As a building owner, you want to create a balance between having safe, comfortable, and attractive buildings for tenants and lowered operating costs. In some cases, large expenses like property taxes are largely out of your hands. But other significant operating costs like utilities can be addressed. For example, high insurance costs might be mitigated by modernizing a building’s safety and security systems.

You may be considering if the cost of installing or modernizing building automation systems makes sense for your St. Louis, MO properties. If you think about the potential energy efficiencies of modern control solutions for lighting and HVAC, the additional safety from newer security, and adding attractive features like digital signage, you might start finding that you can improve your product in the market, reduce costs, and thoroughly justify the investment. Let's explore further below.

SEE ALSO: Why Should You Install a Commercial Lighting and Automation System?

Lighting and Shading Control

Energy use represents as much as 20% of the operating cost of a building. While much of that goes to HVAC, a large amount goes to lighting, indoors and out. Unfortunately, in commercial settings, light is often overused. Some recommended strategies for curbing energy use for lighting involve dimming areas when natural light supplements, using occupancy sensors to turn off lights in meeting rooms and bathrooms when unoccupied and taking full advantage of natural light.

Lighting control systems can automate energy savings and efficient use of lighting. If your buildings have large windows with sun exposure, consider motorized shading activated by light and/or heat sensors to manage and leverage natural light. Motorized shading can be programmed to follow the sun around the building, cutting heat and glare at appropriate times and opening for more natural light when it makes sense. In coordination with lighting control, ambient lighting can be dimmed or turned off for efficiency and comfort when natural light is plentiful. In meeting rooms, shades can draw for a darker room to use a projection screen and automatically raise to let in natural light when done. When a room is clear, lights can be timed to turn off along with AV equipment.

Security

Tenants are highly concerned with secure buildings. Access control systems can ensure that only authorized tenants and visitors can enter a building. Modern access control systems are integrated with alarm and surveillance systems for a comprehensive approach to security. Access control can also tie into lighting automation for both efficiency and safety. For example, turn on common area lights only when people are in the building and light up outside areas when there is activity. Dim or turn off inside and outside lighting when surveillance systems don't detect activity after normal hours.

Digital Signage

Digital signage can make properties easier to navigate and more engaging. Interactive signage can be used to look up office locations in a building. It can also entertain, tell a story, and provide important information to visitors. Digital signage can be as simple as large flat-panel monitors or LED video walls for more immersive messaging and promotion. Digital signage can be automated for complete monitoring, content updates, and remote issue diagnosis. In emergencies, they can provide helpful information for evacuation or other quick responses, adding to safety systems.

 

Discover how building automation systems add value to your properties. Get started by calling us today at (636) 939-4474 or reach out on our contact page. We look forward to working with you!