Building Automation Systems help you cut energy bills, boost comfort, and save your team time on routine decisions. If you lead corporate real estate, a solid BAS does more than flip lights or tweak thermostats. It collects data from all sorts of sensors, meters, and controllers. This data feeds analytics that find faults, track important KPIs, and build reports your CFO will trust. The end result? Lower costs, fewer complaints, and buildings that adjust to real-life needs, not just guesses.

The BAS market will reach USD 101.74 billion in 2025 and is on track to double by 2030. In Canada, Triovest used a BAS upgrade to cut electricity use by 3,775 MWh (6.8%) and demand by 5,376 kW. With centralized control and real-time analytics, those results are within reach.

This guide breaks down each BAS layer, shows how open protocols keep you clear of vendor lock-in, and details how sensors, visitor analytics, and occupancy data shape smart decisions.

BAS in Brief: Why It Matters to Corporate Real Estate

A Building Automation System puts you in control. It manages HVAC, lighting, security, and energy across your facilities - quick, easy, and centralized. Every BAS works through four main layers:

• Field layer: Sensors for temperature, humidity, CO₂, light, and motion. Meters and actuators that open dampers or move valves.
• Control layer: DDC controllers, VAV boxes, air handlers, and plant gear that follow schedules and sensor signals.
• Supervisory layer: Your BAS server. It stores schedules, tracks trends, and sends alarms straight to your team.
• Analytics layer: Tools like EMIS and FDD. They calculate KPIs, spot equipment issues, and offer optimization tips.

Each layer matters. Field devices capture real-time conditions. Controllers keep comfort levels steady. The supervisory layer gives you a single dashboard. Analytics turn thousands of data points into real action steps. Corporate real estate teams use this to size portfolios smartly, slash waste, and show ROI to the C-suite.

The BAS market is heading for USD 191.13 billion by 2030. You’ll see growth everywhere - offices, hospitals, schools. North America alone holds a 38.5% share. Why? CRE teams know centralized control and data-driven operations pay off.

Open, Secure Foundations for Modern BAS

Open protocols and smart data models give you freedom from vendor lock-in.

BACnet (ASHRAE Standard 135) is the go-to for commercial buildings. BACnet leads 77% of global projects. BACnet/IP uses standard Ethernet, which keeps installation simple and costs low. The new BACnet/SC (Secure Connect) version adds TLS encryption and digital certificates. With systems connecting to IT networks, your security team needs proof your building’s data is safe.

Project Haystack and Brick Schema make your data smart. Haystack uses tags and simple notes. Brick brings structure to describing assets and their relationships. Both help analytics apps instantly know whether a sensor checks supply or return air temperature, no custom coding needed. BACnet, Haystack, and Brick all work together under ASHRAE Standard 223P, which will soon publish a unified tagging system.

Open standards keep you flexible. You can swap analytics vendors, add dashboards, or link up with your workplace technology stack - no messy rewiring or gateway fees.

High-Value Controls: Guideline 36 and Demand Control Ventilation

ASHRAE Guideline 36 sets high-performance routines for HVAC. It includes reset schedules, optimum start and stop, and smarter alarms. Guideline 36 can cut HVAC energy by 20% and cut commissioning hours by 30%. You get efficiency, comfort, and air quality built in - no trial and error.

Guideline 36 covers both multi-zone and single-zone VAV systems. Engineers just grab the right recipe for each setup. You get consistent results across every building.

Demand Control Ventilation (DCV) makes outdoor airflow match actual occupancy. No more running at full blast all day. Codes like IECC and ASHRAE 90.1 require DCV for busy spaces over 500 square feet. One study found 7%-44% HVAC energy savings. DCV brings in fresh air based on occupancy or CO₂. You save fan energy and enjoy good air quality, with zero compromise.

Tie-Ins to Occupancy Sensors: Lighting, HVAC, and More

Occupancy sensors automate lighting, HVAC changes, and comfort checks as people move. The U.S. Department of Energy found occupancy sensors cut lighting energy use by 10–90%. HVAC energy drops up to 22%. The sensor market hit $3.2 billion in 2024 and is set for $9 billion by 2035.

