An application of building automation system based on wireless sensor/actuator networks

Building automation systems are established to increase people´s comfort and security with reduced energy consumption. The integration of wireless technologies into building control promises to make significant simplification in wiring requirements behind reduction of maintenance complexity and setup costs. This paper explores the application potential of wireless sensor/actuator networks in the building automation. We propose a prototype system design with sensor/actuator node structures to exhibit how to apply the wireless sensing and control techniques to the building automation. Proposed system instantly monitors indoor ambient conditions (temperature and humidity, light and motion information) on different floors of the building and automatically controls the home appliances (HVAC and lighting equipments) in an energy-efficient way. We also introduce a communication framework that establish data paths between the sensor and actuator nodes in scalable manner. Our system model can be effectively applied to large scale buildings, such as residences, shopping malls, skyscrapers, hotels, etc.