The Growing Impact of Building Automation Systems on the Market: Exploring Common Cable Types for BAS

The Growing Impact of Building Automation Systems

With the growth of commercial real estate and the need for quick and convenient automation, building automation systems (BAS) have seen a dramatic increase, all but revolutionizing the way we manage and operate commercial and residential spaces. Not only do these systems provide enhanced efficiency and energy savings, but also improve comfort and increase safety measurements.

According to a report by MarketsandMarkets, the building automation systems market is poised for substantial growth in the coming years, inevitably leading to bigger and better improvements for building management, safety, and energy consumption.

Looking for more information on BAS systems for your next job or project? Fortunately, the experts at Mars Electric have created this blog post in order to take a deep-dive into the impact of building automation systems, the common cables types used for installations, and where you can find the best electric products all in one convenient place.

How Building Automation Systems are Changing the Market

In an effort to better understand BAS and the effect they’re having on today’s commercial and residential real estate market, let’s take a look at four of the key reasons why we recommend implementing BAS for your building.

Rising Demand for Energy Efficiency

Energy conservation and sustainability continue to be a top priority across many industries, but especially for the building automation system market. Across the board, industries are looking to reduce energy waste and costs for building operators and owners.

BAS offer comprehensive solution to energy consumption through the integration of various components like HVAC, lighting, and security systems. With BAS you can enable real-time monitoring and efficient management of energy usage, helping to accomplish energy efficient buildings and deliver continuous return on investments.

Government Initiatives and Regulations

As well as with energy reduction and improved sustainability, BAS controls also work directly with government initiatives and regulations that actively promote the reduction of carbon emissions in buildings and facilities.

By implementing functions such as process automation, stricter energy control, and the demand for data-driven insights, building automation systems can help play a crucial role in meeting these requirements, contributing to a more sustainable future.

Enhanced Occupant Comfort and Safety

If you’re looking to enhance the comfort and safety of your building’s occupants, implementing a building automation system is the perfect solution.

As these systems offer features like automated lighting, temperature control, and access management. Individuals and teams can focus less on the day-to-day control changes and more on productivity.

Integration of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

The integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) for building automation systems can help open up endless possibilities for building operators, management, and occupants, including improved reliability, reduced operational costs, and more efficient systems.

This process is done through data analyzation and algorithm learning. AI algorithms analyze data from various sources in order to predict patterns and optimize system performance, while ML algorithms learn from historical data to help improve system efficiency and performance over time.

Top 3 Common Cable Types for BAS

In order to achieve the best results with a building automation system implementation, you’ll need to first choose the right cable types. For convenience, we’ve put together a list of the three most common cable types for BAS, however, we always recommend speaking to a wire service expert in order to better understand your cable options and how they can work for your project.

1. Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) cables are commonly used in BAS installations as they’re affordable, versatile, and installation-friendly. UTP cables are commonly used for low-voltage data transmission, making them suitable for various BAS protocols such as Ethernet, Modbus, or BACnet.

In order to help reduce electromagnetic interference, you’ll notice that the cable consist of multiple pairs of twisted copper wires and are available in different categories, offering different levels of performance and data transmission capabilities.

A few of the common UTP cable categories, include:

• Cat5e
• Cat6
• Cat6a

2. Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable

Another common type of cable is a Shielded Twisted Pair (STP), which are great for providing enhanced protection against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency interference (RFI).

STP cables feature an additional shielded layer around each pair of twisted wires, which help to improve signal integrity and performance in environments with higher levels of electrical noise. This also makes them great for BAS installations in industrial or commercial buildings where EMI or RFI is a concern.

3. Coaxial Cable

Finally, we have coaxial cables, which are another favorite for BAS applications – specifically ones that involve video surveillance and CCTV systems integrated into the overall control system. Coaxial cables consist of four layers: a central conductor, an insulating layer, a metallic shield, and an outer insulating layer.

Coaxial cables are commonly used for connecting cameras, monitors, and video recorders. They provide excellent transmission quality and resistance to interference, which makes them ideal for transmitting analog or digital video signals over longer distances.

How to Choose the Right Cable for BAS Installation

When selecting the appropriate cable for a BAS installation, you’ll need to keep in mind a few determining factors, including data transmission requirements, installation environment, distance, future scalability needs, and budget.

For assistance choosing the right cable for your BAS installation project, head on over to your nearest Mars Electric location and speak to a wiring expert today. Professional expertise is the best way to ensure that you’re choosing the optimal cable type that meets the necessary standards, provides reliable performance, and aligns with the specific needs of the BAS installation.

Shop Cables and Building Automation System Supplies at Mars Electric

Building automation systems are only going to continue to grow and expand in the market, which means having the right tools, products, and professional guidance is a must.

At Mars Electric, we’re here to help you with your unique project or job and deliver you expert solutions. We stock high-quality, reliable products that you can depend on. After all, we’ve been doing it for over 60+ years! For more information on building automation systems cables or to speak to a Mars Electric expert, please contact us today!