| Building Control and Automation | Fri 15th June 2007 |
Why is the security industry showing increased interest in building control and automation? How do such systems relate to what we recognize as standard access control systems?
Security is increasingly challenged to create solutions that are both cost-effective and provide much-needed ROI (return on investment), while also reducing the total long term investment in the overall security operation.
Security system integration and convergence have made a dramatic impact on creating these efficiencies and enhancing the overall capabilities of the security operation.
For some time, there has been integration at basic levels to the building control and automation systems by using mechanical and some serial interfacing. But the increased pace of convergence into the IT/IS space and the use of TCP/IP as a form of communication have opened a new world of possibilities and provided a mean to streamline cumbersome and costly tasks.
System Integration with Access Control
With heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems accounting for nearly 40 percent of the energy used in commercial buildings in the United States, they are clearly an important opportunity for greater control of both cost and performance.
Like all formerly standalone systems, ubiquitous access control systems are converging and integrating into new and expanded areas of control and facility management, including HVAC. This new integration paradigm offers advantages and efficiencies that are now becoming apparent, thus prompting considerable investment.
As intelligence and capabilities migrate to edge devices, a period is emerging in which we can integrate and control just about every aspect of a business - telecommunications, network and internet access, HVAC control, elevator control, physical access and video surveillance.
The list is limited only by the end-user's needs and the designer or integrator's knowledge and abilities. Pushing intelligence to the edge devices will be the future of convergence in the security sector.
Access Control: You Have Only Just Begun
In addition to providing substantial cost, security and convenience benefits, there are other benefits from automating physical security and building control. Scheduled maintenance of all security and building control systems can be combined, thus ensuring maximum return on investment, lower operational costs and reduced system downtime.