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Ken Sinclair, Founder, Publisher, and Owner of AutomatedBuildings.com, discusses the current state and future of building automation, offering insights for facilities managers (FMs) navigating the evolving landscape.

Building automation has advanced significantly from its origins. Manual control of HVAC and lighting is being replaced by sophisticated Internet of Things (IoT) interfaces that often require no physical interaction. Sinclair, with over 50 years in the industry, shares his perspective on these changes and what FMs should consider moving forward.

Professional Background and the Birth of AutomatedBuildings.com

Sinclair began his career as an energy automation consultant, trained by Johnson Controls, and became involved with direct digital control (DDC) systems in 1975 at the University of Alberta. At that time, products had to be built from scratch as they didn't exist yet. He later worked with Delta Controls and Reliable Controls, both DDC system manufacturers. Upon retiring, Sinclair noticed a lack of online resources for the industry and started AutomatedBuildings.com, which grew into a global resource as the internet expanded.

Key Elements in Automated Building Industry for FMs

Sinclair highlights the challenge FMs face in integrating various solutions offered by numerous vendors, each promoting their own software platforms. The main issue is ensuring interoperability and adherence to established standards. BACnet, while not the most advanced protocol, remains valuable for interoperability. Newer standards like Haystack, which focuses on naming and tagging conventions, are essential for managing the vast amounts of data generated by modern buildings. Consistent naming and tagging enable effective machine learning and analytics.

Automated Intelligence vs. Artificial Intelligence

Sinclair distinguishes between automated intelligence and artificial intelligence. He finds "artificial intelligence" to be a misleading term, as the industry is far from machines independently thinking. The evolution has moved intelligence from centralized systems to edge devices, enabling autonomous interactions at the edge. Examples include hands-free interfaces like Amazon Echo, which allow users to control building systems without physical contact. Location services and presence detection are also enabling more autonomous and personalized building interactions.

IoT in Automated Buildings

The rise of IoT brought expectations that tech giants like Google and Amazon would dominate building automation. However, the complexity of building systems, such as the risks of improperly managing expensive equipment, has kept these companies at bay. Instead, automated buildings have become a component of the broader "internet of everything," requiring FMs to manage an increasing array of controllable systems, from window tinting to solar panels. Energy management strategies, such as running cooling systems at night to avoid peak charges, are also crucial.

Advice for FMs Entering the Industry

Sinclair advises FMs to carefully choose which standards to adopt and how to manage data collection and analytics. The trend is toward separating analytics into data lakes, as future uses for the data may not yet be clear. Social media data is also becoming relevant, with occupants providing real-time feedback on comfort via apps. Sinclair notes that innovative startups often pave the way in the industry, eventually being acquired by larger companies once they prove their value.

For more insights into the building automation industry, Sinclair recommends visiting AutomatedBuildings.com.

Discussion Prompt

What building automation innovations do you think FMs should be focusing on? Join the conversation and share your thoughts.