How a Building Managment System

Learn how a building management system works and how it can help your business succeed

One of the best resources your company can have is a fully integrated building management system. And once you understand how a building management system works you will understand why it is so vital to the success of your business. Advanced Control Corporation can offer your company a variety of building management solutions to help you effectively monitor and manage every area of your business operation so that you are in control and nothing is left to chance.

Your business can operate at its peak performance level and increase productivity when you install an integrated building automation system. Your system provides cost-effective solutions and services that are controlled only by authorized personnel. A building management system incorporates many separate functions within your building, such as:

1. The interconnection of all systems networked to distribute and exchange data through a single interface that is quick, easy, transparent and effective. Good communication connectivity of all your systems is integrated into one building management system for easy, interactive control. Advanced Control can integrate any system that is operating outside of the network so that all systems and operators are connected. We work with an adjustable design so that future expansion and realignment of any system can be easily adapted.

2. Your building management system allows you to monitor and control each electrical and mechanical component in your operation, and is built in compliance with building requirements and government regulations. Your system provides green technology for energy conservation and environmental sustainability. We also build LEEDS certified systems for companies who are environmentally conscious.

3. Temperature control is a primary concern of any building for a number of reasons. Your building management system is cost-effective to reduce waste and save money by controlling energy consumption in different areas throughout the building. It also keeps the indoor air quality comfortable and safe from humidity, mold, dust, gases and other toxins. Your system provides data that receives, stores and analyzes energy usage so that operators can pinpoint problem areas and offer solutions.

4. Smoke evacuation systems are vital to the safety of your employees and other visitors in your building. This system is required for atrium-covered shopping malls, high-rise buildings and other specified properties by local and State fire codes and laws. A smoke evacuation system identifies where the smoke originates from and controls the movement of the smoke so it does not reach exit areas and other safe zones within the building. Your system is designed to alert building inhabitants and save lives.

5. Utility monitoring is also controlled by building management systems by providing access and control through metering, sub-metering and dashboards. Advanced Control offers you and your staff education and tech support to understand and use all of your utility monitoring systems.

6. A building security system should be integrated within your building automation system. You can manage one or multiple building sites on your property at the same time. You will be able to secure IT data and equipment from hackers, employee tampering or theft, break-ins and others criminal activity. Your security system will manage access control, intrusion detection and digital video surveillance. Security measures include elevator access control, monitoring visitor activity and preventing secure areas from being breached. Closed circuit television (CCTV) and recording solutions are also a part of your security package in your building management system.

Advanced Control Corporation will help you control every facet of your business. We work within your budget and devise strategies that meet your specific needs and goals. To learn more about how a building management system works contact Advanced Control Corporation today at 954-491-6660.

Smoke Evacuation System

In a commercial building with an active kitchen, such as a casino, hotel, conference center, or other hospitality facility, even the most robust fire alarm and containment system will not be enough to keep guests safe. When a fire breaks out in a commercial building, the alarm system alerts guests while the sprinklers or fire containment method goes to work putting out the flames. While that protects the structure from burning down, it fails to address another aspect of the fire that is even more deadly than the flames: the smoke and toxic fumes created by burning materials. To protect occupants from the dangers of burning fumes and smoke, commercial buildings should have a fully integrated smoke evacuation system in place to remove dangerous fumes before they impact the health of occupants.

A fully integrated smoke evacuation system is the safest choice for commercial facilities with kitchens

The need for a fully integrated smoke evacuation system for buildings that have active kitchens cannot be overstated.  Smoke and fumes can spread from the kitchen to every level of a casino, hotel, or other commercial building in a flash.  This creates a significant hazard, since majority of fire-related fatalities are actually caused by breathing in the deadly fumes and gasses created by the fire, not by burns from the flames.  The smoke created by heated and burning materials from a building fire contains a deadly mixture of invisible chemicals and gasses including carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide. Breathing in these fumes can inflict catastrophic damage to lungs and the respiratory system of victims, making it difficult for them to get sufficient oxygen.  Blurred vision, confusion, and other unconsciousness can follow, leaving victims unable to get themselves to safety. Even when victims survive, the deleterious effects of these fumes and smoke can linger for years, damaging their health and harming their quality of life.

