Management R


With growing pressure on building owners, managers and occupiers to reduce the amount of energy they use, building management systems (BMS) and building energy management systems (BEMS) have seen a rapid increase in popularity. Rob Shepherd examines the benefi ts of this technology and the opportunities it offers electrical contractors


30 ECA Today July 2012


esponsible for around 17 per cent of the UK’s carbon emissions, the nation’s 1.8 million non- domestic buildings have a vital role to play in meeting the government’s CO2


reduction targets.


Faced with energy reduction legislation and rising energy bills, building owners and occupiers are constantly looking for ways to reduce their energy expenditure and environmental impact.


Command and control About the author


Rob Shepherd Rob Shepherd is a freelance journalist and regular contributor to ECA Today. He has worked in the electrical contracting industry for more than 12 years.


While the focus in recent years has been on the adoption of renewable energy technologies, there is a growing realisation that monitoring and controlling energy use is the most effective way of making immediate savings. Building management systems (BMS) first came to prominence in the 1970s, and many commercial premises already have them in some shape or form. A modern BMS combines state-of-the-art control techniques with communication and information systems that allow active management of building services. It can be used to control various systems including mechanical and electrical equipment, lighting, power systems, fi re detection, security,


control


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72