A commercial space can be challenging to manage. Multiple people enter, exit, and utilize commercial buildings on a daily basis. Since facility managers can't control the people moving through the building, it can be helpful to have control over the building itself.

Building automation can provide you with the ability to better monitor your commercial space. Installing an automation system in your building gives you the ability to let your commercial space work for you.

1. Control Lighting

One of the benefits that building automation offers is the ability to automatically control the lighting within a space. It's possible for employees or cleaning crews to accidentally leave a light turned on when leaving a commercial building for the night.

These forgotten lights can cause your electric bill to increase, and create the need for more frequent bulb replacement. Building automation lets you set a lighting schedule according to an occupancy schedule.

Each light fixture within the building can be scheduled to turn on or off at a set time, eliminating the potential for lights to be left on overnight.

2. Emergency Alerts

A number of emergencies can arise within a commercial building. Some of the most costly emergencies include burst pipes or fires that could destroy assets and inventory. Building automation gives you the ability to monitor your commercial space for emergencies at all times.

A building's automation controls can be set to detect changes in moisture and temperature levels inside a given space. An emergency alert can be forwarded to your cell phone or wireless device immediately, allowing you to contact emergency personnel quickly.

By receiving notification of and responding to emergency situations early, you can minimize the amount of damage caused by the emergency.

3. Maintain Temperature

Heating and cooling costs make up a large portion of any commercial building's overhead expenses. Finding ways to reduce heating and cooling costs can be a great way to increase the profitability of your company over time. A building automation system can effectively reduce heating and cooling costs.

A building's HVAC system can be connected to an automation control system. You can set a temperature range on the control panel of the automation system, and the furnace or air conditioner will only kick on when the interior temperature moves outside of this range. 

Controlling the climate in your space with a building automation system can prevent employees from raising or lowering the thermostat setting without authorization.

For more information about setting up building automation controls in your commercial space, contact a local automation service.