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Topics 30 July 2025

Basics of Building Automation

Building technology mostly remains out of sight, but it’s there behind every wall and every window, and it touches us daily. Most of the time, we don’t even notice it, unless something stops working – since fault-free operation is the objective behind every component and solution.

Therefore, it takes some expertise to set up and operate a building system to function perfectly. Electrical engineers gain expertise in building technology during their studies, and system integrators and facility managers most often do during training – but ultimately, practical experience is what really matters.

Everything at a Glance

  • Open systems for expandable, future-proof building automation
  • Manufacturer-independence
  • Various fieldbus protocols for different applications
  • Sensor-based field devices
  • Advantages and disadvantages of a centralized or decentralized installation

The Automation Jungle – We Provide Clarity

Solid basic knowledge is essential for evaluating solutions on the market and selecting the right automation approach for each building.

Making the Right Selection

When selecting technology, whether for new construction of a renovation, it is important to obtain details about the advantages and disadvantages of open versus proprietary systems to make an informed choice among the various possibilities. Since an extremely high degree of flexibility is required over the entire lifecycle of a building, the planners should consider the not only current situation, but also other usage options that may develop in the future. Therefore, components should be available over the long term, and should meet established open technology standards.

Open vs. Proprietary Systems

An open system is characterized by the support of numerous manufacturers, who mutually agree on a standard. The components are thus “interoperable” and can communicate with one another. The more vendors participate in an open standard, the higher the likelihood is of finding a wide selection of devices on the market. That way, you are never limited to the technology of one specific manufacturer. When demands change, the modularity of open systems make adaptation and expansion less expensive and much easier.

In contrast, a proprietary system is manufacturer-specific. It is characterized by a smaller number of devices that can be combined with each other, since the manufacturer only provides access to a select number of participants. The use of proprietary systems means that users are dependent on the manufacturer for servicing, maintenance and expansion of the system. If the products used are discontinued, alternatives can be very difficult to find.

Fieldbus Protocols

A number of fieldbus systems are used for exchanging data on the automation level. The bus system determines the communication standard that can be used and the transmission media used to allow controllers and field devices to communicate. General advantages of bus wiring over conventional wiring systems include a reduction in thermal loads and lower wiring costs, as less cable has to be laid.

You can find more information about the individual technologies here:

Various fieldbuses have become established in building applications. They are especially suited for certain applications, for example, SMI for blind control, and DALI for lights.

DALI
EnOcean