In order to safely contain and eliminate the smoke and fumes from a kitchen or other fire, casino and hospitality facilities need a smoke evacuation system that can utilize the full resources of their building management system. Advanced Control Corporation can install a building smoke evacuation system that seamlessly integrates with your building management system. In the case of a fire, your building smoke evacuation system will respond instantly, putting your building’s HVAC and ventilation system to work to confine and channel smoke away from occupied areas.

Once the smoke evacuation system detects the presence of smoke, it activates fans and dampers to control air pressure and channel the smoke away from occupied areas of your facility. Exhaust can be used to keep doors and dampers closed so that zone barriers remain intact. Fire partitions, fire barriers, fire doors, and other passive containment measures can be incorporated into your facility to further limit the spread of smoke in the case of a fire.

Protect the guests at your casino or hospitality facility with a complete building smoke evacuation system from Advanced Control Corporation. As the industry leader in building automation in South Florida for more than 25 years, Advanced Control has improved the safety, security, and energy efficiency of thousands of buildings by installing innovative building solutions that integrate lighting control, HVAC control, CCTV, access control, and energy management systems with smoke evacuation systems. Contact Advanced Control Corporation today at 954.491.6660 to discover the relief that comes from having a truly safe building environment!

Commercial Security Systems

Essential features that all commercial security systems should have

Does your commercial security system have what it takes to keep your facility and tenants safe? If you haven’t updated your system to incorporate the latest surveillance technology, the answer may be a resounding “No”! Commercial security systems are continually evolving, as cameras, computer systems, and security software are updated and improved. Criminals are updating their tools at a similar rate. That means that commercial security systems that were state of the art only a few short years ago may be so hopelessly outdated now that they practically invite criminals to take advantage. If you are wondering if the security measures in your commercial building need to be updated, the following checklist for commercial security systems will help you identify any problem areas that exist. 

Commercial Surveillance Systems

CCTV (closed circuit television) security systems are cost-effective solutions that allow even small commercial facilities to keep their tenants and premises safe. Once a network of CCTV cameras is in place, one guard can monitor an entire facility from a single location. The latest rechargeable wireless cameras can be placed in locations around facilities anywhere they are desired and synced through Wi-Fi, without having to worry about proximity to outlets or internet access. The most effective CCTV security systems for business utilize a variety of cameras to blanket the facility in protection. Available cameras include:

• Network (IP) Cameras – These cameras use internet protocol to transmit images and data over a high-speed Ethernet link, allowing users to view images in real-time from remote locations
• Fixed Position Cameras -Ideal for indoor and outdoor uses, these cameras can be mounted on walls or ceilings using telescopic mounts with adjustable swivel heads
• Pan/Tilt/Zoom Cameras – These versatile cameras virtually eliminate security system blind spots, as they allow users to adjust their positions remotely to view up-and-down, side-to-side, or zoom in for a closer look
• Thermal Imaging Cameras – Can capture footage in complete darkness and in all weather conditions by detecting temperature differences
• License Plate Capture Cameras – Keep track of vehicles in garages and parking lots optical character recognition allows these cameras to “read” the license plate numbers of vehicles

Commercial CCTV Recording Solutions

CCTV cameras work hand in hand with CCTV recording solutions that compile and save the images the cameras record.

• Digital Video Recorders (DVR) – Records video feed onto a disk drive or other memory medium in digital format, which can then be accessed remotely over the Internet
• Network Video Recorders (NVR) – Receives your facility’s video signals via your existing Network infrastructure, allows footage to be viewed on your integrated Workstation, or via the Web.
• Hybrid Video Recorders (HVR)– Provides full HD video output from the combined use of analog/IP cameras

Commercial Building Access Control SystemsAccess control is an essential part of commercial security systems.  Occupancy sensors, RFID scanners, and card readers are synced into building automation systems to provide an automated way to monitor, control, and restrict admission to the various areas within the facility. Your building access control system should be upgraded if it does not provide the following protections:

• Clear Audit Trail – Every attempted and accomplished opening of each door and area should be recorded, including the identity of individuals involved.
• Time and Day Restrictions – Owners should be able to monitor and restrict access to building areas according to specific designated times, days, and conditions.
• Security Risk Control – Owners should be able to terminate access rights of personnel at any time so security risks are eliminated as soon as they are identified.

