Application Notes

December 2006

Foundations of the 4th Utility

Using dedicated infrastructures for different systems is
a tradition thats slow to die now the era of new energy
efficiency control systems is making the savings offered
by integrated building infrastructure hard to ignore
Doing things the way theyve always been done is a comfortable approach that leads to a false sense of security
that everything will go well. But, for building infrastructures, sticking to tradition comes at a high price.
Using separate networks for data/voice, environmental control, security surveillance or other systems can
seriously damage your profits.
A study by the Building Technologies Group in the UK showed a reduction of 23 percent in capital expenditure achieved
by converging IT and building systems networks. Even more important, the study reports savings of 30 percent on
operating expenses. As labor costs rise and there are demands to connect more systems via the network infrastructure,
these savings will go on increasing.
Every year, building automation systems are growing in complexity. Much of this is the result of new regulations to
improve employees working conditions and safety. Added to this is a stream of new regulations and directives in the
pipeline to make buildings greener and more energy efficient.
Trend: Need for the 4th Utility
FIRE
Detector service
Fire, Life, Safety

ENERGY
Utility Management
(Elec/Water/Gas/Oil)
Tenant Building

LIGHTING
Schedules
Occupancy Sensing

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COMMUNICATIONS
Voice/Video/Data

24/7 MONITORING

SECURITY

CCTV
Plant control
Conditioned Monitoring
Car Park Utilization

Doors
Alarms
Intruder Detection
Integration

ACCESS

HVAC

Doors
Buildings
Occupancy

Air-Handling Unit
Boilers
Pumps
Fans
Energy Control
Variable Air Volume
Air Quality

ELEVATORS
Breakdown
Maintenance
Traffic Performance

www.systimax.com

APPLICATION NOTES FOUNDATIONS OF THE 4TH UTILITY

Since 75 percent of a building's total lifecycle cost is operating expenses, any savings here are especially valuable. They raise
net income, improve return on investment and allow space to be let profitably at prices that ensure consistently high occupancy.
Cutting Costs and Saving the Planet
If the cost and environmental benefits of managing energy usage dont persuade owners and developers to install
improved control systems, then new laws soon will. To comply with the Kyoto Protocol, the European Union Energy
Performance of Building Directive became mandatory from January 2006. This requires energy performance certification
and energy demand management in all new and refurbished buildings of more than 1000m2.
Even tougher laws to reduce energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions can be expected in the future, not only in
Europe but also worldwide. In response, suppliers of building control systems are introducing sophisticated new solutions.
A common theme in these new solutions is the expanded use of IP (Internet Protocol) to enable communication between
a wide array of devices, and as we know from traditional LAN networking today, this in turn will drive the use of standard
structured cabling systems for these control systems. This makes the move to a common network and cabling
infrastructure for voice/data and building automation systems much easier.
A Changing World: Convergence

Past

Present

Future

Management
Layer

Proprietary

EIB, BACnet,
LonWorks, IP

Communication
Layer
(Outstation to
Outstation)

Proprietary
(RS485, RS422, RS232
Arcnet, Current loop)

EIB, BACnet,
LonWorks, IP
(Ethernet, FTT, Arcnet )

IP
(Ethernet)

Communication
Layer
(Outstation to
Field Devices)

Analog /Digital IOs,

Current loop, ID

Analog /Digital IOs,

ID, IP

IP
(Ethernet)

Physical Layer
(Cabling)

Proprietary, coax
& optical fiber

Proprietary,
Cat 5e/Cat 6
& optical fiber

IOs: Inputs/Outputs

ID: Intelligent Devices

IP

Wireless,
Cat 5e/Cat 6/Cat 6A
& optical fiber

FTT: Free Tree Topology

Not only does using one high performance infrastructure to replace several dedicated ones save money today, it also
opens the way to greater savings in the future. High quality, standards-based structured cabling will easily support growing
numbers of sensors and controllers needed by new, energy saving systems.
As additional regulations accelerate the adoption and deployment of these new building control systems, owners of
buildings with disparate infrastructures will face performance and management problems. In contrast, well designed,
high bandwidth structured cabling systems can support and be adapted to the needs of legacy control systems today
while in addition will meet the requirements of vital systems for 20 years or more.
SYSTIMAX Solutions has been at the forefront of cabling development not just for network intensive systems used in
the voice and data networks of most modern enterprises, but also in testing and qualifying traditional building control
and automation systems usually associated with proprietary cabling media, to operate over standard structured cabling.

