FAQ
Building Automation FAQ
Answers to common questions about building automation systems, BAS, BMS, IBMS, Loxone, protocols, pricing, delivery and after-sales support.
How to use this page
This page collects the questions that come up in almost every building automation project: how to choose a system, how protocols connect, what drives price, how delivery and commissioning are arranged, and who supports the building after handover. Answers are kept short, with the detailed explanation on the relevant page. If your question depends on a specific building, existing equipment or a tender clause, send the drawings, point schedule or system list. We will answer in engineering terms rather than sales language, and we will say when a question needs a survey before it can be answered. Each answer states the principle; the linked page carries the detail, the exceptions and the engineering caveats that matter in a real project. If a question has no short answer, it is usually a scope question rather than a product question.
- Short answers with a pointer to the detailed page
- Send drawings, point schedules or system lists for a specific case
- Questions that need a survey are identified as such
Choosing between BAS, BMS and IBMS
The three terms are often used interchangeably. BAS is closest to the device layer: monitoring and control of mechanical and electrical equipment. BMS emphasises central management and operation across several systems. IBMS adds a cross-system integration layer and a common data model above that. The starting point should be the building, the operating team and the systems already installed, not the acronym. A single building can start with BAS and extend toward BMS; a portfolio or a site with many subsystems is where an IBMS layer earns its place. Write down who uses the system and what they need to see first. Then decide which decisions the platform is allowed to make, which systems it may command, and which must remain independent. That last list is usually the most useful part of the specification, because it prevents an integration platform from quietly acquiring authority it was never designed to hold. A written definition also gives the commercial documents a reference point when the scope is debated later.
- BAS: device-level monitoring and control
- BMS: central management across major systems
- IBMS: cross-system integration and a common data model
- Start from the operating team, not the acronym
Loxone and open protocols
On this site, Loxone is presented as a local-first automation platform. The Miniserver runs local logic; Tree, Air and 1-Wire connect field devices; KNX, BACnet, Modbus and DALI connect third-party systems through native interfaces or gateways. It is not the only option, and a project does not need one brand everywhere. The practical questions are which controller owns which sequence, what still works when the network is down, and who can change the system later. Protocols are tools. The responsibility boundary is the design object. A specification that names protocols but not owners is incomplete, and a specification that names products but not sequences is only a shopping list. Both should be read together, with the point schedule, before a supplier is asked to price the work. The same interface may be native on one controller and gateway-based on another, and the two are not equivalent.
- Local control on the Miniserver
- Tree, Air and 1-Wire for field devices
- KNX, BACnet, Modbus and DALI for third-party systems
- One brand everywhere is not a requirement
Pricing, lead time and commissioning
Price is driven by the point count, controllers and extensions, gateways, panel build, programming, commissioning, site services and documentation, not by floor area alone. More points, more protocols and deeper interlocks all increase engineering effort. Lead time depends on selection, panel scheduling and project location. Commissioning depends on field devices being ready, the network being live and third parties cooperating. A quotation should be based on a point schedule and a scope statement; without those, any number is a placeholder. The pricing page explains the method rather than publishing a rate that would not survive a real project. If a budget range is needed early, it should be presented as an assumption with its exclusions listed, then replaced by a priced scope once the point schedule exists. A price built on a point schedule can be revised when the schedule changes; a price built on a floor area cannot.
- Point count, protocols and interlocks drive engineering effort
- Panel build, programming and site services are separate cost lines
- Lead time depends on selection, scheduling and location
- A point schedule is required before a meaningful price
Operation, support and retrofit
Handover is not the end of the project. The system needs backups, version control, alarm review and periodic inspection. Changes should be recorded, not made on site and forgotten. Support scope belongs in the contract: response route, spares, remote support, site visits and training. Retrofit projects need an extra step: which equipment can stay, which protocols can be read, and which circuits must be replaced. Survey before promising a programme; promising first and surveying later is how retrofit projects lose time. The same discipline applies to existing buildings that are still operating while the work is carried out. A useful test is to ask what happens on the first Monday after the integrator leaves: if the answer depends on a phone call to one person, the support model is not finished. Support should cover the configuration record, not only the hardware.
- Backups, version control and alarm review after handover
- Support scope, response route and spares stated in the contract
- Retrofit starts with an equipment and protocol survey
- Changes are recorded, not left as site folklore
Preparing a brief: what to send
A useful first enquiry is shorter than most people expect, but it needs the right pieces. Send the building type, the number of floors and the services in scope, with a short description of how the building will be operated. Drawings and a system list help, even if they are not final. If a point schedule or a tender specification exists, send it; if not, a room and plant list is enough to start. Say which protocols the existing equipment uses, which systems must talk to each other, and which must remain independent. Mention the programme, the site constraints and who will operate the system after handover. Finally, state whether you need a budget indication, a technical review or a full proposal, because those are different exercises and mixing them produces a document that answers none of them well.
- Building type, floors, systems and operating model
- Existing protocols and systems that must stay independent
- Programme, site constraints and future operator
- Say whether you need a budget view, a review or a proposal
What this site does not cover
The scope here is building automation: BAS, BMS, IBMS, HVAC control, lighting, energy, integration and the panels that support them. It does not cover battery management systems, business management software, consumer smart home kits, door locks, barriers, hotel PMS or hotel robots. Those exclusions are deliberate, because a supplier who claims every adjacent category usually does none of them properly. Where a project needs one of those systems, the useful contribution is a clear interface specification and a named responsibility boundary, not an attempt to supply everything. The same applies to prices: this site explains how building automation is priced and what makes quotes comparable, but it does not publish amounts that would be wrong in another market, currency or scope. That restraint is part of the offer, not a gap in it.
