The framework is designed to tackle inconsistent specification and create a clearer, more consistent approach to the delivery of Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS).
Authored by Christopher Kelly CEng Beng MCIBSE, the framework has been developed by the BCIA’s Technical Working Group. It establishes a common language for defining the level of building controls functionality required by a project.
According to BCIA, it addresses a longstanding industry challenge: specifications can leave BEMS requirements open to interpretation, resulting in contractors pricing different levels of functionality, difficulties comparing tenders on a like-for-like basis, and uncertainty over whether the completed system will meet the client’s operational expectations.
Rather than prescribing particular products, manufacturers or technologies, the framework introduces six clearly defined Delivery Levels, from L0 to L5. These range from basic controls capability through to highly integrated intelligent building functionality, allowing project teams to define the level most appropriate to a building’s operational requirements.
By establishing the required capability before products and technologies are selected, the framework gives clients, consultants, electrical contractors, controls specialists, system integrators, and manufacturers a shared understanding of what the completed system is expected to achieve.
BCIA VP Ron Purcell said: “Building controls have evolved significantly, but the way we specify them has not always kept pace. Terms such as ‘integrated’ or ‘intelligent’ can mean different things to different people, creating uncertainty from tender stage right through to commissioning.
“The BEMS Delivery Framework is about removing that ambiguity. It gives the industry a common language for defining what a building actually needs its controls to achieve, so everyone involved can work towards the same outcome from the outset.”
BEMS Delivery Framework lead author Christopher Kelly CEng BEng MCIBSE commented: “One of the key objectives was to create something that could be understood and used across the industry. Consultants, controls specialists, electrical contractors, manufacturers, and clients may approach a project from different perspectives, but ultimately they all need to be working towards the same outcome.
“The Delivery Levels provide that common reference point. This isn’t about saying every building needs the most advanced solution. It’s about defining the right level of functionality for each project and making that requirement clear throughout specification, procurement and delivery.”