BMS, BAS OR EMS Which Building System is Right For My Facility

Building management systems are the key to the efficient management of energy in a building. Given the rate of industrialisation and the depletion of natural resources, it is inevitable that we will face a severe shortage of energy and power in the coming years. Hence, it is important that we shift towards practices like building automation and building management to ensure optimum use of energy and reduce wastage. Monitoring and management are crucial to any facility, speciality when the facility is a power-hungry one. To improve building management, users are increasingly opting for IoT enabled smart systems that allow centralised administration.

BMS, BAS and EMS- Definitions and Differences

Building management systems or building automated systems, i.e. BMS or BAS, are an integration of specific sets of hardware and software that lets users go for automated control and management of building systems like lighting, HVAC, security, etc. The principal function of BMS is to simplify and increase the efficiency of a building with the help of real-time monitoring of the building performance. Other than quantifying the performance of a building, BMS does not do anything else.

Building Energy Management Systems or EMS are different from BMS as they concentrate on increasing building operations' efficiency and further optimising it. With EMS, you will not get any automation benefits. It merely collects energy data and provides detailed insights. With these performance insights, users can make better decisions that will promote the general building performance.

Building Energy Management Systems can offer the following benefits:

• It helps in gathering data and helps in framing a custom environment-friendly energy scheme for the building.

• With this tool, you can conserve energy and prevent hazards and accidents by identifying energy faults and other essential issues well in advance.

• It helps in switching to renewable sources of energy which is sustainable and eco-friendly.

• It also increases savings by minimising utility bills, and promoting systematic allocation of resources, etc.

• It helps in understanding the effect of climatic changes on energy consumption patterns.

• It enhances the maintenance of appliances and equipment.

• Building Energy management systems help in research and innovations in the field of energy by supplying vital data about changing patterns of energy consumption over a period of time.

• It also reduces environmental pollution.

Which System Should I Take For My Facility?

BMS and/or EMS systems are known to benefit commercial building significantly. Users should understand their building requirements well to decide which will work best for them. Both these systems have their own ways to offer energy efficiency and resource effectiveness. 

EMS is comparatively cheaper, and smaller buildings can go for it. The system will provide energy-related data, and the facility managers can figure out the appropriate steps to achieve their energy targets. BMS can be installed by large buildings that have HVAC systems. BMS hardware is quite expensive, and hence, large commercial buildings can install it to add to the energy savings of such facilities.

Schneider Electric India offers high-quality energy management options for large and small facilities with the latest technology and affordable prices. To know more about this, visit them today.