EMAIL INTERVIEW – Alper Üzmezler and Ken Sinclair

Alper Uzmezler is the CEO and creative mind of BAS Services and Graphics, LLC (BASSG).  Over the past few years, BASSG has introduced groundbreaking applications that are gaining attention in the industry.  Additionally, BASSG is identifying gaps in modern BAS and attempting to bridge them.

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Sinclair:  What major challenges have you found that are current to the industry?

Üzmezler:  Selective data acquisition, BAS network architecture, and standardized tagging are three of the main hurdles that we’ve found in modern BAS.

Sinclair:  What are some things that must be done to face these challenges?

Üzmezler:  On the issue of selective data acquisition, BAS systems must allow building facilitators & managers to have instant access to the most important data points.  Do so, will help them to quickly ascertain KPIs and important analytics.  The technology to collect a multitude of data is good, but that in itself doesn’t solve a building manager’s problems.  Understanding (or analyzing) the information is much more vital than simply storing it.

When it comes to BAS network architecture, problems arise when different technicians perform routine additions/replacements of field devices and controllers.  Usually technicians will not account for how the changes will affect the overall system.  Modern architecture must rectify these gaps with seamless additions/replacements that have “self-healing” protocols.

Lastly, standardized tagging for equipment and data points is a great need for the industry.  When there are a plethora of naming tags for causes much confusion that equates to loss time.  BASSG is working hard to support Project Haystack, which is creating a standard tagging language.

Sinclair:   You previously stated that the industry needs to shift towards “solutions” instead of “technology”.  Could you expound on this?

Üzmezler:  Technology is special.  In the realm of BAS, technology can accomplish some amazing things.  However, BAS technology that amazes us does not necessarily fix problem areas.  We have to find ways to use technology as a tool to create time and money-saving solutions.  Furthermore, these solutions need to be integratable.

Sinclair:  Why do you propose integrateable solutions?

Üzmezler:  As sections of BAS become more specialized, there are a number of outstanding opportunities that can be reaped by integrating BAS solutions.  This is BASSG’s primary goal—provide advanced software applications for building automation, energy management, and a variety of online applications.  Every application that we have designed is a part of the integrated solutions we provide.  When they are integrated, they offer significant increased value and lower implementation costs than traditional “stand-alone” products.

Sinclair:  How do you approach integrating solutions?

Üzmezler:  The approach is always to create integrated applications that present solutions to the three main entities—BAS contractors, systems integrators, and building owners.  BAS contractors benefit from dramatically lower installations, systems integrators need streamlined implementation processes, while building owners, decision-makers, and CFOs desire actionable feedback that is visualized in real-time to improve analyzations.  In a nutshell, we bundle these core concepts into our apps so that each of the three major entities can benefit.  When this is accomplished, a full solution arises which equates to true energy conservation—both in the form of human resources and energy resources. 

Sinclair:  Can you expound on that point briefly?

Sinclair:  I’ve noticed that BASSG products seem to focus on visualizing things.  Why is that?

Üzmezler:  Visualization simplifies everything and our business model centers on this principle.  If the user can easily understand and apply an application, then the application is an effective tool.  We’ve found that most of our applications can simplify a number of complex functions through visualizations.