Building Automation & BMS Integration
Control · the processor.
We write the control strategy, specify the building management system, and make BACnet, KNX and Modbus devices behave as one system rather than three that happen to share a building.
A building management system is usually procured as a product and delivered as a wiring exercise. The part that determines whether the building is efficient — the sequence of operation — is often left to whoever commissions the panel, and is rarely written down in a form anyone can audit.
We treat the control strategy as a design deliverable in its own right: written before tender, specified in vendor-neutral terms, and testable at handover. That is what makes a BMS an asset instead of an ongoing complaint.
What we do
BMS strategy and architecture
What is controlled where, which layer owns which decision, and how the system degrades when part of it fails.
Sequences of operation
Written, reviewable control sequences — setpoints, resets, interlocks, staging and mode changes — specified so they survive handover.
BACnet, KNX and Modbus integration
Protocol selection and gateway design, so room-level and plant-level systems exchange the right data instead of the data that happened to be available.
HVAC, lighting and shading control
Coordinated control across domains, including daylight, glare and solar gain, rather than four subsystems fighting one another.
Vendor-neutral tender specification
Points lists, integration requirements and acceptance criteria written so more than one integrator can bid — and so you can change integrator later.
Commissioning support
Witnessing that the sequences actually do what the specification says, function by function.
How we work
- 01
Control philosophy
What the building should do, in plain language, before any product is named.
- 02
Points and architecture
Points list, network topology, protocol boundaries and the gateway strategy between them.
- 03
Sequences of operation
Function-by-function sequences with setpoints, resets and interlocks written out in full.
- 04
Tender and award
Vendor-neutral specification, tender review, and technical comparison of integrator proposals.
- 05
Witness and accept
Functional testing against the written sequences, with a defect list that closes.
- Control philosophy document
- Points list and network architecture
- Written sequences of operation
- Protocol and gateway specification
- Vendor-neutral BMS tender specification
- Functional test scripts and witness records
Should we use BACnet, KNX or Modbus?
Usually more than one. KNX suits room-level lighting, shading and terminal control; BACnet suits plant and supervisory levels; Modbus is how most meters, drives and chillers will talk to you regardless. The design decision is where the boundaries sit and who owns the gateway — not picking a single winner.
We already have a BMS that underperforms. Can that be fixed without replacing it?
Very often, yes. In our experience most underperformance is in the sequences and setpoints rather than the hardware. A controls audit against a written specification usually finds a substantial share of the gap before any capital spend.
Do you work with a particular BMS manufacturer?
No. We specify in open, vendor-neutral terms so the tender stays competitive and you are not locked into one integrator for the life of the building.
Let’s discuss your project.
Tell us about the building and the systems involved. We reply to every serious enquiry.