Building Automation Technology

The Building Automation Technology (BAT) program consists of five core courses. They can be taken in conjunction with a year of HVAC courses for a degree in the Air Conditioning, Heating & Refrigeration Technologies program's BAT track or as part of the Facilities Maintenance program.

Students will gain the following skills from the program: wiring and cabling, reading drawings, basic electronic circuits for sensors and actuators, networking over Ethernet and EIA-485 with TCP/IP, BACnet and Modbus protocols, block programming of controllers and Python programming.

The goal of the program is to educate future technicians, enabling them to make buildings reach their potential energy efficiency, with all the implications of energy savings, including environmental impacts and national security. Properly implemented building controls, which students will learn in the real-world-equipped BAT lab, will also improve occupants' productivity and health.

The program has been funded through a National Science Foundation Advanced Technological Education grant (Grant #2000190: A New Technician Training Program for Advanced Building Technologies).

Careers

Jobs in the building automation field have starting salaries of $40,000 to $55,000 a year, according to the Building Efficiency for a Sustainable Tomorrow (BEST) Center.

Building automation professionals install, troubleshoot, repair and program environmental control systems in a commercial setting. They leverage knowledge of electronics, direct digital controls, airflow, hydronics, refrigeration theory and building control techniques to ensure the building automation system is running smoothly.

They also use a variety of hand tools and interpret control drawings, plans and specifications to mount, assemble, test and program the system in a diverse commercial and industrial environment.

Responsibilities may include the following:

• Maintain, repair and install heating and air conditioning system controls and cabling under general supervision
• Perform basic programming of controllers and monitor climate control system
• Maintain building controls and control devices to ensure efficient operation of HVAC equipment to create a comfortable environment
• Maintain and provide for the safe condition and operation of other building automation systems and devices