In today’s commercial real estate landscape, the integration of smart building technology is no longer a luxury—it is an operational necessity. At the heart of this technological evolution are Building Management Systems (BMS) and specialised HVAC Products. Together, these systems regulate indoor air quality, maintain thermal comfort, and optimise energy consumption across expansive facilities.
Often the controls manufacturers provide you with all the tools required to get the job done, but there are certain situations where you need to use 3rd party software or websites for certain tasks. I have a go-to set of trusted software solutions that I use time and time again when the manufacturer’s package is not suitable for the job.
These aren’t your typical items, like screwdrivers and multimeters; they are bonus items that make your day much easier, but they wouldn’t be a showstopper if you didn’t have them. All these items are low cost and easy to bring along with you.
A key thing to understand in the world of BMS is the difference between inputs and outputs, often referred to as IO.
Most of you will probably be thinking that it’s obvious, and it is when the penny has dropped, but think back to your early days: was it so obvious then?
All Building Management Systems are made up of points; whether they are physical or not doesn’t really matter; they are all either inputs or outputs in one way or the other.
Modbus Basics for Building Management Systems
