INTELLIGENT BRANDS // Cabling
The connected
copper building
The facility LAN is undergoing
a shift. Part of this shift is the
use of copper cabling networks
to power and connect various
facilities applications, explains
Jason Bautista, Strategy and
Business Development –
Enterprise Building Solutions at
CommScope.
T
he dynamics of the people in
buildings have set off a shift
in how data networks are
designed, deployed and developed.
As the workforce transitions from
a technology literate one to a
workforce that was born digital-first,
the networks supporting these users
have evolved with ever-increasing
bandwidth and a focus on mobility.
However, during this time another shift
has happened within a lesser-known
network within the building: facility
LAN (local area network).
The facility or operation LAN enables
base-building applications that support
the people within it. From the air we
breathe, to the lights we use, to the
power with which we charge our devices,
the LAN has the ability to communicate
with building owners on efficiency and
problems with services.
Previously these services were siloed
with operators and owners pulling
data from each system as needed.
During this time, the idea of ‘smart
buildings’ came to the forefront. We
ended up using these systems and their
network connections to promote energy
management and building efficiencies.
With the advent of room sensors and
IoT (Internet of Things), we saw a shift
to workplace management and space
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utilisation to support the increasingly
mobile workforce. communication between these systems
is needed.
Now, just like we saw with the user
network, the facility LAN is going
through a shift. These siloed systems
are now becoming more integrated to
provide a better workplace experience.
The data provided from these systems,
sensors and IoT devices, coupled with
advanced logic and analytics, have
again changed how a building operates. Users have come to expect their
technology to work everywhere they
go, and the networks to support that
technology has evolved to do so. Users
have created the network demands to
support their digital-first lifestyle forcing
data networks to evolve. But even as
they look down at their phone to check if
they have connectivity, unbeknownst to
them, the connected building they just
walked into has also evolved to support
the ways they work. From understanding
where they sit and adjusting the
temperature and air flow to provide
comfort and increase cognitive function,
to automatically adjusting the lights to
balance and use sunlight to save energy,
facility LANs help enable building systems
to create an environment where people
want to come to work.
As it has come to pass in the IT LAN
environment, category copper cabling
networks and PoE are being used to
power and connect various facilities
applications. Utilising power distribution
over category copper cabling allows
for flexibility and support for numerous
applications in the building. Applications
commonly associated with facilities
like perimeter security, access control,
security cameras, vertical conveyance,
lighting and many others have become
IP and PoE enabled, leveraging
structured copper cabling systems to
provide both connectivity and power.
A connected building with a dedicated
network for facility applications enables
a workplace that encourages worker
engagement and productivity. As
systems integrate a dedicated facility
LAN to easily connect and collect,
As the importance of facility networks
becomes more apparent, CommScope
is able to help support or choose the
right network solution. From best-
in-class enterprise network solutions
leveraging from our extensive expertise
in traditional LANs, to innovative
approaches using a universal
connectivity grid, CommScope has the
best and widest breath of products and
expertise to help. n
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