Each sensor works best in different spaces:

• Passive Infrared (PIR): Detects body heat and movement. These are affordable and last long—great for lighting in small offices. PIR misses people who sit still and isn’t accurate for headcounts, but it’s reliable for presence detection.
• Thermal arrays: Check surface temperature and use smart algorithms to sense people without revealing their identity. They work well even in low light.
• mmWave radar: These high-precision sensors spot people accurately and protect privacy. Perfect for meeting rooms or restrooms - no cameras needed.
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE): Leverage devices on your network. You get wide coverage without installing sensors everywhere.

Macro sensors deliver over 95% accuracy, deploy in days, and don't use cameras or collect personal data. That matters. Camera-free sensors boost employee trust and meet privacy laws. Anonymous sensing builds confidence and still delivers the insights you need for lighting, HVAC, and planning.

Using Visitor Analytics to Optimize Staffing and Hours

Visitor analytics help you align building services with real demand. Key metrics help you see the full picture:

• Passerby vs. visitor: Passersby walk by your entrance. Visitors come in and stay. See which spaces draw people in.
• Dwell time: Track how long people spend. Longer stays mean more engagement and satisfaction.
• Capture rate: The percentage of passersby who become visitors. Measure how well your space attracts people.

Modern analytics detect device signals - always anonymized - to show repeat visits, dwell patterns, and movement. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth make this seamless. You instantly know peak times, popular zones, and where people spend the most time.

A Fortune 100 cafeteria used this data to get a 2:1 ROI - optimizing food prep and staffing on the fly.

Check weekly or daily data to fine-tune scheduling. If lobbies fill up Tuesdays at noon, prep your reception and HVAC accordingly. When things slow down, shift cleaning or close a few floors to save energy and money.

Visitor analytics roll up trends and deliver scheduled reports. You get consistent updates - no extra work.

Occupancy Data Analysis for Peak vs. Average Trends

Occupancy data analysis shows you the difference between peak and average use. This is key for energy budgets and comfort.

Office studies found average peak occupancy from 12–20% for professional services and 23% for manufacturing buildings. That’s way below standard assumptions from ASHRAE 90.1 (90%) or EN 16,798-1 (70%).

Knowing your real peaks means you can match HVAC size, adjust ventilation, and avoid cooling empty zones. Trends help you plan: see which floors fill up Mondays, which rooms don’t get used, and how arrival times change with seasons.

Energy per occupied hour beats total energy use as a key metric. Why cool a building 24/7 if people are there just 40 hours? Analyzing occupancy patterns cuts HVAC energy 15–30% in the first year.

Comfort goes up too. You’ll see how many hours rooms run hot, cold, or just right - and match that with occupancy. If a room is cold but empty, no service needed. If it’s busy and too warm, you know where to fix fast.

Compare midweek peaks with Mondays and Fridays to adjust services and setpoints. Use booking data versus actual use to spot missed meetings and open up rooms. Occupancy data analysis turns vague feedback into clear, actionable steps.

Reporting That Inspires Confidence

Automated reports build executive trust. They arrive on time and use the same definitions every week. Pull EMIS data - energy intensity, peak demand, fault counts - and merge it with occupancy and visitor trends.

EMIS supports big-picture KPIs. FDD tools catch problems like heating and cooling at once, stuck dampers, or drifting sensors. Automated alerts let you fix issues before tenants notice.

Presence data makes decisions easy. Wi-Fi presence platforms can email you site rollups, so everyone sees which buildings are full and which aren’t. Keep key terms in every chart - visitor, passerby, dwell, occupied hour - so there’s no confusion when finance has questions.

Integrate dashboards into your workplace stack. Real-time data from occupancy sensors, bookings, and badges flows into one view. Track return-to-office progress, adjust cleaning, and back up changes with real numbers.

