Interoperability continues to reduce life-cycle costs, inherently improving sustainability and providing an open door for future customization and expansion of facilities and building systems. What's more, BACnet is designed with the future in mind. It will remain relevant and expandable to new technology.
"BACnet systems remain dynamic and fluid, allowing easy implement of new solutions, solution providers, technologies and advances as they become available," says Tully. "As the BACnet world continues to grow and evolve, the foundation remains largely unchanged and completely viable."
That makes BACnet inherently sustainable. "Surely, one definition of sustainability could be that we make decisions now that are intended to benefit, and not harm, the future," says Dorsey. "For up-front building and system design, selection of an open communication protocol, and BACnet in particular, offers future-proofing benefits such that subsequent updating always will lead to interoperable devices and systems."
About BACnet InternationalBACnet International guides and supports the BACnet communications protocol for building automation systems and control networks and assists all BACnet Interest Groups in the implementation and improvement of the protocol. The organization grew from BACnet Manufacturers Associations and the BACnet Interest Group of North America. Members include building owners and facility managers as well as many of the companies involved in the design, manufacturing, installation and commissioning of control equipment using BACnet technology. Begun in 1987 and launched in 1995 as ASHRAE Standard 135, the BACnet protocol was a solution to the problem of the use of proprietary language with DDC technology in building systems, which made it difficult for controls from different manufacturers to communicate with each other and host systems. BACnet has now become a national standard in the United States, Europe and more than 30 other countries. BACnet International supports the operations of the BACnet Test Lab and the WSPLab in Europe for compliance and interoperability testing activities related to BACnet interoperability, both of which list devices and equipment that can maximize the protocol's management benefits. BACnet International also offers workshops and courses for facility managers and engineers interested in the compliance and best practice activities related to BACnet. To learn more about BACnet International, go to www.bacnetinternational.com. |
