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- Join us for PlugFest 2025
- NEW! Guide to the Network Port Object
- Preview of ASHRAE Standards Now Available
- Call for Journal Articles
- Get ready for the 2026 AHR Expo
- Expand your knowledge with our TBI Courses
- TBI Corner
- Corporate Member Updates
- New BTL Certifications
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Welcome to the newest edition of the Cornerstones newsletter from BACnet International. The BACnet International community benefits from information and education shared through Cornerstones, the organization's monthly electronic publication. This publication is distributed to members of the BACnet International community, connecting corporate, integrator, site, student, and individual users to BACnet news and updates. Cornerstones is a unique publication because it speaks not only to the engineer and contractor communities, but also to facility professionals, building managers and owners, and other personnel.
This is where you come in. We need you to connect! If you have company news, product news, BACnet Case Study, or a best practice you want to share, please send them to us using the form below. And don't leave out the photos!
Read past Cornerstones and Case Studies.
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Save time and money by testing your
BACnet products at PlugFest!
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Register and join us October 14-16 at the
UNH Interoperability Laboratory.
Corporate Members save $400/registrant.
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Check out what past attendees have said
about attending PlugFest!
| | "We've encountered a lot of the different types of situations, all the different variations in the BACnet standard, devices that have alarms, devices that don't, some devices that have property lists and devices that don't really. If you come to PlugFest, you'll encounter almost every possible variation of a BACnet devices that you can find. It allows us to do a lot of incredible compatibility testing really fast in a matter of a couple of days, that normally that kind of exposure could take years." | | "It's very beneficial for us to attend PlugFest, because we always find some issues in our products, and it's helpful to find them before they reach the market. We can solve the problems in a friendly environment, instead of on customer premises, or under time pressure and in a complicated environment. So here is the place to find those kind of problems. And it's very easy to find them because we have so many devices interconnected." | | "PlugFest is a very good opportunity to meet other development teams and hook up to other companies’ devices, see how your implementation tests against those devices and vice versa. And it's a very good opportunity to find situations that you cannot reproduce in your lab. You find situations that you would otherwise discover with your customers. It’s better to test your BACnet device in a safe environment." | | "We aim to be interoperable with as many operators and vendors as possible. PlugFest is like the perfect opportunity for us to test with as many vendors as possible. And it's like three days we get to interact with all the different technicians or experts from different companies. So that makes it really invaluable to attend." | | Which companies have attended recent PlugFests? | | |
ABB
Accutrol
Armstrong Monitoring
ASI Controls
Automated Logic Corporation
Belimo
BSC Softworks
Carel Industries S.p.A.
Carrier
Chipkin Automation Systems
Cimetrics
Conserve It
Control Techniques
Contemporary Controls
Critical Room Control
Daikin Applied Solutions
Delta Controls
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DemandQ
Engineered Air
Evolution Controls
Fr. Sauter AG
Functional Devices
HMS Industrial Networks
Honeywell International
Intesis
Johnson Controls
KONE
Legrand
Lennox International
Loytec Electronics
LumenRadio
Lutron
LynTec
Melink Corporation
Neptronic
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Nidec Control Techniques
ONICON
PassiveLogic
PolarSoft
Potter Electric Signal Company
Price Electronics
Q-PAC
Reliable Controls
Schneider Electric
Setra
Siemens
Trane
Tridium
WindowMaster International
Yaskawa America, Inc.
| | More information and how to register: | | |
BACnet International and BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL) invite you to PlugFest, the premier interoperability workshop for BACnet product developers and manufacturers. This year’s event runs from Tuesday, October 14th – Thursday, October 16th at the University of New Hampshire’s Interoperability Lab in Durham, NH. Additionally, the BTL Working Group will host its quarterly face-to-face meeting on Monday, October 13th, the day before PlugFest begins.
- Test the interoperability of your company’s BACnet products with the BACnet products of other vendors in a friendly and neutral environment.
- Fix implementation errors before they are discovered in the field.