Advanced Control Corporation can update your commercial security system or install a comprehensive security automation solution to ensure your facility and tenants are protected with the latest access control, CCTV digital video surveillance, and intrusion detection technology available. Since 1987, the security experts at Advanced Control Corporation have helped thousands of local building owners protect their facilities with customized commercial security automation solutions. Contact Advanced Control at 954-491-6660 to discover the peace of mind that comes from having one of our comprehensive commercial security systems protecting your premises and tenants from harm!

How to Reduce Energy Consumption in Your Business

How to Reduce Energy Consumption in Business: Energy saving tips

With energy costs continuing to rise, reining in energy consumption doesn‘t just make good environmental sense, it makes good business sense, too. If you are wondering how to reduce energy consumption in business, the answer is simple: start improving energy efficiency. Energy efficiency is a proven, highly effective way for businesses to reduce the amount of energy they consume. It’s also incredibly cost-effective.

Simply by using energy more efficiently, some businesses have managed to reduce their energy consumption by as much as 35 percent, without negatively affecting performance or occupant comfort. Another way of saying this is that as much as 35 cents of every dollar your business spends on energy use in your commercial building may be wasted through inefficiencies. If you are ready to stop throwing away money on energy waste, we have some energy saving tips that can help! 

Improve building performance

Installing or retrofitting your building with the latest energy management solution tops our list of energy saving tips for businesses. A powerful building automation system is the most comprehensive method of reducing your energy usage. Advanced Control Corporation can install an energy management solution that makes it easy to perform energy audits to identify areas where the building systems are performing poorly. The solutions reduce energy consumption by making sure that every component of the building works at peak efficiency.

Reduce energy waste

Outfitting your building with occupancy sensors can significantly reduce your energy usage. These sensors work seamlessly with your energy management solution, which can use the information they relay to automatically turn off lights when occupants leave an area. Simply integrating occupancy sensors can save you between 15 and 30 percent on lighting costs! Your HVAC and cooling systems can be programmed to turn off when an area is unoccupied also, yielding further savings.

Optimize energy use

Utility monitoring dashboards and graphical user interface software can provide you with the data you need to be proactive in devising new strategies to optimize energy use. Don’t worry if you’re not up on the latest energy metering protocols – Advanced Control can outfit you with solutions that feature simple software navigation and programming tools with dashboards and grids that make energy consumption easy to understand. You will be able to effortlessly interpret your energy data and in , track, and control all of your building management systems to optimize energy use from any location.

Small business energy efficiency solutions

Think your building is too small to benefit from an energy management solution? Think again! Owners of small or mid-size businesses can incorporate small business energy efficiency solutions that significantly reduce their energy consumption. Advanced Control Corporation can provide you with solutions that are sized for facilities ranging from 25,000 to 100,000 square feet. These solutions are scalable so they can keep pace as your business expands.

Now is the time to improve your building’s energy efficiency and your bottom line! If you are ready to start reducing energy consumption at your business and want to learn how to reduce energy consumption in business, the knowledgeable technicians at Advanced Control Corporation can customize an energy management solution that incorporates temperature control, lighting control, and power monitoring. We’ll help you reduce your energy usage and start you on the path to higher building energy efficiency. Contact Advanced at 954-491-6660 to discover all the benefits our intelligent building systems have to offer!

Smart Building Management Systems in South Florida

The benefits of installing smart building management systems in South Florida

For commercial building owners in South Florida, smart building management systems have become an absolute necessity. Smart, or intelligent building management systems as they are commonly known, provide many benefits that South Florida commercial building owners need in order to manage their buildings effectively.  They integrate the various control systems so they work together efficiently, they make sure the building environment is comfortable, and they help to keep the premises and tenants secure. Perhaps most importantly, smart building management systems in South Florida provide an additional benefit: they keep energy costs under control, even in the excessively hot and muggy conditions that exist in this region. All these benefits make intelligent building management systems the one thing that every commercial building owner in South Florida needs to incorporate.

