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J UNE 2017 | 43 Automated Building Control Systems Regulations governing a variety of aspects of the sector are only expected to get more stringent in the future. "In Ontario, we're seeing more stringent rules from different agencies, focusing on temporary installations – which is understandable, because there is a general lack of regulations to cover temporary installations," says Dustin Hubert, operations director for GAL Power Systems. Still, while stricter standards may present new challenges, requiring the devel- opment of new systems and procedures, Hubert says responsible providers will ultimately be able to benefit from tightened regulations. "We've had to modify equipment and certain processes to stay in compliance, but the prospect of addi- tional business generated by having the equipment and expertise to meet regula- tions is something we anticipate," he explains. In addition to "questionable" players in the industry being removed by more robust standards, consolidation is also expected to play an increasingly significant role in the market's makeup. Two years ago, in an effort to expand its support and services capabilities, GAL Power Systems acquired L.M. Temperature Control; a move said to be beneficial to those looking for sales, service and rental of power and HVAC systems. In a sign that more mergers in the market could become reality, MCW Group, which provides a focus on mechanical and electrical engineering, recently formed a new engineering entity with Alberta's Hemisphere Engineering Inc. The devel- opment is said to have added to the company's talent pool and expanded the com- panies' Western Canadian presence, while Hemisphere's own service offering was enhanced to include building services consulting engineering, energy management services, power engineering and building systems commissioning services. Perhaps it makes sense that as building automation system solutions become more integrated in their offerings, so too does the very market that provides them; companies must enhance their offerings in new and effective ways in order to meet their clients' increasing demands for operational and energy efficiency, while keep- ing compliance requirements and new technologies in mind at the same time. Tom Barnes of Boon Edam Inc. explains that the company works alongside a vast range of large technology companies that are required to provide increasingly inte- grated and automated systems. "We evolve with them to ensure that our products are meeting those requirements," says Barnes of the security entrance manufacturer. As such, Barnes explains that Boon Edam's security entrance solutions need to provide much more than a key card to let people into a building these days – the technology must offer real-time monitoring and response capabilities, capacity to be easily integrated with other systems and provide system analytics to feed into overall building management. "If you have that analysis you can then implement further counter measures to enhance your stance on the building, and how you implement those controls. The data that we are able to provide back to the end users is quite immense." Overall, Barnes explains that, no matter what the building system, and no mat- ter what the goal – security, safety, energy efficiency, or cost-savings – systems need to not only be robust and easily integrated, but, ultimately, stand up to a cost- benefit assessment. System analytics can go along way to supporting such a case, says Barnes. "Users need to be able to understand the value of that investment." A Prime and standby power generators from GAL Power Systems.

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