Building Automation and Security Software (BASS)

Description
Building Automation and Security Software (BASS) was offered as a energy control solution for home and business. It was also offered as a componente of Serenity's Managed Client Entry software strategy/products.

Would the last person out, please turn off the lights ... ? (and the copier, and so forth)
Has your company ever wasted money because machines were running when no one was around to use them? Do you keep your building at a pleasant room temperature ... when nobody is there? Ever wish you could keep a better "eye" on "things"? Yes? Well, proper building management could save you some money by providing automated resource control and security monitoring.

If your organization is going to have computers working in the office, why not use them to the max! They're smart, they're reliable, and they aren't going home ... so, let's put them to work. By having your computer manage things like lights, climate, appliance control, and security through cameras and motion detectors, you could save some hard dollars off your facility management expenses. This can be especially valuable to smaller organizations.

Return on Investment Available
Calculating the return on investment on energy savings can be a challenge. There could be a specific need to control an environment which would justify the service in a short time. For example, this technology has been implemented in a 12,000 square foot lighting store in Arizona which derived the following benefits:


 * Cost Avoidance: $70,000 of re-wiring expense
 * Thousands of dollars in HVAC cost savings per year.
 * Tens of thousands of dollars in electric utility costs per years.

While a store full of lighting fixtures may be obvious, it is not unique. To help understand the hard dollar opportunity, let's take the example of a 100 watt bulb. Everyone has several of these. Here are some calculations on energy savings:


 * 1) Energy cost: $0.10 per kWHr (kiloWatt-hour) One 100W bulb consumes 0.1kW in one hour, that's $0.01 per hour.
 * 2) If this bulb is turned off 12 hours a day, that's $36.50 a year in savings. That's a home user.
 * 3) If 100 of these bulbs are turned off 12 hours a day, that's $3,650.00 a year in savings. That's a small business.
 * 4) If 1000 of these bulbs are turned off 12 hours a day, that's $36,500.00 a year in savings. That's a large business.

This is not intended to imply that systems should be cost justified on light bulbs. It is intended to demonstrate the impact of a simple light bulb on expenses. It's not as though anyone ever forgets to turn off the lights when they leave, or leaving things running, intending to return ... and not making it back.

How BASS Makes this Possible
Until recently, building automation involved expensive, proprietary interface panels, and perhaps special wiring which required the expense of re-wiring parts of the building. But now many of these tasks can be performed using inexpensive controllers, running on existing wiring, and managed by software running on the PC. A PC you already have.

Building automation, facility management, and security activities can be functions on the same PCs used for word processing and bookkeeping. The ability to combine these tasks onto the business desktop computer can greatly reduce expenditures on capital equipment while providing immediate savings from improved energy consumption due to proper facilities management, or possibly reduced losses from pilferage, and so forth.

And, for a limited time, Managed Client Entry software includes Building Automation and Security Software (BASS) at no additional cost. The first release of this software is intended for use by small businesses and home offices. It combines the ability to add control and convenience to your facilities management, and an added capacity for improved security. However, a distributed BASS implementation for larger facilities is possible.

Your Serenity Systems channel partner can help you implement this building automation with some common applications.


 * Lighting - Perhaps the most common application is the ability control the inside and outside lighting, complete with the ability to vary times to comply with changing daylight hours, or to establish random patterns for security purposes. Bulb burned out? Technology is available to report that has happened. Imagine .. having it page you to let you know a bulb needs to replaced. Actually, in some environments ... that could be important.


 * Climate - Another common building management application is Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC), with two way communication between the computer and the unit. This application can reduce utility costs which can be very important to small organizations.


 * Security - BASS also provides implementations which can improve security, including:
 * motion sensors which can be placed indoors or outdoors, monitoring entranceways or restricted areas, and
 * video cameras which can be implemented alone or with motion detectors, utilizing video sensing programs to determine changes taking place in view of the camera.

Actions or events recorded by these devices can generate alerts or page users, consultants, or a "monitoring" security firm. After receiving an alert or at any time desired, an authorized person can view these camera feeds over the local network, the Internet, or by dialing directly into the server. These devices can be used independently or in conjunction with other commerical security systems. Requirements should be carefully discussed and understood to insure understanding of the capabilities of these systems.


 * Heavy Duty Appliance Control - Supporting up to 30 amps.

Many other functions which can be managed by BASS, even the landscape sprinkler system. Working with the Serenity Systems business partner can assist users in maximizing these capabilities. Customizing the service to meet special needs of any user.

A great many devices can be controlled by BASS today and more devices are announced all the time. Pricing on these technologies continues to drop. And, since BASS is software running on the PC, it can be updated to keep pace with the industry enhancements.

And BASS allows users to access the system from remote locations. Users or companies contracted by users to monitor the facility can access the systems and check logs for activities and events. They can make sure things which were scheduled to happen actually took place, such as a delivery or security rounds being made. Remote capabilities include the ability to change controls or behaviors, as well as monitoring motion sensors or viewing feeds from security sensors.

If it's raining, call the system over the phone and cancel the sprinkler system. If you receive a page indicating that a sensor detected motion, or something moved in front of a camera, you (or your agent) could access the system, look at the camera feed, and determine if you need to get the authorities involved, make a visit yourself, or let the darn cat out.

This access can even be done over the Internet. In fact, an optional feature allow users to change controls by accessing systems over a touch tone phone! And, delivering functionality without equal, BASS supports voice navigation.

Managed Client Entry software now delivers an extremely reliable computing environment, with manageability unmatched in the industry. And in addition to allowing an organization to focus resources on servicing customers instead of computers, Managed Client software extends the savings outside the scope of traditional computing.

Download
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License

 * Commercial. Discontinued Product.

Author

 * Serenity Systems International