What is an intelligent building management system?

An intelligent building management system is the control system that integrates all the electrical, mechanical, and security systems in a facility into an enhanced IT infrastructure.  Networking these control systems allows intelligent building management systems to leverage the shared information to make sure the building operates as efficiently as possible.

Why are intelligent building management systems so important in South Florida?

Temperatures in South Florida average higher than 90 degrees for the summer months, according to the latest U.S. Climate data. As the effects of climate change continue to grow, these temperatures are only going to get higher. Energy costs are already the largest single operating expense of commercial buildings. Making sure their facilities are as energy efficient as possible is the best way for South Florida building owners to keep energy costs under control.

How can intelligent building management systems lower energy costs?

In an average commercial building, as much as 30% to 40% of the facility is unoccupied at any given time. The lighting, HVAC, and cooling systems in the building remain on when occupants leave, wasting energy and driving up operating costs. Smart building management systems use motion sensors, access card readers, and passive RFID scanners to detect when tenants exit from any section of the building. Automated energy conservation features turn off the lights and cooling systems in the unoccupied areas.  By eliminating unnecessary energy use and making all the systems in the building work together as effectively as possible, intelligent building management systems can lower energy costs by as much as 30 percent.

How do intelligent building management systems create a comfortable environment?

To insure tenants have a comfortable working environment even in changeable humidity and heat conditions, South Florida smart building management systems automatically adjust ventilation and cooling output to maintain precise temperature set points. Tenants who work erratic hours or at unscheduled times can adjust HVAC settings through their tablet or smartphone so the building is at the desired temperature by the time they arrive.

What are other benefits of South Florida smart building management systems?

Security issues are a growing concern for commercial building owners in South Florida and across the country. Intelligent building management systems use the latest digital video recorders and Bluetooth cameras to provide an encompassing surveillance system. Building owners can monitor any area in their facility directly through their smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

Advanced Control Corporation has been an industry leader in providing smart building management systems in South Florida since 1987. Whether you are building a new structure or performing a retrofit on an existing building, Advanced Control Corporation will incorporate the latest intelligent building technology to design a building automation solution that exceeds your expectations.

Contact Advanced Control at 954-491-6660 to discover more ways our smart building management systems can improve building energy management in South Florida facilities!

Building Analytics for Hospitals

How building analytics for hospitals can improve operation spending and efficiency

Did you know that the latest building analytics for hospitals can vastly improve facilities’ efficiency so they realize significant energy and operational savings?  Modern hospitals rely on building automation systems to oversee operations and make sure all systems in the facility operate correctly.  These systems enable hospitals to function well on a day-to-day basis, but behind the scenes, inefficiencies and unseen maintenance issues begin accumulating. Over time, these inefficiencies can negatively affect the performance of health facilities, potentially costing them thousands of dollars in wasted energy. The latest cloud-based building analytics software accumulates data on systems’ performance, converting the information into actionable intelligence that hospitals can use to identify and correct maintenance issues, improving efficiency and lowering energy and operational costs.

Advanced Control Corporation provides hospitals with building analytics as an advanced lifecycle managed service, integrated at the cloud and web levels. Our proprietary software system, VAO, uses automated system based diagnostics to identify hidden inefficiencies and system degradations. Once it finds any problems, the system makes recommendations on how to mitigate these problems and optimize operational performance.

 Take advantage of your hospital’s data

Advanced Control’s building analytics software captures data points from all the control systems connected through the hospital’s building automation system. This includes air handling units, central plant pumps, towers, chillers, valves, and the zone and terminal units that control flow, temperature, and humidity. Every few minutes the information is sent to our cloud-based storage system, which features cross-platform data integration that tracks performance over time.

Find inefficiencies and hidden costs

The cloud-based system continuously monitors and diagnoses the hospital building’s performance,  using artificial intelligence to process the building data.  Analysis provides real-time comparison to the previous year’s energy consumption, analyzing the sequence of operation improvements and system trends, identifying discrepancies.

