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INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS

Building Automation and Sustainability:
A Partnership for Measurable ROI

Nate Kehr
Marketing Manager & LEED Green Associate
KMC Controls

Sustainability initiatives may be driven Greater Energy Efficiency
by a number of factors such as environ- Effective occupancy control through
mental stewardship, the desire for green scheduling and occupancy sensing can greatly

building certification, or the financial benefits of reduce energy consumption. It is generally

lower operating costs. A properly installed and estimated that 10-30% energy savings can be

commissioned building automation and control achieved through properly scheduled control

system will contribute to success in each area. alone. The addition of occupancy-based

An integrated building automation system sensing allows for even greater savings.

can tie building access to the activation of HVAC Another control practice with direct ties to

and lighting for a particular space, benefitting energy efficiency is demand control ventilation

individual comfort and facilitating efficient use (DCV). When DCV is implemented, only the

of equipment and power. Schedules, trends, and proper amount of outside air is introduced into

historical data can be used to set, analyze, and the space by CO2 sensors controlling fresh air

improve a building’s performance in real-time. dampers. Significant savings can be realized

Beyond comfort, a balanced control system as the system conditions only the necessary

can also have a positive effect upon occupant amount of outside air. The proper implemen-

productivity. Wachovia’s 387,000 sq. ft. office in tation of advanced, demand-based zoning
Building automation systems improve the Tampa, Florida has realized a 10% net systems, such as variable air volume (VAV) and
energy savings, achieved an Energy chilled beams, can also create energy savings.
performance of your building in three primary Star® rating of 94, and earned LEED® Combining these methods with proper static
ways: Gold certification after installing a pressure control of the supply air results in even
[KMC Controls] BACnet® open-protocol greater efficiency gains. While these solutions
• Greater Energy Efficiency building automation system. may sound complex, a qualified BAS controls
• Lower Operating and Maintenance Costs
• Better Indoor Air Quality

Within each category, there are a number of best-practices provider may be able to optimize your building’s system without

that can greatly enhance the return on an investment actual- replacing components.

ized from optimizing your system. A few basic methods for obtaining higher energy efficiency in

your building include:

• Optimizing HVAC efficiency by resetting setpoints of boilers

according to outside temperature, optimizing start/stop

times for occupied periods, using economizers to take

advantage of free cooling opportunities, and maintaining

ventilation at the most efficient flow rates

• Using motion sensors for automatic setback override

during unoccupied periods as well as adaptive occupancy

scheduling

• Installing lighting controls to reduce unnecessary artificial

lighting via motion sensors and schedules

Energen realized $4,300/mo. utility savings and increased employee Lower Operating and Maintenance Costs
comfort levels by integrating chiller plant and rooftop units into a digi- Selection of an automation system based on an open
tal building automation system. The controls allow for precise schedul- communication protocol such as BACnet® offers future-proofing
ing and trending of the building’s mechanical systems, with automatic benefits for your building. When an open system is chosen,
notifications when operating levels fall outside of optimal parameters. subsequent maintenance and updates can be performed by the

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