In BAS, what is the primary purpose of a 'priority array'?

In BAS, what is the primary purpose of a 'priority array'?

• A. Stores the event log for auditing
• B. Allows multiple controllers to assign values with priorities
• C. Defines the network address mapping for devices
• D. Sets the data logging interval

Answer: (B)

In BAS, a priority array is all about control source arbitration—managing multiple sources that write to the same output by assigning priorities. Each controller or source can propose a value for an actuator, and those proposals are stored in slots corresponding to different priority levels. The device then uses the value from the highest-priority slot that actually has a value. If that high slot is cleared, the next highest one is used, and so on. This lets different parts of the system override others in a predictable way, so a manual override can take precedence over a schedule, and once the override is released, control falls back to the next active source like occupancy-based or scheduled control. The other options don’t capture this idea—storing an event log is about history, mapping network addresses is about addressing, and setting a data logging interval is about data collection, not how control values are prioritized.

In BAS, a priority array is all about control source arbitration—managing multiple sources that write to the same output by assigning priorities. Each controller or source can propose a value for an actuator, and those proposals are stored in slots corresponding to different priority levels. The device then uses the value from the highest-priority slot that actually has a value. If that high slot is cleared, the next highest one is used, and so on. This lets different parts of the system override others in a predictable way, so a manual override can take precedence over a schedule, and once the override is released, control falls back to the next active source like occupancy-based or scheduled control. The other options don’t capture this idea—storing an event log is about history, mapping network addresses is about addressing, and setting a data logging interval is about data collection, not how control values are prioritized.