- Scope limited to building automation and its panels
- Adjacent systems handled through interface specifications
- No published prices, savings or third-party endorsements
- Responsibility boundaries stated rather than implied
Question categories and what to prepare
14 rows| Category | Typical questions | What to have ready | Where to go next |
|---|---|---|---|
| System basics | BAS, BMS, IBMS and how they differ | Building type and system list | Building automation system, BMS and IBMS pages |
| Scope and responsibility | Who owns each sequence and which systems stay independent | Single-line diagram and interface list | System integration page |
| Loxone | Miniserver, Config, Tree, Air and the app | Controller and I/O requirements | Loxone system overview |
| Protocols | KNX, BACnet, Modbus, DALI and gateways | Existing device list with protocols | System integration and protocol pages |
| HVAC control | Plant sequences, setpoints and zoning | Plant schedule and control philosophy | HVAC control page |
| Lighting and DALI | Scenes, sensors, emergency lighting | Luminaire schedule and address plan | Lighting control page |
| Energy and metering | Metering, baselines and tariff logic | Meter list and utility bills | Energy management page |
| Fire and life safety | Monitoring boundary and cause-and-effect | Fire strategy and panel details | Fire alarm integration page |
| Parking and access | Counts, barriers and cross-system links | Parking system interface documentation | Parking management page |
| Pricing and budgets | Point counts, scope matrix and cost drivers | Point schedule or room list | Building automation price page |
| Delivery and programme | FAT, SAT, site readiness and lead time | Programme and site constraints | Factory and commissioning pages |
| Documentation and handover | Drawings, backups, training and records | Required document list | Factory page and installation page |
| After-sales and spares | Response, spares, remote support and changes | Service expectations and site access rules | Contact and support |
| Retrofit and multi-site | Existing equipment, phasing and standardisation | Survey findings and site list | Retrofit and multi-site guides |
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Frequently asked
01What is a building automation system, in one sentence?
A building automation system uses controllers, sensors and actuators to manage HVAC, lighting, water and other building services through schedules, interlocks and control logic, while presenting status and alarms to operators. The control logic normally runs locally, so the building keeps working when the network or the supervisory layer is unavailable.
02What is the difference between BAS and BMS?
BAS is closer to device-level monitoring and control; BMS emphasises central management and reporting across several systems. In practice the boundary overlaps, so the important step is to define who owns control and who owns the data. Ask what happens to the plant when the BMS server is switched off; the answer usually reveals whether the design has confused supervision with control.
03What is the difference between BMS and IBMS?
BMS manages the main building services. IBMS adds a cross-system integration layer and a common data model, and usually brings in security, fire, parking, guest-room and other subsystems. The value of an IBMS appears in cross-system behaviour and portfolio reporting; without a clear operating model, it becomes an expensive dashboard.
04What does Loxone provide in a project?
Local controllers, I/O and field bus devices, a configuration environment and an operator interface. It carries local logic and device connectivity, while open protocols connect third-party systems. In a project, the controller model, extension count and interfaces should be selected from the point schedule, not repeated from a previous job.
05Can Loxone integrate with KNX, BACnet and Modbus?
Yes, through native interfaces or gateways. The exact scope depends on protocol version, point types and gateway capability, so an interface list should be agreed before integration starts. Native support and gateway support are different commitments; the specification should say which one is required for each system, and who configures and maintains the gateway.
06What is a Loxone Miniserver?
It is the local controller of a Loxone system. It runs schedules, interlocks and control sequences, manages extension modules and field devices, and keeps local logic running when the network is unavailable. Capacity, interface count and backup arrangements should be planned before the panel is built, because those choices decide what can be added later.
07How is a building automation project priced?
From the point count, controllers and extensions, gateways, panel build, programming, commissioning, site services and documentation. Floor area can help with an early estimate, but it cannot replace a point schedule. A comparable quote lists inclusions, exclusions, spare capacity and the assumed commissioning scope, so that two offers can be compared line by line rather than by total.
08How many I/O points will my building need?
It depends on the subsystems, equipment types and control depth. Count digital, analogue and bus devices room by room and system by system, then add a sensible margin for future changes. Software points, alarms and spares should be counted under stated rules, because a headline number without counting rules cannot be compared or priced.
09How long does a project take from order to handover?
It depends on selection, panel scheduling, equipment lead time and site conditions. Design approval, factory testing and site commissioning are separate stages and should be scheduled separately, not compressed into a single promise. A programme that shows the dependencies is more useful than a duration, because most delays come from a prerequisite that was not ready.
10Can the system keep running without an internet connection?
Yes. Local controllers retain control logic, schedules and interlocks. The network mainly affects central monitoring, remote access and cross-site reporting. The design should state exactly what remains available offline, and commissioning should include a test of that state, because an assumption about offline behaviour is not the same as a verified one.
11Do you supply hardware as well as engineering?
We can provide panels, controllers and field devices as part of a project, or work with hardware procured by the client or main contractor. The split is agreed in the scope and reflected in the interface responsibilities. Whichever route is chosen, the party that supplies a device should also own its warranty and its configuration record.
12Do you integrate existing equipment or only new installations?
Both. Equipment that can be read, reports reliable status and has available spares is usually retained. Replacement is considered where the protocol is closed, the failure rate is high or the control requirement cannot be met. The survey should record firmware versions and known defects, because an old controller that communicates today may not after its next service visit.
13What after-sales support is available?
Warranty fault handling, remote support, spares, site visits and change work under an agreed scope. Response route, hours and duration are set in the contract rather than left implicit. The handover pack should include backups, credentials and a restore procedure, so that a first-line fix does not depend on reaching the original engineer during a holiday.
Next step
Bring us the building.
Tell us the building type, systems in scope and the outcome you need. We will map the shortest path to a working system.