Building Automation Systems (BAS) in Lacey, WA
Your building automation system is the nervous system of your facility. When it’s working properly, your HVAC equipment runs on optimized schedules, fault alerts reach your phone before they become failures, and your energy consumption tracks against design intent. When it’s poorly configured, outdated, or running on uncalibrated sensors, none of that happens — and every system it’s supposed to control runs harder and less efficiently than it should.
Elite Mechanical Services provides building automation system installation, integration, programming, and service for commercial facilities across Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Western Washington.
Our technicians are trained and certified on the three BAS platforms most widely deployed in Pacific Northwest commercial buildings: Tridium Niagara, JCI Facility Explorer, and ABB Cylon BACnet. We work with both pneumatic and direct digital controls (DDC), and we have the hands-on experience to integrate legacy systems with modern digital infrastructure — which means you don’t always have to replace everything to get significantly better performance. All BAS work we perform is backed by Elite’s licensed electrical contractor credential (ELITEMS787CH) and our licensed general contractor status (ELITEMS796R2).
Contact Elite Mechanical Services at (360) 489-0717
Commercial Mechanical Contractor | Lacey, WA | Founded 2021
Why Facility Managers Choose Elite for Building Automation Systems
Platform-certified. Multi-protocol capable. Locally based.
A lot of facility managers in the South Sound are stuck with a BAS that was installed by whoever built the building, using a platform that nobody on their current team fully understands. Controls drift out of calibration. Schedules haven't been updated in years. Fault logs sit unread because nobody set up the alarm routing correctly. That's not a technology problem — it's a service problem. A BAS is only as good as the contractor who programs and maintains it.
Elite Mechanical Services programs, integrates, and services building automation systems from the three platforms that dominate the Pacific Northwest commercial market — and we work on legacy systems without requiring you to replace them.
Our technicians are trained on Tridium Niagara (including the Niagara 4 Framework and JACE 9000 hardware), JCI Facility Explorer (the Johnson Controls front-end built on the Niagara platform), and ABB Cylon BACnet controllers. These aren't marketing claims — they're the result of direct training with the platforms, hands-on installation experience across commercial projects, and the ability to program, commission, and troubleshoot each one. Elite's BAS work is backed by Electrical License ELITEMS787CH, which is required for the controls wiring involved in BAS installation and retrofit work.
We're also a certified MWBE, DBE, and PWSBE contractor (MWBE Cert #M1F0027854 | DBE Cert #D1F0027854 | PWSBE Cert #P000027854). For school districts, government agencies, tribal organizations, and public-sector facilities with supplier diversity requirements in their procurement process, those certifications matter as much as our technical credentials.
We provide BAS services for hospitals, schools, government campuses, office buildings, tribal facilities, and multi-building institutional properties throughout Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, Cowlitz, Mason, and Grays Harbor Counties. If your facility has a BAS that isn't performing the way it should, or you're evaluating a new installation, Elite is the call to make.
Explore All of Our Commercial Mechanical Services
Building automation is one piece of a complete mechanical program. Elite Mechanical Services provides a full range of commercial mechanical services for facilities across Western Washington — from commercial HVAC and preventative maintenance to boiler installation, commercial plumbing, refrigeration, and more. View all of our commercial mechanical services to see how Elite can support every system in your facility.
What Is a Building Automation System — and When Do You Need One?
A building automation system (BAS) is a centralized control platform that monitors and manages a commercial building’s mechanical and electrical systems — including HVAC, lighting, access control, and energy consumption — from a single interface. A facility needs a BAS, or a BAS upgrade, when managing building systems requires too much manual intervention, energy costs are higher than they should be, or equipment is running on schedules and setpoints that no longer match actual occupancy.
The gap between a well-configured BAS and a neglected one shows up directly on the utility bill. HVAC systems that run on fixed schedules rather than occupancy-based controls, sensors that have drifted out of calibration, and setpoints that haven’t been reviewed in years all produce energy waste that compounds across every operating hour. For a mid-sized commercial building, that gap can represent tens of thousands of dollars annually in unnecessary energy costs — not counting the deferred maintenance costs that come from equipment running outside its design parameters for extended periods.
