Product category:
Building Automation and Control
News Release from: LonMark International | Subject: Strategic Advantage of Open Systems
Edited by the Buildingtalk Editorial
Team on 18 May 2006
Strategic advantage of open systems
Barry Haaser, Former Executive Director LonMark International discusses the 'Strategic advantage of open systems'.
The term "Open Systems" is used pervasively in the building controls and automation marketplace Nearly every vendor offering building controls products and solutions provides an open system
This article was originally published on Buildingtalk on 4 May 2005 at 8.00am (UK)
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It wasn't that long ago when computers were supplied by a single company.
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The same company produced the microprocessor, memory, operating system, and input/output (I/O) devices.
The traditional model changed with the introduction of the Personal Computer (PC).
The PC revolution completely transformed the computer industry supporting an open systems model whereby all hardware and software components were sourced from multiple suppliers.
Not only did computers become more affordable, but it helped create a multi-billion dollar industry supported by thousands of companies worldwide.
Just as open systems transformed the computer industry and improved business efficiency, open systems are helping companies in another way by providing open, integrated building automation systems.
Traditional building automation systems tend to resemble the computer industry of the sixties and seventies, when the thought linking together disparate hardware elements from multiple suppliers was difficult, if not impossible.
Building automation systems tend to be a conglomeration of proprietary subsystems.
Each system is sold and installed by a single vendor with little consideration of how the elements of one system can be shared among other systems to reduce cost and improve efficiency.
Proprietary systems involve a lack of flexibility in buildings.
As buildings change, as is common in today's fast-paced business environment, facility managers at sites with proprietary systems are forced to work with a single vendor in order to make any modifications.
Since proprietary systems are provided by a single vendor, they are often accompanied by expensive, long-term maintenance contracts.
The Economics of Open Systems.
Building owners tend to focus on the return on their investment when it comes to any capital expense.
There are two main strategies to gain a good return on investment either by keeping initial investment low, which often is the case for buildings which are let to tenants, or to look at the total-life-cycle-costs of a building.
Many owners will typically look at the total life cycle cost, with the objective to minimize costs over a five to ten year period.
Investments in building controls are focused on energy usage, minimizing equipment maintenance costs, minimizing maintenance personnel costs, flexibility to modify the installation as building usage changes, the ability to enhance the installation as building usage and budgets enhances, the ability to utilize new technology as it becomes available to improve building operational costs.
The ideal solution for the Owner-user is an 'Open System Solution' that enables him to integrate the necessary controls' components and systems from different manufacturers from different industries and to create "interoperation" between these components to minimize energy and maintenance costs in the 'Life-cycle-cost' analysis.
The integration of components from different industries such as HVAC, sunblind controls, lighting and access controls, is the primary objective.
The primary benefit of an open system is it allows not only the best fit products and systems to be chosen, but it also allows sophisticated energy management strategies to be implemented which optimize the use of primary energy.
Increased automation can be achieved by using single sensors, such as movement detectors, for multiple applications.
The integration of multi-vendor products typically delivers a 30% or more return on investment through energy savings alone.
Best of all, the work environment is improved by providing better temperature controls, ventilation and light while still maintaining an overall optimum energy usage for the whole building.
The other key aspect for the building Owner-user in his life-cycle-analysis is the ability to adapt to change.
A truly open system can be easily adapted as building usage changes, for example when walls within a building are moved or built, the interaction between components such as room temperature set-points.
Movement detectors and controllers can be changed without the need to remove, replace or re-wire devices.
Maintenance is another key benefit of open systems.
Rather than respond in person to each alarm condition, maintenance personnel can remotely query the system all the down to individual sensors to determine if the alarm can be fixed remotely.
Rather than learn multiple users interfaces and systems, operations staff can use a single system with an intuitive web-interface.
Best of all, long-term maintenance contracts associated with proprietary systems disappear because independent systems integrators are able to provide the necessary support.
Contracts can be sent out for bid more frequently, keeping vendors honest and competitive.
LonMark International Leads the Open Systems Evolution.
The transitioning the controls industry from proprietary to open systems has been underway over the past ten years by members of LonMark International.
LonMark International is a global membership organization promoting open, interoperable solutions.
The Association provides a forum for manufacturers; solution providers and owners to embrace a standards-based network solution for automating buildings, industrial plants, transportation systems, homes and other environments.
Many LonMark International members are in businesses related to building automation.
These companies provide a multitude of solutions for truly automated buildings, including heating/ventilation/air conditioning, lighting, access control, CCTV, elevators, sun blinds, energy meters and systems integration.
The companies work together to promote open, interoperable solutions and to create interoperability guidelines for connecting products from multiple vendors together.
Products are tested by LonMark International to determine whether they conform to the interoperability guidelines.
Those products passing the test carry the globally recognized LonMark logo, identifying them as LonMark certified, and thus as open and interoperable.
Nearly 700 products have been tested and certified by LonMark International, giving industry a broad selection of products to choose from.
Thanks to open systems, we now have the freedom to choose from a variety of suppliers to get the best-priced solution available.
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