In thinking about the body's biological systems, I would like to create an analogy between the nervous systems and regulatory systems within buildings. Most buildings have alert systems in place which are triggered in the event of danger, much like the nervous system. These include anything from fire alarms, smoke detectors, and sprinkler systems in place for emergencies, to energy conserving techniques like motion detecting light systems, all of which receive and respond to particular signals much like the nervous system.
Much like the human brain, buildings must have the capacity to adequately respond to each message they receive, to alert occupants in cases of emergencies, and trigger emergency response actions like sprinklers, or calling 911.