As exciting as implementing energy conservation measures can be, their overall effectiveness can sometimes be limited by human error. Something as simple as forgetting to turn the lights off can result in a lighting conservation program that fails to see 100% efficiency. There is never the expectation that a program will see complete success when human input is involved, but what happens when the university is able to take human error out of the equation?

The university’s Building Automation System has been a part of facilities operations for a long time, though its effectiveness drives its continual expansion and development. This system weaves its way through all aspects of the university’s infrastructure to ensure that energy conservation continuously occurs at ideal levels. From managing thermostat set points that prevent wasteful heating or cooling to scheduling building fans in order to only operate during occupancy hours, the Building Automation System takes the guesswork out of timing and managing the utilities infrastructure around campus.

As the university grows, building automation is something that can be integrated into buildings both new and old to easily maintain energy efficiency without human input. When Place Riel was chosen for its recent renovations and additions, it was seen as an opportunity to implement additional building automation measures to cut down on energy waste and the Place Riel Student Health Centre was outfitted with a series of occupancy sensors to ensure that energy would not be wasted on lighting empty rooms. The development of the Health Science E-Wing included specifications for similar occupancy sensors in offices and hallways to tackle energy inefficiency issues from the very beginning.

Sensor input on lighting or washroom systems is an easy and effective way to eliminate the inefficiencies associated with day-to-day tasks that can be easily forgotten about. In addition to the aforementioned occupancy sensors, daylight sensors are a common addition to naturally lit areas of campus. All exterior lighting at the university is equipped with daylight sensors to automatically adjust for changes in seasonal lighting, and naturally lit atriums such as those found in Law and Health Science E-Wing are fitted with daylight sensors to only activate electrical lighting when daylight is insufficient. Sensors can be used to increase water conservation on campus as well; several washrooms around campus utilize sensor systems on urinals to minimize the amount of flushing necessary to maintain a clean washroom.

Be it managing the lights that are mistakenly left on or not wasting energy cooling an empty room, building automation on campus allows us to remove the element of human error in energy conservation on campus. As an adaptable area of facilities management, automation continues to be an effective solution to this issue now and into the university’s future.