Facilities CAMPUS SPACES
The Next Step in Cutting Utility Costs
First came automated systems. Then came integration.
Get ready for monitoring-based commissioning. BY MICHAEL FICKES
T HE DIGITAL REVOLUTION
has made buildings all across college and university campuses
more comfortable and less expensive to heat, cool, and light. "The arrival of PC technology made it
possible to automate building systems," says Carlos Petty, vice president and group manager with the New York City-based Syska Hennessy Group. "Thanks to the Internet, we can integrate or tie these automated building systems together and control them from one central point." Now comes commissioning, a process
that maintains the effi ciency of the various parts of an integrated building automation system (BAS) by monitoring each system and constantly scanning for problems. Automated building system controls,
integrated into a single system and then properly commissioned have cut utility costs in some buildings by an astonishing 30 to 70 percent.
Start With Automation Automated systems today can control
the operation of most building systems. New state-of-the-art programmable
22 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / NOVEMBER 2012
thermostats can maintain building tem- peratures created by heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systems. Dimmers, occupancy sensors, and other controls can maximize the use of natural light while minimizing the power used for electrical lighting. Fire and life safety systems use sensors to detect smoke and heat. Audio-visual window shades can be set
to darken the room when a digital video projector clicks on. Security technology can automatically lock and unlock doors and operate video cameras. Controls can even operate digital signage that provides
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PHOTO COURTESY OF CANNON DESIGN