FUNCTIONS OF A BMS

There are three (3) main functions of a BMS :

1) Monitoring Functions.
- These functions can be displayed at the Management PC level.
i. Graphics; Schematic of building areas are developed and shows the building or
floor layouts. It is also display various parameters such as temperature, flow,
equipment status, set points, and alarms.
ii. Trend history; For convenient analysis, software is used to process and trend
historical and real-time data .
iii. Logging; To record activity performed in the BMS such as alarms, faults, and
activity conducted by the operator or building manager like turning fans off. It
will recorded as a line of text, in time, and date order.
iv. Alarm handling; To detect fault or data value are outside the limit such as
temperature too high or too low, humidity too high or too low, etc. Alarms are
displayed automatically on the management PC station, printed by printer, and
stored in the BMS memory. The parameters for each alarms are alarmn name,
priority, interval between alarm repeats, instruction of what to do, type of
problem, when and where problem was occured.
v. Access; To keep BMS up-to-date such as BMS diagnostic (status of BMS
equipment and BMS programming) and online programming. This access for
the data is protected from unauthorized users by passwords.
vi. Remote operation; To manage a number of building at the same time by using
one or more BMS systems and modems to transfer the data.
2) Control Functions.
- These functions can be completed either manually through the Management PC level
or automatically within the BMS system.
i. Process control; The peripheral level consists of microprocessor based devices
such as programmable controllers with plug-in modules, peripheral sensors,
and compact controllers. Examples of process control in a building include
control of chilled water temperature in a cooling coils to match required cooling
load in space, turning lights off in areas not in use, etc.
ii. Data Analysis; The BMS gathers and stores data from plant equipment,
operations, schedules, and occupancy patterns which available to the operator
or building manager for analysis purpose. To optimize controls of plant
equipment, improve efficiency, minimise cost. Data from other building services
such as security, fire systems, lights, general power, lifts, air conditioning plant,
and chillers can be obtained for automative programs.

3) Reporting Function.
- Information can be presented in a report format using tables, graphs and trends. This
information can include plant data, operating cost etc. There are four types of regular
reports can be produced :
i. Daily report; This report shows a building operational data such as alarm
condition and equipments faults conditions.
ii. Weekly report; This report usually tells if any short term actions are required.
It can show data such as data classified by energy source (electricity and oil),
by usage (lighting, cooling, heating, lifts, etc.), number of target values
exceeded, and the energy consumption figures and how much they change
from the target values, etc.
iii. Monthly report; It can show data in table and graph form including absolute
energy consumption and costs and if budget figures have been exceeded.
iv. Yearly report; It can show data in table and graph form including key energy
indices (kWh electricity per m2 of floor area per year, etc), building energy
consumption and costs, changes in consumption compared with previous
years, and operating hours of building plant and equipment.