Modern commercial BAS platforms like Tridium Niagara 4 use open, vendor-agnostic protocols — primarily BACnet, Modbus, and LonWorks — to communicate with equipment across manufacturers and system types. This open architecture is what makes it possible to connect HVAC controllers, boiler management systems, lighting panels, and access control systems into a single monitoring and control environment. Older BAS installations often relied on proprietary protocols from a single manufacturer, which created vendor lock-in and made integration difficult. Retrofitting to an open-protocol platform removes that constraint.
Your facility needs BAS service or a new installation if any of these apply: your building systems are controlled from multiple disconnected interfaces, your facilities team spends significant time manually adjusting setpoints or responding to equipment alarms, your current BAS platform is past its service life (Tridium Niagara AX, for example, reached end-of-life in 2021), or you have equipment that was installed without controls integration and is running on manual or time-clock control only. For most commercial facilities in Western Washington that were built before 2015, at least one of these applies.
Why facility managers choose us
Our Building Automation Systems Process
Every BAS engagement starts with a controls audit — not a product recommendation. Before we can tell you what your system needs, we need to understand what you have, how it was programmed, where it’s underperforming, and what integration gaps exist between your connected systems. Here’s how we work through a BAS project:
Controls audit and site assessment.
We walk the facility, document all existing control devices — field controllers, sensors, actuators, JACE hardware, communication wiring — and identify the platform versions in use. We note any uncalibrated sensors, expired equipment, programming issues, and integration gaps between systems. This audit becomes the foundation of our scope.
Scope development and proposal.
Based on the audit, we develop a clear scope covering what will be installed, integrated, programmed, or serviced. For new installations, this includes system architecture design, hardware specification, and network integration planning. For retrofits or service work, it covers specific deficiencies identified during the audit and the recommended resolution for each.
Installation or integration work.
Our union-trained technicians perform the physical installation — controllers, sensors, wiring, and network connections — in coordination with your facility's operating schedule to minimize disruption. For integration projects, we configure protocol drivers, map data points across connected systems, and verify communication between all integrated equipment before moving to programming.
Programming, graphics, and commissioning.
We program all control sequences, setpoints, schedules, and alarm routing specific to your facility's occupancy patterns and equipment. We build or update the graphical interface so your facilities team can navigate the system efficiently. Commissioning involves verifying every programmed sequence against actual equipment response — we don't hand over a system we haven't verified point by point.
Operator training and documentation.
We walk your facilities team through the system interface, explain how to adjust setpoints and schedules, show them how to read and respond to alarm conditions, and answer every question before we leave the site. We provide full as-built documentation — programming files, point lists, graphics, and sequence of operations — so your team has what they need if anything needs to be referenced later.
Ongoing service and calibration program.
A BAS that isn't periodically calibrated and reviewed drifts from design intent over time. We offer ongoing BAS service agreements covering annual sensor calibration verification, setpoint and schedule review, fault log analysis, software and firmware updates, and controls integration checks. For facilities that include HVAC and boiler systems under Elite's preventative maintenance agreement, BAS service can be consolidated into a single program.
Commercial Mechanical Contractor | Lacey, WA | Founded 2021
BAS Platforms and Technical Capabilities
Elite’s BAS capabilities span the three platforms most widely deployed in Pacific Northwest commercial and institutional buildings, plus the pneumatic controls infrastructure still found in many older facilities throughout the South Sound region.
Tridium Niagara Framework
Tridium Niagara is the most widely deployed open-protocol BAS platform in the world, with over one million installations globally. In Pacific Northwest commercial buildings — particularly schools, government facilities, and larger institutional properties — Niagara is the standard. The Niagara 4 Framework (N4) is the current supported version; Niagara AX reached end-of-life in July 2021 and is no longer supported by Tridium, meaning facilities still running AX are on unsupported software with no security updates. Elite's technicians are trained on the Niagara 4 Framework, including JACE 8000 and JACE 9000 hardware. We program control sequences, configure BACnet and Modbus protocol drivers, build graphical user interfaces, set up alarm routing and fault detection, and manage the data logging and trending functions that facility managers need to make informed maintenance decisions. Niagara's strength is its ability to connect equipment from any manufacturer — HVAC controllers, boilers, lighting panels, meters, access control — into a single unified interface over standard open protocols.
