Perhaps the most critical equipment and systems in any critical facility are the monitoring and control systems. Most sites have invested significant money and resources in selecting, designing, and installing robust computer-based monitoring and control systems. These systems are often referred to as building management systems (BMS), building monitoring systems (also BMS), building automation systems (BAS) or for electrical infrastructure, electric power monitoring systems (EPMS). Specialized high-speed data capture EPMS systems used for forensic time-stamping and wave-form capture are called power quality monitoring (PQM) systems.
Typical office buildings frequently use direct digital control (DDC) systems that rely on “canned” devices that are designed for specific applications such as controlling pumps, fans, air handlers, etc., such as DDC systems. These systems require the least amount of customized programming and setup. A distributed control system, or DCS, features actual control programming logic that is distributed to multiple field devices that report back to a central computer work-station.