APPLICATION NOTES FOUNDATIONS OF THE 4TH UTILITY

SYSTIMAX SCS: Infrastructure Flexibility

IBM
Systems

Analog/Digital
Voice

EIA-232

HVAC
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Fax

VoIP

BAS
Controller/
Outstation

SYSTIMAX
SCS

Security &
Access

Ethernet
10/100/1000BASE-T
10GBASE-T

ATM
155 Mb/s

SDV
270Mb/s

Baseband Video
Broadband Video
RGB Video
S-Video

Lighting

Using high performance twisted-pair copper cable in horizontal connections and multimode fiber in the network backbone will
support the wide range of a buildings IT and other services. This has become the blue-print for the ANSI/TIA/EIA-862 cabling
standard for Building Automation Systems that specifies a generic cabling system for BAS for use in commercial buildings.
While using the right cabling removes performance barriers to integration, standardizing on Ethernet interfaces and RJ45
connectors is removing the practical obstacles. Many new building automation and security devices include these and
can be plugged directly into the data network.

Transforming Buildings and Businesses

As well as lower installation and operational costs, integrated network infrastructure brings other major benefits to real
estate owners and developers. The network workspace is now as important as the physical workspace and can have
a critical impact on the efficiency and productivity of businesses. As a result, many prospective tenants will have high
quality connectivity near the top of their priorities when looking for a new address.
The ability to meet or exceed tenants infrastructure requirements is an important selling advantage for real estate.
Organizations often see moving offices as an opportunity to transform their business. Offering them a workspace with
the right infrastructure gives them the means to streamline processes and introduce operational efficiencies that raise
workforce effectiveness.
The competitive edge of most businesses depends on fast information flow and efficient collaboration between employees.
By delivering an advantage in these key areas, high quality cabling improves a buildings ability to attract and retain good tenants.
As well as helping transform tenants businesses, integrated infrastructure opens the way to move efficient property
management. Services such as environmental control and security, connected via this infrastructure, are easier to monitor
and manage from remote locations. Skilled staff at single control centers can ensure that buildings throughout a metropolitan
area are all functioning as they should. Using high speed communications and remote control, they can respond to problems
before tenants are even aware of them.
The same connections also offer other options such as outsourcing building management. With integrated high speed
links to all its systems, both the building and its management can be more flexible. They can adapt quickly to changing
economic conditions or market expectations to maintain high occupancy and revenues.
In contrast, the wrong connectivity can lock a building into specific uses and low rents. It can also render buildings obsolete
long before their time. Re-cabling to remedy this is not only expensive and wasteful; the property will also have to be
cleared while the work is done.

APPLICATION NOTES FOUNDATIONS OF THE 4TH UTILITY

The Next Steps

Using one data and communications infrastructure to replace all others (with the possible exception of some fire alarm
connections) is now a practical proposition for most buildings, and is becoming known as the 4th Utility. There is usually,
however, another cabling infrastructure to provide electrical equipment throughout the building with power.
4th Utility Concept

Utility 1: Water
UtilityUtility
2: Power
1: Water
Utility
1: Power
Utility 3: HVAC
Utility 1: HVAC
UtilityUtility
4: Cabling
1: Cabling