JCI Facility Explorer (Johnson Controls)
JCI Facility Explorer is Johnson Controls' front-end product built on the Tridium Niagara platform — specifically the FX30, FX60, and FX70 hardware, which are the Niagara equivalents of the JACE 300, 600, and 700 series. Facility Explorer includes a proprietary JCI communications driver that allows it to integrate with legacy Johnson Controls Metasys N2 equipment — which is what makes it the platform of choice for facilities that have existing JCI controllers and want to integrate them without a full hardware replacement. Many commercial and institutional buildings in the South Sound were built or retrofitted with JCI Metasys equipment, particularly in the 2000s and 2010s. Elite's experience with Facility Explorer means we can work with what's already in those buildings — upgrading, servicing, and expanding the system rather than writing off the existing infrastructure.
ABB Cylon BACnet
ABB Cylon BACnet controllers are direct digital control (DDC) field devices used extensively in commercial HVAC applications — particularly for VAV (variable air volume) systems, AHU (air handling unit) controls, and terminal unit controllers. They communicate natively over BACnet MS/TP and BACnet/IP and are widely used in both standalone and networked configurations across commercial and institutional buildings throughout Western Washington. Elite's technicians are capable of programming, configuring, and troubleshooting ABB Cylon BACnet field controllers as part of larger BAS integration projects. In buildings where Cylon controllers are already installed, we can connect them to a Tridium Niagara or JCI Facility Explorer front-end to bring field-level device data into a centralized monitoring environment.
Pneumatic Controls and DDC Retrofits
Many commercial buildings built before 1995 — and some built into the early 2000s — still operate on pneumatic controls: compressed air-driven actuators and thermostats that predate digital building automation entirely. These systems are increasingly difficult to maintain as replacement parts become scarce and the technicians who understand them retire from the trade. A pneumatic-to-DDC retrofit replaces pneumatic actuators and thermostats with digital direct digital control (DDC) devices connected to a modern BAS front-end. Elite has experience evaluating pneumatic systems, developing DDC retrofit scopes, and executing the conversion from pneumatic to digital control in occupied commercial facilities. A staged retrofit — replacing systems zone by zone or floor by floor — minimizes operational disruption while progressively bringing more of the building under modern controls. This is one of the most common BAS projects we see in South Sound institutional buildings, particularly older school facilities and government buildings.
New Construction BAS Installation
For new commercial construction projects, Elite provides complete BAS installation from the ground floor — system architecture design, hardware specification, installation of all field devices and controllers, programming of all sequences of operations, graphical interface development, network integration, commissioning, and owner training. We work from the mechanical and electrical drawings, coordinate with the general contractor and other trades, and deliver a fully documented, commissioned BAS that the facility's operations team can actually use. Elite's licensed general contractor credential (ELITEMS796R2) and electrical contractor credential (ELITEMS787CH) mean we can manage BAS scope as part of a larger mechanical project — which reduces coordination overhead for general contractors and owners who prefer fewer prime contractors on a project.
One Contractor. Every System. The Whole Region.
Ready to schedule your building automation systems consultation? Contact Elite Mechanical Services at (360) 489-0717 or fill out our online quote request form. We serve commercial facilities across Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, Tacoma, and Western Washington.
Local Building Automation Systems
Facility managers overseeing buildings near the Washington State Capitol Campus in Olympia, WA operate in one of the highest-scrutiny environments in Thurston County. State agency buildings have energy reporting requirements, occupancy compliance considerations, and operational visibility expectations that go well beyond what most commercial facilities face. A properly configured BAS with real-time fault detection, energy monitoring, and centralized control isn’t optional in that environment — it’s how the facilities team demonstrates operational accountability. Elite provides BAS installation, integration, and ongoing service for commercial and government-adjacent facilities throughout the Olympia area.
