Facility automation systems (FAS) are transforming the way commercial real estate properties are managed, offering unprecedented levels of control, efficiency, and sustainability. They integrate and automate building systems to enable streamlined operations, data-driven decision-making, and fast responses to changing needs.
Centralized control: Building management for real estate professionals
As a real estate professional, you always look for ways to streamline operations, reduce costs, and keep your tenants happy. That’s where centralized control gives you unprecedented control over your buildings.
Centralized control puts you in the driver’s seat, allowing you to manage your properties from a single, unified digital operations platform. No more juggling multiple systems and interfaces. It also enables FAS to give you full control over all aspects of your buildings from one central location. This level of control saves you time and reduces the risk of errors and inconsistencies that can arise from managing separate systems.
What are facility automation systems (FAS)?
FAS are advanced technological solutions that integrate and automate various building systems, such as HVAC, lighting, security, and energy management. At the core of FAS are smart sensors, controllers, and software working together to collect data, analyze patterns, and make intelligent decisions. The key functionalities of FAS include:
- Real-time data: FAS provides real-time insights into building performance, allowing you to track energy consumption, occupancy levels, and system status at a glance.
- Remote control: With FAS, you can remotely adjust settings, such as temperature, lighting, and access control, from anywhere using a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
- Automated optimization: Using advanced algorithms, FAS continuously optimizes building performance based on factors like occupancy, weather, and energy prices, reducing energy consumption by at least 10%.
- Predictive maintenance: FAS can predict when equipment will likely fail, enabling proactive maintenance that prevents downtime and extends asset life.
Empowering property managers with any-time, anywhere control
With FAS in place, you can monitor and manage your building from anywhere, at any time. This flexibility is especially valuable in today’s fast-paced, global business environment, where quick decisions and prompt actions are essential.
Cloud-based automation platforms allow you to access your building’s systems from any device with an internet connection, whether in the office, at home, or on the go. You can monitor your building’s performance, make adjustments, and respond to issues in real-time, even if you’re not on-site.
For example, if a tenant reports a problem with the HVAC system, you can quickly log in to your automation platform, assess the situation, and make the necessary changes remotely. This saves you time and hassle and improves tenant satisfaction by ensuring prompt issue resolution.
Cutting costs and enhancing sustainability with automation
Automation is a powerful tool that can help you reduce expenses and increase efficiency. But it isn’t just about saving money. It’s also about creating a more sustainable future. By reducing energy waste and optimizing resource usage, you can significantly reduce your building’s carbon footprint. After all, over two-thirds of real estate emissions come from operations, so reducing your energy waste helps position your property as a leader in sustainability.
Automation systems integration: Seamlessly uniting building technologies
One of the key challenges in implementing automation is ensuring all of your building’s systems work together seamlessly. This is where automation systems integration comes in.
Integration allows your systems to communicate and share data, enabling more efficient operation and reducing redundancies. For example, by integrating your HVAC and lighting systems, you can optimize heating and cooling based on occupancy levels and natural light availability, reducing energy waste. These integrations leverage IoT monitoring systems to track occupancy levels and the use of HVAC and lighting systems.
Seamless integration also simplifies management and control. Rather than dealing with multiple disparate systems, you can manage your entire building from a single, user-friendly interface. This saves time, reduces the risk of errors, and allows you to make informed decisions based on comprehensive, real-time data.
Open-source and tapping into an ecosystem
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel when it comes to automation. Open-source solutions offer a wealth of possibilities for integrating and extending your building’s automation capabilities. Here are a few ways FAS benefits from open-source technologies:
- Flexibility and customization: Open-source solutions’ adaptability and customization allow you to tailor your automation setup to your needs.
- Cost-effectiveness: Avoiding the high licensing fees associated with proprietary software that locks you into a specific ecosystem keeps your costs down.
- Interoperability: Open, standardized protocols can ensure that your systems can communicate and work together seamlessly, even if they come from different vendors.
- Future-proofing: By embracing open-source and tapping into a broader ecosystem of technologies, you can future-proof your building automation system, ensuring that you can adapt and evolve as new technologies emerge.
- Community support: Open-source solutions benefit from the support and contributions of a global community of developers and users, providing access to a wealth of knowledge, resources, and ongoing innovation.
Get started today with ProptechOS
Are you ready to take your building management to the next level? ProptechOS is designed to make the adoption of FAS straightforward. It unifies your disparate real estate data to provide a seamless, integrated experience that’s tailored to your unique needs. Whether you’re managing a single property or a diverse portfolio, ProptechOS offers the flexibility and scalability you need to succeed.
How it works
You can get started today with ProptechOS, which will help you quickly and easily implement facility automation systems (FAS) in your commercial real estate properties. The user-friendly platform guides you through the entire setup process in just three steps. Here’s what it loks like:
- Create digital twins: The first step is to create digital representations of your buildings and devices within the ProptechOS platform. You can either import existing blueprint files and device tag lists or manually create them using our intuitive user interface.
- Connect digital twins: ProptechOS offers ready-to-use RealEstateCore edge connectors that enable secure, bi-directional communication between your systems and the platform. Simply configure the edge connector and input your credentials to establish a connection and receive real-time data from your buildings.
- Use apps on your digital twins: With your digital twins created and connected, you can now take advantage of ProptechOS’ extensive library of certified apps. Choose from various applications designed to optimize energy and ESG performance, enhance tenant experience, and improve operational efficiency.
Try ProptechOS for free to start building your digital twins today. They can help you visualize your building information, automate building operations, and enhance efficiency.
![Author-Erik-Wallin](https://proptechos.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Author-Erik-Wallin.webp)
Dr. Erik Wallin
Chief Ecosystem Officer, and founder of ProptechOS and RealEstateCore is recognized as a leader in Building Operating Systems (BOS) and making the buildings of the world smarter. He holds an MSc and a Ph.D. in Media and Computer Science from KTH Royal Institute of Technology.
Read his full bio and information here.