Office
Automation

Telecomms

Common
Cabling
Infrastructure:
4th Utility

Building
Automation
Systems

Over the last 30 years, devices demanding electrical connections have multiplied even faster than those requiring network
connections. But, recently, more and more of these devices have been types that dont need high power or voltage.
Controllers, sensors, cameras and much other equipment in building systems work with low voltage direct current.
This trend is driving another new move in network integration the use of communication cable to supply low voltage
power. International standards for PoE (Power over Ethernet) have been ratified, and the necessary equipment is now
commercially available. This uses conductor pairs in data cables to supply connected devices with power from power
supplies in communications closets.
While it can never replace all high voltage connections, PoE promises to reduce the amount of power cabling needed in
buildings and cut equipment installation costs. In the near future, we can expect to see a wider set of devices powered
via their twisted pair cables.
Driven by the need to reduce energy costs and minimize heating effects, the move to cut the power consumption of office
equipment is only just beginning. Environmental pressure from within and outside the organization can only accelerate
this trend.
Growing use of energy and environmental management solutions, driven by new regulations, will also accelerate acceptance
of PoE. The large numbers of sensors essential to the new control systems may require major additions to electrical cabling
in areas where the need was not previously foreseen, and the use of their network connection for both power and
signalling reduces the cabling to a single connection per device.
A bonus of eliminating high voltage electrical cables is the space saving in cable ways. This is especially valuable when
renovating older properties where cable routing can be a major issue. If the height between floor severely limits the under-floor
space for cabling, replacing several cables with just one could tip the balance towards preserving a building rather than
demolishing it.

The Intelligent Building

HPs
BuilDog

Intelligent Building

ISO Layer

Management Layer

All Other Layers

CISCOs
Connected
Real Estate
(CRE)

Communication Layer
(Automation Layer)

SYSTIMAX
BAS

Physical Layer

Network Layer
Data Link Layer
Physical Layer

When deciding on network infrastructure for new or refurbished buildings, real estate businesses must look 20 years into
the future. Among the few certainties over this time are much higher energy prices and far more stringent environmental
regulations. To support the advanced building management systems these demand, major network vendors, such as
Cisco Systems and HP, are already developing and promoting new architectures and technology.
If they are to take advantage of the potential these offer to support multiple systems, buildings need the right cabling.
Installing a high quality solution today gives buildings the foundation to adopt the new control technology essential to
meet tomorrows demands for ever higher business and energy efficiency.

2006 CommScope, Inc.

All rights reserved.
Visit our Web site at
www.systimax.com
or contact your local SYSTIMAX
Solutions representative or
SYSTIMAX BusinessPartner for
more information. SYSTIMAX
Solutions is a trademark of
CommScope. All trademarks

The Route to Success

Construction costs for the cabling of the voice, data, and BAS can be reduced considerably when integrating the cabling
and pathways. The potential for one project team to engineer, install and project manage the installation for all the cabling
is extremely compelling. Trade contention is reduced, scheduling is easier and ultimately the project runs more efficiently.
If something goes wrong, the customer only has to deal with one team for systems integration. The length of the overall
project for engineering and installation can also be reduced by consolidating the cabling installation.
The key is early planning. If the systems (Voice, Data, Fire, Security, HVAC, etc.) are bid and designed separately, costs
for delivering the cable will increase and flexibility will decrease. Costs can be minimized and flexibility can be increased if
pathways are shared for the various services. How the cabling is delivered to the work areas and devices will ultimately
determine the cost of changes and rearrangements. One integrated cabling system and cable pathway can be implemented,
versus five or six individual cabling systems and pathways.

identified by or are
registered trademarks or
trademarks, respectively, of
CommScope.
This document is for planning
purposes only and is not intended
to modify or supplement any
specifications or warranties relating
to SYSTIMAX Solutions products or
services.
12/06 AN-9

Moves, changes, rearrangements and upgrades can be performed more cost effectively, with potential savings for material
and labor when using a structured cabling approach. There is less disruption to the work environment, which also affects
the cost and performance of doing business. In addition, with only one cabling system to administer, the response time
to end-user cabling requests is reduced. All of this makes one thing clear, how the building is built today will ultimately
determine how much it costs to live there tomorrow.