For institutional facilities near MultiCare Tacoma General Hospital in Tacoma, WA — including medical office buildings, outpatient centers, and commercial properties on the campus perimeter — building automation requirements are driven by a combination of patient comfort obligations, infection control air quality standards, and energy management mandates. Healthcare-adjacent facilities running on manually controlled or poorly integrated HVAC systems face real operational risk. Elite’s BAS capabilities include the kind of controls integration and sequence programming that healthcare facility standards demand, backed by our licensed electrical contractor credential for all wiring and controls work.
South Puget Sound Community College in Lacey, WA operates multiple buildings across a mixed-use campus, each with its own HVAC systems, occupancy schedules, and energy consumption profile. For educational institutions across Thurston County managing multi-building campuses, a centralized BAS that consolidates monitoring across all facilities into a single interface is the difference between a facilities team that’s reactive — responding to complaints — and one that’s proactive, catching developing issues from their desk before they affect a classroom or lab. Elite builds and services BAS platforms for educational campuses throughout the South Sound region.
- Office buildings and corporate campuses — single-tenant and multi-tenant
- Hospitals, medical clinics, and healthcare campuses
- K-12 schools, community colleges, and university buildings
- State and local government buildings and municipal facilities
- Tribal facilities and tribal project sites
- Warehouses and light industrial facilities with process controls
- Hotels and hospitality properties with complex HVAC zoning
- Retail centers and commercial office parks
- Multi-building institutional campuses
- Public-sector facilities with MWBE, DBE, or PWSBE procurement requirements
Facilities and Clients We Serve
Elite Mechanical Services provides building automation system installation, integration, programming, and service for a wide range of facility types across Western Washington. Our BAS clients include:
We do not provide residential BAS services. Every BAS project we take on is for a commercial, institutional, or public-sector facility. That means our technicians are calibrated to the standards, network security requirements, and documentation expectations that building professionals and institutional clients require.
Serving Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and Western Washington
Elite Mechanical Services is based in Lacey, WA — at the center of Thurston County’s concentration of government buildings, educational facilities, and commercial development that form our core BAS service market. Our building automation service area covers Lacey, Olympia, and Tumwater as our primary market, extending north through Pierce County to Tacoma, Puyallup, Lakewood, University Place, and DuPont, and south along the I-5 corridor through Yelm, Rainier, Tenino, Centralia, Chehalis, Toledo, and Winlock into Cowlitz County communities including Longview and Kelso.
We also serve facilities on the Grays Harbor coast — Aberdeen and Hoquiam — and Mason County, including Shelton and tribal project sites connected to the Squaxin Island Tribe. Our tribal project connections extend across Western Washington to the Cowlitz, Chehalis, and Nisqually nations as well, and our MWBE, DBE, and PWSBE certifications qualify us for tribal and public-sector procurement processes throughout the region.
For facility managers overseeing multi-building campuses or portfolios that span multiple communities in our service area, Elite can structure BAS service agreements that cover all facilities under a single contract — one point of contact, one service schedule, and unified documentation across your entire controls infrastructure. This is particularly valuable for school districts, tribal enterprises, and government agencies managing multiple sites.
Learn more about our service areas across Western Washington, or contact us directly at (360) 489-0717 to discuss your facility’s location and BAS scope.
Why Choose Elite Mechanical Services
Elite Mechanical Services is a locally owned, owner-operated commercial mechanical contractor — not a national franchise with a local phone number. Our ownership team leads every client relationship directly. When you call our office, you’re talking to someone who has a stake in the outcome.
