bygningsautomation

Bygningsautomation, or building automation, is the automatic control and monitoring of a building's technical systems to improve comfort, safety, and energy efficiency. It commonly covers heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, shading, security, access control, fire safety, and energy management.

A typical installation combines sensors (for temperature, humidity, occupancy, CO2), actuators, controllers, gateways, and a building management system (BMS). Systems can be centralized or distributed and are often networked using open standards to ensure interoperability between equipment from different suppliers.

Control strategies include schedule-based operation, occupancy- or demand-based control, setpoint optimization, fault detection, and predictive maintenance. Data collection, monitoring dashboards, and analytics support performance measurement, energy reporting, and continuous improvement.

Applications span commercial, institutional, and residential buildings, including offices, hospitals, schools, and multi-family housing. Benefits include reduced energy consumption, lower operating costs, improved occupant comfort and safety, and better regulatory compliance. Retrofit projects and IoT-enabled cloud services are increasingly common.

The field has evolved from standalone, hard-wired controllers to integrated, IP-based building management systems. Cybersecurity, data privacy, and system resilience are growing concerns. International standards such as BACnet, KNX, LonWorks, and Modbus facilitate interoperability and open integration across vendors.