Smart buildings rely on information pulled from automation management sensors to create a safe and healthy indoor environment
Smart buildings are a hot topic of discussion among architects, builders, building managers and building owners because of their ability to change the way we live and work. But, how are these smart buildings capable of improving our lives? Building automation systems use sensors of all different kinds to consistently gather data, adapt to behavior patterns, make energy-saving changes, and make suggestions to improve the workflow and lives of the building’s occupants.
So, what are these different types of sensors and which ones are essential for a smart building? Today, we’re going to be discussing how occupancy sensors, flow meters, CO2 sensors, temperature sensors, and pressure sensors work together to create a completely automated environment.
Table of Contents
How Do Automation Management Sensors Work?
Before we get into the specifics of each type of sensor, we need to learn how sensors work within a smart building
Smart buildings require an IoT for different systems to communicate.
Let’s begin by taking a look at a very common type of sensor — a motion sensor. Just like any other type of sensor, it comes in many different varieties. The two most common types of motion sensors are active ultrasonic and passive infrared sensors (PIR).
Ultrasonic sensors emit sound waves throughout a space and detect when the sound wave bounces back. If there are any time gaps or disruptions in the sound waves, the sensor will report that motion has been detected. Once this information is gathered by the sensor, it is then transmitted wirelessly or through ethernet to an Internet of Things (IoT) that responds to the motion detection. When motion is detected, the IoT communicates with other smart building systems, like lighting, to turn on lights automatically whenever motion is detected.
Now that we know a little bit more about how automation management systems work, it’s time to take a look at the types of sensors every smart building should have.
Which Types of Automation Management Sensors Should a Smart Building Have?
It takes a lot of automation management to run a smart building, so let’s find out which sensors every building should have
Smart buildings need several different types of sensors for full optimization.
If you are interested in upgrading your current operating systems or are interested in the energy-saving possibilities associated with smart buildings, you should start with these types of sensors.
Occupancy Sensors
Occupancy sensors use technologies like infrared, ultrasonic, and radar patterns to detect when a space is occupied. They function in a very similar way to motion detectors, which we just discussed.
With continually uncertain guidelines of occupancy due to COVID-19, more pressure is placed on building managers to operate at a limited capacity. Occupancy sensors help with no-touch control, code compliance, people counting, and distance measuring to ensure that occupancy limits are not exceeded.
Flowmeters
Flow meters are a type of sensor used to closely monitor and automate plumbing systems. These sensors provide flow rate information to your automation management system.
Because of such a high demand for flow and energy measurement devices, flow meters are crucial to maintain your building to meet sustainability and energy conservation needs.
Flow sensors provide real time data on flow, energy, and temperature to determine how to best optimize performance. Flow meters also can indicate which areas in a building are not functioning properly, which saves time and money on plumbing maintenance.
CO2 sensors
By installing and utilizing CO2 sensors, automation management systems can control air quality in your ventilation systems. When more people are in a room, the CO2 levels will be higher, which requires improved ventilation.
CO2 sensors can help provide healthy air quality by continuously monitoring CO2 levels in your building and making automatic adjustments.
Temperature sensors
Temperature sensors are used to measure heat and detect any changes in temperature within your building. Keeping temperature regulated in your building can help keep people comfortable and help save money on HVAC costs.
For most buildings, HVAC will consume over half of the monthly energy bill. That’s why it’s so important to have an automated system using temperature sensors so the building automation system can adjust the temperature accordingly. No more unnecessary money spent on heating and cooling!
Pressure sensors
In addition to temperature sensors, pressure sensors play a vital role in monitoring a smart building’s HVAC system. By monitoring system pressures, you can ensure everything is functioning properly and is within an acceptable range.
Pressure sensors monitor airflow pressure across dampers, filters, and fans so that an HVAC system can properly optimize the building’s performance. Pressure sensors can also let building managers know when air filters need to be replaced
Smart buildings are becoming more common and owners and managers realize the major benefits associated with automation management systems. So, if you are considering upgrading to your building management, sensors and building automation systems are the way to go.
Just make sure you are installing the right types of sensors to meet the needs of your building managers and occupants.
