System integration has enabled central and direct control of most solutions within a location. More than 30 years ago this concept was just a crazy idea of those who created fiction films and series; today it is a reality that gradually develops thanks to technological advances. There are systems that control the interior temperature of the environment and water, lighting, access, elevators and security, which allow a more agile and safe response to incidents that occur in buildings. The union of the solutions allows the operation of the equipment to be improved, since each equipment brings new characteristics to the other systems. For example, the integration of security systems makes it possible to provide greater protection to the place where they are installed and therefore to the people who inhabit and visit it.
This integration leads to automation where independent control and regulation units are interrelated to operate under the same platform, establish a logical interconnection between different systems such as heating / air conditioning / cooling / ventilation of premises, sanitary equipment, electrotechnical systems, safety and vertical transport.
An important factor within automation is that software applications must allow perfect integration within the specialization segment for which they were created, therefore it is advisable to have special systems for each segment that can send and receive data from the other systems in a bidirectional way, flexible, safeguarding the integrity of the data, but not interfering in the management of the related segments.
However, the lack of open architectures hinders interconnectivity between systems from different manufacturers, so that HVAC, energy, lighting, and security solutions would not work as expected, and becomes a restricted and limited integration.
Additionally, this type of architecture harms the users of the system, since they invest in equipment that is not integrable with another subsystem, and any expansion is impossible or entails high costs.
In the world of security, integration is increasingly presented, as solutions that previously worked independently now converge with others and perform teamwork, benefiting users; however, when these solutions are combined with other building technologies through centralized control, results that were not previously presented can be obtained, such as the early detection and extinction of a fire outbreak, without much fuss and without causing major damage.
The ideal to carry out this union would be to manage two integrable platforms, capable of fulfilling their tasks independently and integrating by software the data that each system can generate actions in the other, in such a way that it improves management. It is also important that by joining the systems the capabilities of the equipment can be exploited to the maximum, because if not, the potential of each element would be degraded.
The integration of security with the HVAC, lighting, energy and transport systems of a building, makes it possible to maintain a balance between energy savings, safety and comfort, obtaining great benefits in the energy part, up to 24% compared to a traditional installation.
In some moments of the union there have been inconveniences due to the different brands that are used, however the ideal is that all the solutions speak a universal language, or failing that a software is developed that is responsible for translating the signals.
It should be noted that there are also some communication problems that arise when integrating security with other building technologies, which start from the way in which the integration and maintenance that is given to it is carried out, as well as the updating of the products.
Today the integration and automation of buildings are being implemented in new constructions, both business and residential. Banks, hospitals, corporate buildings, department stores, airports, oil and gas companies, telecommunications and energy are the industries that most opt for this trend, however in Latin America the lack of resources and high costs do not benefit those who want to make an integration.
