The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has launched a new BEMS Delivery Framework to tackle inconsistent specifications and create a clearer, more consistent approach to delivering Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS)
Christopher Kelly CEng Beng MCIBSE authored the framework, which the BCIA’s Technical Working Group developed and maintains. It establishes a common language for defining the level of building controls functionality a project requires.
It addresses a longstanding industry challenge: specifications can leave BEMS requirements open to interpretation, resulting in contractors pricing different levels of functionality, making it difficult to compare tenders on a like-for-like basis, and creating uncertainty about whether the completed system will meet the client’s operational expectations.
Ron Purcell, vice president of the BCIA, said: “Building controls have evolved significantly, but the way we specify them has not always kept pace. Terms such as ‘integrated’ or ‘intelligent’ can mean different things to different people, creating uncertainty from tender stage right through to commissioning.
“The BEMS Delivery Framework removes that ambiguity. It gives the industry a common language for defining what a building actually needs its controls to achieve, so everyone involved can work towards the same outcome from the outset.”
The BEMS Delivery Framework provides more clarity for the industry
Rather than prescribing particular products, manufacturers or technologies, the framework introduces six clearly defined Delivery Levels, from L0 to L5. These range from basic controls capability through to highly integrated intelligent building functionality, allowing project teams to define the level most appropriate to a building’s operational requirements.
By establishing the required capability before selecting products and technologies, the framework gives clients, consultants, electrical contractors, controls specialists, system integrators and manufacturers a shared understanding of what the completed system is expected to achieve.
The framework is deliberately manufacturer-agnostic. Instead of assuming that selecting a particular technology will deliver a particular level of performance, it encourages project teams to establish the required capability first and then determine the most appropriate technical solution.
This clearer definition can support better decision-making throughout the project lifecycle, reducing ambiguity in specifications, improving the consistency and quality of tender submissions, and enabling fairer comparison between contractor proposals.
Providing a stronger framework for the operation and maintenance of buildings
It can also improve collaboration between consultants, controls specialists and electrical contractors, support more effective commissioning and system integration, align delivered functionality with client expectations and provide a stronger foundation for ongoing operation, maintenance and future upgrades.
Christopher Kelly CEng BEng MCIBSE, lead author of the BEMS Delivery Framework, explained: “One of the key objectives was to create something that could be understood and used across the industry. Consultants, controls specialists, electrical contractors, manufacturers, and clients may approach a project from different perspectives, but ultimately they all need to work towards the same outcome.
“The Delivery Levels provide that common reference point. This isn’t about saying every building needs the most advanced solution. It’s about defining the right level of functionality for each project and making that requirement clear throughout specification, procurement and delivery.”
Built environment technology needs clearly defined objectives
The launch comes as the role of BEMS continues to expand within increasingly connected and data-driven buildings. Building controls now support wider objectives including energy optimisation, system integration, occupant comfort, operational decision-making and long-term building performance.
As the built environment places greater emphasis on measured operational performance, BCIA believes clearer specification and high-quality engineering must increasingly go hand in hand, ensuring sophisticated technology is supported by a clear definition of what it is expected to deliver.
Ron Purcell concluded: “Good building performance starts with being clear about what you want the building to achieve. Technology is an incredibly powerful enabler, but it needs clearly defined objectives.
“We believe the BEMS Delivery Framework can help raise consistency across the industry, strengthen collaboration and ultimately give clients greater confidence that the system they procure will deliver the functionality their building actually needs.”
The BCIA BEMS Delivery Framework is available to the entire industry and can be downloaded from the BCIA website here.
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