Imagine having, at your fingertips, the ability to track factors such as temperature, humidity, rain levels, wind speed, Doppler radar forecast, severe weather alerts, heat index, and barometer/pressure. This can happen by integrating weather data facilitation in building to reach energy efficiency and for better decision making. You might not be able to control the weather, but if you integrate weather data into your Building Automation System (BAS), you can at least control how your building reacts to it and take preventive measures to minimise damage.

The correlation between Building Automation System and Weather Data Forecast

Generating a moderate climate, reduces heating and cooling loads in buildings to enjoy maximum comfort while ensuring energy can be reached with the Building Automation System. Weather data can help facilities professionals make decisions that dramatically reduce the amount of energy and water used by building systems. With sensors to detect humidity and outside air temperature, most building-automation systems (BASs) are already making informed decisions about mechanical-system operations based on outdoor conditions. You can improve mechanical-system performance and achieve ta argeted efficiency level of HVAC (chillers, boilers, and chilled-water and ice storage). You can determine the viability of on-site alternative energy. Weather data can help you make informed decisions about the feasibility of installing photovoltaic or wind turbines, as well as predict a realistic return on investment. Be it a blizzard or a tornado, or other inclement weather, having access to forecast data helps ensure that both the building and its occupants are safe from Mother Nature.

Integrating weather data with BAS for optimal efficiency reach benefiting building occupants and owners:

1. Better performance: Forecasting provides building occupants with arguably the most valuable resource known to man – time. A building, which collects and compiles data on the weather based on the location in which the building is situated can adequately predict when temperatures will be high or low in the near future. With this information, the building owner can have ample time to make the necessary preparations to accommodate the building’s needs. This proactive move could entail redirecting energy from the heating system to the cooling system in warmer days and the reverse in colder days. Based on the accumulated weather condition for a given period of time, buildings can predict with a certain degree of certainty as to how the following periods’ weather conditions and the impact it will have on the building’s energy consumption. This provides flexibility in planning and budgeting along tangible outcomes

2.Optimised Responses: With the advent of IoT technology, commercial buildings have at least one form of smart device running within the property. It doesn’t matter if it is a smoke sensor in the kitchen or a motion sensor in the lobby cameras, most commercial buildings have some form of smart installation. By incorporating data from the weather, these sensors can be further programmed to relay automated energy-saving actions.

 In addition, using the IoT sensors for weather-related data could help with related events such as protection against flood damage. Most IoT sensors provide data such as temperature, wind speed, humidity and precipitation. When there is a forecast of heavy rain, the precipitation data can be particularly helpful in building defences against flooding of your building.

3.Easy Maintenance: There is always the need to have components looked at or changed over time. A stormy day could make maintenance very hard or impossible to accomplish. Collecting and correlating data on the weather allows for maintenance to be programmed on the best possible day when weather conditions will not stand in the way. By incorporating the local weather data along with the equipment data like the HVAC, you can benefit by identifying the peak operating performance as well as when the equipment is not performing optimally.