Identify improvements

Once the data reaches Advanced Control’s cloud-based system, our advanced analytics engine uses artificial intelligence to process the building data, continuously monitoring and diagnosing your facility’s performance. The AI analyzes the sequence of operation improvements, identifing any equipment and system faults, system trends, and energy usage. Our system instantly sends you an alarm if any immediate concerns are noted, so you can organize internal and contract resources to perform any needed repairs.

Optimize operational performance

Our VAO cloud-based building analytics software uses automated fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) and other diagnostic measures to produce ranked recommendations. Building managers can access daily reports of automated diagnostics that contain key performance data on the facility, pinpointing any irregularities and indicating out-of-range building consumption. Avoidable costs are identified, along with impacts on building comfort. Advanced Control’s expert analytics team reviews the prioritized findings and makes recommendations specific to your hospital’s requirements and operational needs.

Reduce energy expenditures

The prioritized recommendations give you an increased awareness of factors that may affect the performance of your hospital facility. The actionable intelligence provides advanced notice of needed repairs, so you can perform HVAC retrofits and other system enhancements to uncover hidden savings. You have the knowledge you need to make informed building decisions and proactively manage your hospital’s operations more efficiently.

If you are ready to start enjoying an increased level of building efficiency at your hospital, Advanced Control Corporation is here to help. Our building analytics service can improve operations at your facility whether you need building analytics for hospitals or building analytics for business. Advanced Control provides cost-effective building automation and control solutions for major commercial, institutional, and industrial clients across Florida.

Contact Advanced Control at 954-491-6660 to discover how building analytics for hospitals can improve operations at your facility today!

Energy Saving Tips for Businesses

4 tips that will help your business save energy

Are you looking for ways to save energy at your business? It seems that business owners everywhere are searching for ways to make their companies more energy efficient. Rising energy costs and the need to reduce our carbon footprint have business owners searching for ways to reduce the amount of energy they use. Since nearly 29 percent of the operating expenses of an average commercial building are spent on utilities, the drive to become more energy efficient is not surprising. Fortunately, we have some effective energy saving tips for businesses that can help you lower your energy usage by as much as 30 percent.

Energy Saving Tip #1: Install a building energy management system

According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, cooling, lighting, and ventilation account for 62 percent of electricity use in commercial buildings. As much as 30 percent of that energy use is wasted providing environmental controls in areas that are unoccupied. Business owners can eliminate this energy waste by installing building energy management systems that use building automation systems (BAS) to integrate all the electrical and mechanical systems in the building. Once the various control systems in the building are integrated, the systems work more efficiently, eliminating unnecessary energy use. Building automation can also adjust environmental controls automatically, improving the energy efficiency of the facility.

Energy Saving Tip #2: Employ lighting controls

Lighting control can reduce the amount of energy used by businesses by as much as 25%. Time and zone controls can shut lights off according to a set schedule, so your business does not have to rely on employees to remember to switch off lights when they leave for the day.

A building automation can also provide advanced lighting control using occupancy sensors. When RFID scanners, motion detectors, elevator access controls, and other occupancy sensors are placed throughout your business, the building automation system registers when occupants exit the area. Once a section of your facility is unoccupied, the building automation system automatically adjusts the environmental controls in that area, turning off lights to reduce energy usage.

Energy Saving Tip #3: Use temperature controls

Using the scheduling features of building automation systems, building owners can lower the amount of energy their HVAC system uses by programming the equipment to turn on and off at set times during the day or week. Occupancy sensors can refine temperature control further, making it more effective and responsive.

Energy Saving Tip #4: Monitor Power Usage and Utilities

The sophisticated building automation software used by Advanced Control’s building energy management systems can help businesses rein in out of control energy usage by ensuring the building operates at peak efficiency.  Our systems employ the latest utility monitoring dashboards and advanced energy management software to track and optimize energy use. Sub-metering capabilities can help buildings with more than one tenant track and monitor energy usage on an individual level.

If you are ready to start saving energy at your building, the knowledgeable technicians at Advanced Control Corporation can  customize an energy management solution that incorporates temperature control, lighting control, and power monitoring to reduce your energy usage and start you on the path to higher building energy efficiency. Contact Advanced at 954-491-6660 to discover all the benefits our intelligent building systems have to offer!