EXPERT SERIES

RFP TEMPLATE:
BUILDING CONTROL
& AUTOMATION
The IT Pro’s Blueprint for Writing a
Building Control & Automation RFP
RFP TEMPLATE: UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
The IT Pro’s Blueprint for Writing a Unified Communications RFP

The current hot topic in the realm of property ownership and management is build-
ing controls and automation, also commonly referred to as “smart buildings” or
building automations systems (BAS). We like the term smart building, since it blends
in so well with the whole Internet of Things (IoT) concept… but feel free to select
your term of choice. They all refer to the same thing - any structure that uses auto-
mated processes to control the building’s operations including heating, ventilation,
air conditioning, lighting, security and other electronically addressed systems.
Smart buildings exist worldwide and range from office buildings to hospitals to
universities and beyond. Market research estimates that the smart building tech-
nology market will generate global revenue of $8.5 billion in 2020, up from $5.2
billion in 2017, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 15.9% over the fore-
cast period.
Most commercial, institutional, and industrial buildings built after 2000 include
some form of building automation systems. As you can see by the growth num-
bers, many older buildings either have been retrofitted with a new BAS or will
do so in the near term. These systems are typically financed through energy and
insurance savings, and other savings associated with pre-emptive maintenance
and fault detection.
The objectives of BAS are improved occupant comfort, efficient operation of
building systems, reduction in energy consumption and operating costs, and

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improved life cycle of utilities. Building automation systems use sensors, actuators
and electronic devices, to collect performance data and manage it according to
a business’ operations profile and services. The data mining and available con-
trol helps owners, operators and facility managers improve asset reliability and
performance, which reduces energy use, optimizes how space is used and not to
mention the (hopefully) intended consequence of minimizing the environmental
impact of buildings.
BAS core functionality is to use energy when and where it is needed and per-
form those tasks seamlessly. It keeps building climate (temperature and humidity)
within a specified range, and only in appropriate areas. It is designed to provide
Market research estimates
light to rooms based on an occupancy schedule or movement in the space. It
monitors performance and device failures in all systems and provides malfunc- that the smart building
tion alarms sent to building facilities staff. If designed and implemented properly it technology market will
should significantly reduce building energy and maintenance costs compared to a
generate global revenue
non-controlled building.
The truth is that the buildings we work and live in shape who we are; whether of $8.5 billion in 2020, up
we know it or not. They influence how happy and productive we are. A smart from $5.2 billion in 2017,
building is intuitive and enables more efficient workers, more inclusive relation-
growing at a compound
ships, and a healthier well-being for each occupant.
One building automation technology expert points out that, “There’s the financial annual growth rate of
benefit of reducing utility spending and equipment costs, and there’s also a produc- 15.9% over the forecast
tivity or behavioral benefits. You can enable your building staff to have more context
period.
for what’s going on and they can act more quickly and be more responsible when
they have the right information about what’s going on in the building.”
It can be tough to know where to start with smart building technology when
there are BAS applications for nearly every building system. Some facilities man-
agers may not understand the technologies and even fear being replaced by
automation. Building automation isn’t a replacement at all. It exists to make the
facilities job easier by keeping an eye on performance and pointing out potential
issues that would be difficult (and in some cases, impossible) to detect with con-
ventional hands-on management.
Smart building devices are able to deliver the right information at the right
time to the right person. For example, a carbon dioxide meter that can estimate
and respond to the number of people in a room and tell your HVAC system to
increase the ventilation. An occupancy sensor that can order a zone of lighting
to turn on when it senses a presence. A data fed “dashboard” that can analyze a
building’s worth of sensor data and turn it into actionable things to do.
The chief benefits to the smart building approach are flexibility and observabil-
ity. Building automation tends to fall into four categories:
1. Energy consumption monitoring
2. Equipment optimization
3. Environmental quality control
4. People or spaces utilization

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Choosing which technology provider to partner with is a crucial decision in imple- A smart building is
menting smart building technology. Look for a provider with experience in scalabil-
ity to allow you to expand beyond the scale and scope of the current project. As
intuitive and enables
you investigate providers and smart building solutions, think about what you’d like more efficient workers,
to accomplish with your initial investment and ask yourself questions like these. more inclusive
One of the critical questions that need to be asked is about data gathering and
reports and more importantly what to do about all the data that will be collected.
relationships, and a
It can be overwhelming. This is where the software and a BAS analysis package healthier well-being for
come into play. Best practice is to use a platform that knows how to do some each occupant.
“translation” of the data into a format that you can use as a management tool.
One of the best pieces of advice that we have heard is to “Know what the end
value of the data is that you want to collect and pick a vendor who knows how to
turn that data into something meaningful.”
Think about a building automation system as a tool used to solve problems and
help you achieve your goals. There are some common issues like climate control
in a building and energy distribution, but each company must examine what they
would like to manage. Start with the list of questions above and then get a group
of stakeholders in a room and explore what the end goals are. Once this has
occurred then all the technologies needed to reach those goals can be “back-
filled” in to fit your needs. There is a famous MBA school adage that says “If you
can’t measure it you can’t manage it”. That says it all.

RFP Sender’s Company Background

1. What is our company’s primary business?
2. What’s the mission and company objective?
3. Are we a C Corp., S Corp., LLC, or privately owned?
4. What is our company’s geographical area of coverage (local, national or global
business with multiple facilities)?

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5. What is the physical space(s) in which our business is conducted?
6. What are the primary services and products our company provides?
7. What is our primary vertical market and other key characteristics of the business
and our customer base?

Project Overview
8. What are the most important features and characteristics we are looking for in
our purchase and installation of this projection system (ranked)?
9. What is the project’s primary objective?
10. Overall what should our projector system accomplish?

Project Specific Questions

11. What building and human factors issues are you trying to address with a BAS?
12. Do we need:
• Real time monitoring?
• Maintenance tracking and notification?
• Wayfinding?
• Warehouse and inventory control?
• Automated asset tracking?
• Air quality control?
• Ongoing space management and room occupancy analysis?
• Seismic sensing?
• Other
13. Should security, fire and safety be part of the centralized system or stand
alone?
14. Is a migration to a full BAS strategy the most effective approach?
15. Should we start small and build a BAS as we go with compatible systems?
16. What disruption in operations will installing a BAS entail?
17. Is there an existing software program that fits our company to help manage the
BAS?
18. What reports do we need in order to manage our building efficiently?
19. Will current equipment need to be changed or modified?
20. How much can this save compared to the investment?

We at My TechDecisions understand that writing RFPs is a critical component

of your job but also one of the most dreaded. That is why over the past year,
we have created a series of guides to help define your needs and then actu-
ally write the RFP. These resources cover a total of nineteen different solutions,
including: access control, audio, building control & automation, campus safety,
cloud email, collaboration, communication, cybersecurity, digital signage,
energy management, hardware, interactive whiteboards, networking, projectors,
storage & backup, videoconferencing, video surveillance, video wall and VoIP.
You can see our entire library of RFP resources at: mytechdecisions.com/rfp

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