- Union contractor — union-trained, union-standard technicians on every BAS project
- Triple-licensed: GC License ELITEMS796R2 | Electrical License ELITEMS787CH | Plumbing License ELITEMS761BC
- Tridium Niagara 4 Framework trained | JCI Facility Explorer capable | ABB Cylon BACnet certified
- Seattle Grade III Boiler Supervisor | Boiler License #LIC-BO-1670
- Mitsubishi Diamond Contractor | Intellihot IntelliPRO Contractor
- EPA Section 608 certified technicians
- MWBE Cert #M1F0027854 | DBE Cert #D1F0027854 | PWSBE Cert #P000027854
- Bond capacity: $750,000 single project | $1.2 million aggregate
- Founded 2021 | Minority-owned, woman-owned, Indigenous-owned (Cowlitz Tribe), Latino-owned
A BAS that isn’t programmed by someone who understands the mechanical systems it controls is a BAS that doesn’t perform to its potential. Elite’s technicians understand HVAC, boilers, and plumbing systems because we install and service them — which means when we program a BAS sequence of operations, we’re writing it based on how the equipment actually behaves, not how the software manual says it should. That’s the difference between a controls system that works and one that technically functions but never delivers what it was supposed to.
Is Elite licensed for BAS electrical work in Washington state?
Yes. Building automation system installation involves significant electrical work — controls wiring, power connections to field devices, network cabling, and panel terminations. In Washington state, this work requires a licensed electrical contractor. Elite holds Washington State Electrical Contractor License #ELITEMS787CH, which covers all electrical scope involved in BAS installation and retrofit projects. You can verify contractor electrical licenses through the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries at lni.wa.gov.
What building automation platforms does Elite work with?
Elite Mechanical Services is trained and certified on Tridium Niagara (including the Niagara 4 Framework and JACE hardware), JCI Facility Explorer, and ABB Cylon BACnet — the three platforms most widely deployed in Pacific Northwest commercial and institutional buildings. We also have experience with pneumatic controls and direct digital controls (DDC) retrofit work. For facilities running older Niagara AX systems, we can assess the platform status and develop an upgrade path to Niagara 4, which is the current supported version.
What is Tridium Niagara and why does it matter for my facility?
Tridium Niagara is an open-protocol building automation platform that connects equipment from any manufacturer — HVAC, boilers, lighting, access control, metering — into a single monitoring and control interface. It matters because it removes vendor lock-in: you're not dependent on one manufacturer's service network or proprietary tools to maintain and modify your system. With over one million installations worldwide, Niagara is the dominant BAS platform in commercial construction and institutional renovation projects across North America, including the Pacific Northwest. If your building was built or renovated after 2010, there's a good chance it has Niagara hardware in it somewhere.
Can Elite integrate a new BAS with our existing legacy controls?
Yes. Legacy controls integration is one of the most common BAS projects we handle. Whether your facility is running older JCI Metasys N2 equipment, pneumatic controls, or standalone DDC controllers with no front-end interface, Elite can assess what you have and develop an integration scope that brings it under modern monitoring and control without necessarily replacing all the existing hardware. Tridium Niagara and JCI Facility Explorer both support legacy protocol integration through specialized driver packages — which is what makes them the right platform for buildings with mixed controls infrastructure.
Does Elite offer ongoing BAS programming and software support?
Yes. Elite offers BAS service agreements covering sensor calibration verification, setpoint and schedule review, fault log analysis, software and firmware updates, alarm routing checks, and controls integration verification. These agreements are available on annual, semi-annual, or custom schedules. For facilities that also have HVAC and boiler systems under an Elite preventative maintenance agreement, BAS service can be consolidated into a single program — one contractor, one schedule, and one set of service documentation covering your full mechanical and controls scope.
Commercial Mechanical Contractor | Lacey, WA | Founded 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
Ready to Get More Out of Your Building Automation System?
Elite Mechanical Services is your licensed commercial BAS contractor in Lacey, Olympia, Tumwater, and across Western Washington. Whether you need a new installation, a legacy integration, a platform upgrade, or ongoing programming and calibration support — our union-trained technicians are ready to help. Call (360) 489-0717, email admin@elitemechsvcs.com, or fill out our online quote request form to get started.