadful figures are avoidable with a green automated solution. Using renewable sources of power like solar or wind energy drastically cuts costs. A business using a BAS can shut down systems to maintain productivity and reduce total runtime.
Green Automated Solutions Are In
The trend toward green industries is real and here to stay. More and more companies are building wind and solar sites, purchasing renewable energy, and fitting their buildings with automated systems. In 2016, corporations secured 2.5 gigawatts of renewable energy. Around 190 Fortune 500 companies claim they save roughly $3.7 billion annually with their green strategies. Building and maintaining a green building is a worthy pursuit for businesses of any size or industry.
Both corporations and consumers alike pursue clean energy. As people strive to live more eco-friendly lifestyles, they pay more attention than ever to how businesses address matters of environmental health. Your organization’s approach to building management means something. When you take steps to create a green building, you signal to potential consumers that you’re flexible, forward-thinking, and aware of the environmental impact of your industry.
Partner With Frazier Service Company for Green Building Automation Solutions
When Frazier Service Company oversees your building management, you can do the following:
- Boost thermal health through the regulation of HVAC usage
- Increase reliance on natural light with lighting automation
- Curb water waste with real-time plumbing monitoring
- Flag ventilation repairs with air testing
We’ve given you a taste of how you can program your building system to prioritize energy efficiency and reduce emissions. But there’s so much more you can do with a green automated solution than we can cover in one article. Reach out to Frazier today to learn more about how we approach building automation system integration and access control.
