Engaging an Automation Expert

Benefits of working with an open master system integrator

By Adam Tiber and Chris Kulbago
The J.L. Taylor Company Inc. / RoviSys Building Technologies

With each passing year, facility managers and owners may feel it increasingly difficult to stay on top of the latest available technological advancements for their properties.  This is particularly true in the electrical and controls industries.  Look around your facility.  Everything has the potential for technological growth.  From your HVAC systems to boilers and chillers to lighting and security systems and more, there is no telling where the next innovations will take you and your facility.

The world is ever-changing, and the rate of technological advancement is only growing. Yet, a focused effort to optimize your facility can reap tangible rewards. Consider the building automation systems found in many modern facilities today. Typically, the abundant benefits of such systems are but some facility owners and managers may have reservations about adopting newer technologies. Enter MSIs. Open Master Systems Integrators (MSIs) are providers of solutions. They help building owners to identify technology solutions that make sense, make sure the selected systems are developed and deployed correctly and periodically monitor systems to ensure they are performing well and communicating properly MSIs have specific technical expertise in controls and monitoring solutions, as well as equipment fault detection and energy analytics. An MSI’s allegiance should live with the end customer in giving them the systems that best fit their application and budget constraint.

An MSI should always keep an eye towards being as energy efficient as possible. A well-established provider should offer years of control systems design experience to deliver custom, open systems for customers in a variety of fields, such as the industrial, federal, mission-critical or commercial building markets.  The “open” part of system integration means providing an open protocol and open integrated system for end users. An MSI with a diverse vendor supplier network will let the application dictate the hardware and software that comprise a solution not the other way around. MSIs will provide total turnkey control systems for end users from kickoff, through commissioning, to project close out. Automation and control system integration services are core to any systems integrator business while meeting project deadlines and budgets, and delivering superior value.

Making efficient use of energy is critical to your bottom line.  Open Master Systems Integrators work with property managers, building owners and technical staff to interpret and display collected data into actionable intelligence, allowing you to identify cost-saving opportunities and mechanical system inefficiencies while reducing operating costs and prioritizing repairs and updates.  The knowledge of how various control systems should be deployed helps owners/operators maximize energy savings and improve productivity.  Whether you have a single building or are a multi-site organization, partnering with an Open Master Systems Integrator provides proven solutions that create a comfortable, efficient environment in your facility, In a very specific field, MSIs recognize that companies investing in technology deserve the freedom to choose the best solutions available in the market. They also seek to develop mutually beneficial relationships with vendors and clients, and deliver the technology clients deserve – designed and deployed the right way.