Which term best describes the use of automation and controls systems to monitor and control building wide systems?

• A. Building management
• B. Building controls
• C. Building automation
• D. LEED

Answer: (C)

Automating and coordinating multiple building systems through sensors, controllers, and software is what building automation is all about. It refers to an integrated system that continuously monitors conditions and automatically adjusts HVAC, lighting, security, and energy use across the whole building. This overarching term distinguishes the concept from building controls, which are the actual devices and sequences that regulate individual systems, and from building management, which more often refers to facilities management processes rather than the automated network itself. LEED isn’t about control systems; it’s a sustainability rating. So the best description for using automation and controls to monitor and control building-wide systems is building automation—the centralized, automated network that ties together multiple subsystems to run efficiently and safely.