Real time Wireless Sensor Network for building automation applications: A simulation study and practical implementation

In recent years, Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is considered as a potential solution for real time applications in industrial automatic control. However, there are several challenges to develop real time WSN due to its wireless nature, limited resources (power, processing and memory), low node reliability and dynamic network topology. Several researches have been carried out, but there has been little discussion about practical design and implementation of real time WSN in building automation system. This paper describes a simulation study and practical implementation of real time WSN for controlling and monitoring system in multi-storey building environment. A prototype building automation system using Microchip ZigBee WSN was developed with more than thirty sensor nodes and controlling nodes has been developed and tested successfully in multi-storey building. We also discuss future improvements of our current implementation.