According to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in the United States, over 60% of commercial buildings leverage Building Automation Systems (BAS), and while the data on BAS adoption for commercial buildings within Canada is not definitive, the adoption of building automation is most certainly increasing for new Canadian commercial and residential building projects. This has increased the demand for building automation technician positions, seen as critical to ensuring optimal efficiency of BAS-integrated systems.

For those interested in a career as an automation technician, the future couldn’t be brighter. Let’s review how automation is reshaping the construction industry by spearheading the adoption of BAS systems, and why an automation technician is perfectly positioned to capitalize.

Understanding Building Automation

So, what is building automation (BAS) anyway? Think about all the individual systems and electronics used in a commercial building. There are heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, numerous electrical systems, water systems, lighting systems, security and alarm systems, Wi-Fi networks, phone systems, fire and safety systems, and, of course, elevator and escalator systems.

Now think of the costs for building owners and building managers to manage all these systems separately. Think of the time and money required for service management. Separate technicians and separate third-party service contractors, each managing a separate building system, is incredibly costly, leads to extensive delays, endless user problems, and ultimately, less happy tenants.

Building automation is simply the amalgamation of all these systems into a single BACnet-certified system. BACnet is an acronym for Building Automation and Control Network. It is the driving communication protocol for North American building automation systems, and these BACnet-certified systems require automation technicians.

Instead of having to schedule multiple on-site service calls with seemingly endless service contractors, a building automation technician can instead resolve all these problems on their own at a fraction of the cost and time.

Increased Demand for Automation Technicians for BAS-Integrated Systems

Automation is no longer confined to manufacturing and fabrication. Automation is transforming the residential and commercial construction industry by ensuring increased adoption of smart home systems and large-scale BACnet-certified building systems.

The increased demand for smart technologies and a widely accepted view by Canadian and American governments that North American building infrastructures must be improved means that a position as an automation technician represents a great career opportunity.

Driving this market are several remote, cloud-based BACnet-certified BAS-integrated software solutions that provide on-site BAS terminals and mobile-optimized, secure apps that can easily be accessed by mobile phones or tablets.

The best BAS-integrated systems employ Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption security protocols, ensuring data integrity and safety, and all require the insight, knowledge, and expertise that only an automation technician can provide.

The ability to read and react in real-time, make near-instant adjustments to BAS systems while being able to instantaneously define, troubleshoot, and find solutions means that a building automation technician can dramatically reduce building management costs, improve efficiencies, and ensure a more comfortable environment for tenants.

From increased energy efficiency and lower building management costs to optimized temperature environments and customized settings for individual tenants, a building automation technician has a bottom-line impact on building systems management.

An Automation Technician Does it All

The need for an automation technician with BAS systems is not relegated to merely managing existing systems. An automation technician plays a critical role in the installation, programming, and maintenance of BAS systems.

This means actively overseeing the installation of all building systems, managing and interacting with different service contractors, and ensuring all these systems are connected. From HVAC systems, fire and safety systems, to temperature and humidity control systems, all are impacted by a highly skilled and knowledgeable automation technician.

Success as an automation technician requires extensive training, the ability to work with different digital and analog control systems, installing and interacting with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), an understanding of distributed control systems, and insight into various industrial control devices.

Finally, developing a strong knowledge of SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) systems is also often required, as SCADA systems are often integrated within larger, more complex BAS systems.

The Automation Technician Program at George Brown College

George Brown College’s Automation Technician program equips students with the tools, training, and skills needed to install, program, manage, maintain, and troubleshoot BAS-integrated systems.

• Industrial Control Devices
• Control Circuits
• Motors
• Ladder Logic Programming
• Introduction to Robotics and Robotic Programming
• Introduction to PLCs
• SCADA Systems
• Analog and Digital Transducers

Course topics expose students to a wide range of foundational skills needed to assist with the installation, maintenance, and management of BAS systems. From ladder logic programming and robotics to installing sensors, control systems, and actuators, students are introduced to the core concepts and technologies that support BAS-integrated systems. This includes learning how to use real-time data and inputs to help optimize system efficiency - essential knowledge for anyone starting a career in automation technology.

With the Automation Technician Program through George Brown College, students will develop the critical automation technician skills needed to excel at smart building/green building system integration and BAS project management.

If you have been thinking about becoming an automation technician and becoming a critical player within the BAS industry, call 1-888-553-5333 and speak to one of our Program Consultants.