Smart building tech makes facility manager's life simpler

BANGALORE, INDIA: Honeywell today announced Command and Control Suite- the next generation of smart building technology which turns complex facility data into recommendations and easy-to-implement changes.

It can provide a holistic view of a connected building’s video feeds, access control and fire alarms, for example, and pull in relevant information from human resource applications. Integrating data from these disparate systems could help security personnel track occupants and make sure they exit the facility in the event of an evacuation, improving employee safety.

“The building data currently collected in modern facilities presents a vast opportunity to reduce operations and maintenance costs,” said Benjamin Freas, senior research analyst, Navigant Research. “However, difficulties in integrating data from separate building automation systems have encumbered realizing this potential. The usability of facility technologies has been a persistent challenge as well. To date, success in system performance has largely been dependent on the skill and experience of operators.”

Guided by experts in the Honeywell Design Studio, all components of the Command and Control Suite were built with the intuitive, consumer-friendly simplicity of tablets and smartphones, making the technology accessible to both a facility manager and chief operating officer. A refined user experience helps reduce operator training and related expenses as well.

The Command Wall presents data from multiple systems across a facility, such as utility meters and temperature sensors, while providing context for more informed decision making. Using progressive disclosure, users can access an enterprise-wide view and also easily zoom into specific areas to quickly understand and react to issues and opportunities as they arise.

A supplement to the Command Wall is Incident Workflow, which guides users step by step through scripted responses to security incidents and other emergencies, helping further reduce risk and improving accuracy in mitigating issues. In addition, Enterprise Dashboards extend the suite’s real-time visualization by presenting detailed energy data and actionable guidance to help control consumption and boost efficiency.

Command and Control Suite technologies integrate with Honeywell’s building management platform, Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI), which gives users a single point of access and consistent view to information and resources that enhance the ability to monitor, manage and protect a facility, campus or multi-site operation.