Safeguarding Your Building Automation System (OT Security)

Your Building Automation System sits at the crossroads of OT and IT. This raises efficiency - and the stakes. NIST SP 800-82 Revision 3 lays out steps to secure OT, including building systems. The updated scope now covers building automation, transportation, access control, and environment monitoring.

Here’s how to keep your BAS secure:

• Network segmentation: Keep BAS controllers apart from corporate and guest networks. Use VLANs or separate wiring to limit risks.
• BACnet/SC: Use BACnet/SC instead of old BACnet/IP. SC gives you encryption and device validation.
• Zero Trust: Every user or device needs to authenticate. No automatic trust.
• Supply chain checks: Vet all vendors and contractors. Patch devices regularly and know what’s on your network.

Map BAS security to NIST SP 800-53 controls - access, audits, response, supplier security. Document your plan, run drills, and check logs. Align with IEC 62443, ISO/IEC 27001, and NIST Cybersecurity standards to earn trust with auditors and insurers.

Pinpointing Hot and Cold Zones with Sensor Grids

Dense temperature and humidity sensor grids map comfort in detail. Wireless networks change the game - no messy wiring. You get a live look at indoor conditions with minimal install hassle.

Modern sensors are precise: humidity from 0% to 100% (+/–2%), temperature accurate to 0.2°C, and low power use. Small sensors let you cover every 400 square feet or every conference room.

Bigger benefits include:

• Smarter zones: Temperature and occupancy sensors move HVAC beyond old-school controls. Tighten comfort in busy areas. Relax setpoints where no one is.
• Fast action: Spot troubles sooner - before they bug anyone - and send techs only when needed.
• Real comfort calculations: Count hours out of range. Connect with occupancy sensors to act only if spaces are used—no wasted calls for empty rooms.

Color-coded heatmaps spot hot and cold spots fast. Export data to BAS or EMIS by BACnet or MQTT. Overlay occupancy to fix what matters most. Save on service by focusing on comfort that affects people, not just empty space.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do we create executive reports on space performance automatically?

Use EMIS for energy and FDD KPIs. Use Wi-Fi presence for weekly demand. Schedule email reports or API exports. Always define visitor, passerby, and occupied hours in your charts. Your team and stakeholders all see the same picture. Most tools handle automated reports and BI dashboard integration.

How do we understand team behavior trends in different office areas?

Dive into zone peaks, dwell time, real room use, and day-by-day patterns with occupancy data analysis. Compare midweek with Monday and Friday. Track who’s using what, when, and for how long to dial in services and comfort.

I'm a facilities manager. What product helps me spot hot and cold zones in an office?

Choose wireless temperature and humidity sensor networks that connect to BAS or EMIS. Look for BACnet or MQTT support. These tools give you thermal heatmaps and show comfort out-of-range hours. Pair them with occupancy sensors for smarter HVAC changes and no wasted adjustments.

Achieving Real Impact for Corporate Real Estate

Building Automation Systems drive real results. When you combine open protocols, strong controls, and real-time data from occupancy and visitor analytics, everything clicks. Corporate real estate teams using these layers cut costs, leave tenants happier, and automate away repetitive tasks.

Start with a secure setup: use BACnet/SC for security, tag your data for flexibility, and segment your network to protect OT. Build on top with Guideline 36 and Demand Control Ventilation to tune HVAC without custom work. Add occupancy sensors for lights and HVAC. Use visitor analytics to match staffing and building hours to what’s really happening.

Occupancy data analysis shows you the gap between peak and average use. Use this to right-size systems and crunch energy per occupied hour. Automated reports unifying EMIS and presence trends give execs the confidence to approve changes. Sensor grids help you find hot and cold spots. Tie temperature to occupancy so you fix what matters and skip what doesn’t.

Privacy-first solutions like Occuspace make data-driven action easy. You’ll get actionable insights fast, with no cameras or personal data. For corporate real estate leaders who want to go from reactive to proactive, a full BAS built on open standards, real-time insights, and privacy-first sensors is your blueprint for lower costs, maximized comfort, and executive-ready portfolio results.