BASEC explores the concept of the automated smart building and explains more about the complex Building Automation Systems (BAS) being developed

CABLE DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS FOR THE DIGITAL BUILDING

BASEC explores the concept of the automated smart building and explains more about the complex Building Automation Systems (BAS) being developed.

The migration towards an automated future has created many opportunities for most industries, such as easy remote working and stock control. However, this comes with added increase in the demand for data and a reliable infrastructure. Regulatory bodies are constantly identifying the need for this and, in turn, developing the standards to align with this growth.

Automated devices are being adopted in nearly all industries, for example, smart machinery in factories or smart sorting equipment in warehouses such as Amazon - all with the capability to operate remotely. Cabling infrastructures are being exposed to many different environments, highlighting the importance of both mechanical, ingress, chemical and electrical mechanical, ingress, chemical, electromagnetic (MICE) testing and fire performance testing to simulate environmental surroundings and ensure systems can still perform to the regulatory standard.

The Internet of Things (IoT) is already having an impact upon the BAS market with solutions providers increasingly developing Internet Protocol (IP) enabled devices, running over Ethernet, to replace the traditional equipment and fieldbus cabling.

The push to realise the digital building concept and the potential benefits revolve around user comfort and simplifying processes. Smart technologies help to automate many building functions that humans normally perform. Many devices handle the operations themselves, using sensors and artificial intelligence autonomy to make decisions on their own. Nearly every building function can benefit from this, for example security and surveillance systems can lock and unlock doors, energy management systems can turn lights on or off, and raise or lower building temperatures. Some of these innovations are already in use today, and can result in lower staff and payroll numbers, reduce human error, and most importantly, reduce carbon dioxide emissions. The various automation systems that form the BAS systems are at the core of the digital building concept and are what allow this innovation to prosper.

Automated devices are being adopted in nearly all industries

BAS systems have created more flexibility and opportunity for many businesses

Standards development

Regulatory bodies, such as the IEEE, have identified the need to optimise, develop communication platforms and enhance existing standards to support the migration to BAS systems. At the cabling level ISO/IEC have implemented changes to the following standards in a bid to tackle the challenges within the BAS environment:

ISO/IEC 11801-1: the standard for information technology, generic cabling for customer premises, covering link and channel applications. It also specifies a new series of single pair components to support the delivery of the single pair application.

ISO/IEC 11801-6: recommends a minimum Category 6 A cable within the service distribution segment for both existing and emerging applications. In doing so it aims to provide the longest cable lifecycle potential and ensures structures can support ongoing Wi-Fi data rates, which are also set to increase within BAS systems as automated device usage grows.

IEC 61156: supports new channel infrastructure and within it four new standards have been introduced. It includes both horizontal and work area cable ranging from 20MHz to 600MHz. The standard mainly accommodates single pair ethernet (SPE).

Third party testing and certification

BAS systems have created more flexibility and opportunity for many businesses. Especially in current COVID times where concepts like remote working are a necessity, automated systems need to be reliable and dependable.

Many BAS systems cables will be attached to sensors, actuators, small motors or could run close to power lines, therefore careful consideration should be made regarding the MICE capabilities of the cables being used. Neighbouring machinery may cause vibration or electrical noise interference which could also affect the performance of the cable.

Using approved cable within automated building or BAS systems helps to give building service engineers and owners confidence, as well as assurance, that the products used have been rigorously tested by an independent body.