Building Automation for the Industrial Sector
Building automation systems for the industry have two main goals: Ensuring building safety and improving energy efficiency. A recent ECA (European Court of Auditors) report based on the Eurostat 2020 data, pointed out that manufacturing is responsible for 25 percent of total energy consumption. Residential and nonresidential buildings, on the other hand, are responsible for 40% of all energy consumption and 36% of all CO2 emissions in Europe as many of the buildings are old and/or carbon footprint intensive. However, efficiency enhancements can also be financed through governmental and European grants.
Five Key Benefits of a Building Automation System in an Industrial Facility
In the industrial sector, a building automation system can help optimize the entire facility (with the exception of production), which allows users to control:
Lighting – The regulation of lighting levels, based on a specific algorithm, to optimize the supply of electrical power and minimize energy waste. It ensures compliance with lighting requirements as defined by the relevant UNI EN ISO standards.
Safety and Security – Duemmegi’s BMS can integrate fault and malfunction control as well as control of the smoke detection and fire alarm systems. A building management system can also control the anti-intrusion system and the video surveillance system. By communicating with security devices, for example, the user can use installed terminals to check the area in which an invasion attempt is taking place. The GUI (Graphic User Interface) can also be controlled remotely.
Access Control – Allows optimization of staff entry and exit procedures and access to restricted areas.
Temperature – In an industrial facility where different areas are managed by different equipment dedicated to temperature control, the automated management of the entire system easily allows the optimization of heating/cooling of warehouses, locker rooms, and administrative offices. This guarantees appropriate comfort in each environment, while reducing waste and operating costs.
Renewable Energy – Using clean and affordable energy is one of the goals of EU Agenda 2030, which also encompasses the implementation of photovoltaic systems and geothermal plants to supply energy to industries. A building automation solution and a BMS enable the communication and management of various systems in order to optimize the available energy resources.
Building Automation for Industries: An Essential and Winning Opportunity
The majority of industrial buildings are outdated and inefficient. About one-third of the buildings in Europe are over 50 years old, and approximately 75 percent are not energy-efficient. Building automation can do a lot in this context. It makes it possible to refurbish and modernize an industrial building with the highest possible energy efficiency.
Specifically, European standard EN 15232 defines the impact of building automation intervention on the energy performance of these buildings. It’s a valuable guide for customers and designers, as it indicates the improvements that can be made and the efficiency/savings goals that can be achieved.
In the industrial sector, the return on investment for a building automation system fully pays for itself over time through:
A simple system for controlling all automation. Operations can also be managed via mobile devices and remotely thanks to user-friendly interfaces on PC/Laptop, smartphones and tablets. This translates into maximum usability of plants and the whole infrastructure due to ease of use in terms of simplicity of command and control.
Optimal integration of different systems and installations to ensure the highest possible efficiency, with a positive impact on safety, security, comfort, and energy savings.
Quick recovery in case of failures, anomalies, or other emergency events.
Ability to collect operating data for implementing more sustainable and efficient solutions.
