1. Manufacturers of BAS devices will convert many of the devices to DC power, allowing Power-Over-Ethernet (POE) to be used, thus spurring greater penetration of IP protocols in the BAS world. Known as the most under-valued building technology, POE will drive the convergence because of its cost advantage and management functions. Innovators in this arena will be second tier and Asian BAS companies.
2. Just sensing whether a building space is occupied or not, will no longer suffice. Systems will need to provide real-time information on how many people occupy the space and where they are located. This will just continue the march to real-time sensing of everything that occurs in a building. Next will be the introduction of “sensor dust” which can be added and embedded in wall coatings. Buildings will have so many sensors installed, that facility management tools will become 3-dimensional.
3. Smart commissioning will render obsolete what we now think of as commissioning, which is typically a one time or periodic event. Commissioning will no longer be something you may do once a year or every couple years, but something done in real time using sophisticated, rules-based software. Generally re-commissioning an existing commercial office building has an average financial payback of 8.5 months, which is very attractive. However, smart commissioning will have a payback period measured in minutes and will become a standard feature of high performance buildings. (more…)