- The BTL Technical Advisor and other BACnet experts will be onsite to assist and answer questions.
- Education opportunities are available.
- Network with fellow engineers and developers.
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Volunteer Discount Note: If you or a member of your company volunteers for BACnet International (BTL Working Group, Marketing Committee, Education Committee, or Board of Directors) or the SSPC 135 Committee, then you are eligible for an additional $50.00 USD discount. Please email
info@bacnetinternational.org for the promo code.
Register yourself and your colleagues today to reserve your spot! Save $400.00 USD with the Corporate Discount (your company must be a Corporate Member of BACnet International and in good financial standing). Registration notes: You must be signed in to your BACnet International account in order to register for PlugFest. Before registering, ensure that ALL of your team members have a BACnet International Account. It is recommended best practice to have them sign in and update their account, as we have recently changed our account systems. If you already have an account, please use your email address to log in, not your username. As we transition to our new system, you will be prompted to reset your password. If you do not remember which e-mail address you used, please e-mail our Executive Office at info@bacnetinternational.org.
Create a BACnet International account.
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Now available to download:
Guide to the Network Port Object
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Targeted at developers and testers of BACnet devices, the Guide to the Network Port Object discusses the differences between hierarchical and non-hierarchical Network Port objects and the benefits of each. It dives into the changes to the Network Port object when Standard 135-2020, Addendum cc (Protocol_Revision 24) was published and the consequences of choosing between pre- and post-Addendum cc Network Port objects.
This guide provides a detailed list of the required properties and properties that are required to be writable for each data link and what level each required property exists within a hierarchical chain of Network Port objects.
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ASHRAE Standards and Guidelines,
including BACnet Standard 135-2024, are now available to preview on the ASHRAE website!
| | ASHRAE now allows website visitors to preview its standards and guidelines in a free, read-only PDF format. If you need technical support, please contact iEngineering at ashrae@iengineering.com. | |
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Now accepting submissions:
Journal of Building Automation
| BACnet International is now accepting article and advertisement reservations for the Fall 2025 issue of the Journal of Building Automation. The Journal covers updates, developments, stories, and news on the BACnet protocol as well as the wider building automation industry as a whole. Please review the deadlines and criteria below. | | | | |
Article Abstract Submission
& Ad Order Deadline:
Friday, August 29th
Deadline for Article Content
& Ad Artwork:
Friday, September 12th
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Publication Date:
Monday, October 27th
Contact:
Mary Catherine Heard
BACnet International
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If you have an article topic or case study you think would be of interest, get in touch with us to reserve your placement! Send a short article abstract by Friday, August 29th, to marycatherine@bacnetinternational.org.
Possible article topics include:
- BACnet Security
- Smart Buildings
- BAS Integration
- Building Automation and more!
Article submissions for the journal must abide by our Author Guidelines and Commercialism Code of Conduct. This does not apply to journal advertisements. Advertisement guidelines can be found in the Journal Media Plan.
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Check out our self-paced, interactive courses
on The BACnet Institute (TBI)!
| | The BACnet Cybersecurity course provides an overview of BACnet Secure Connect (BACnet/SC), focusing on its significance in enhancing the security of interoperable building automation systems. Participants will gain an understanding of how BACnet/SC differs from existing security measures, its technical aspects and its interaction with other BACnet devices. This course also addresses the cybersecurity challenges and future strategies for improving BACnet security. | | BACnet Basics is a self-paced, interactive introduction to BACnet. While designed for facility managers, it is still relevant to anyone new to the BACnet community. The course has six lessons followed by a mastery test. The typical time to complete this course is two hours. A Certificate of Completion is awarded after passing a mastery test provided at end of course. | | |
| The Facility Manager’s Guide to Building Automation Systems | | The BACnet Device Profiles course explains the various BACnet device profiles and how the profiles can be effectively used to ensure the successful specification of BACnet in a Building Automation System (BAS) implementation. In this course, the purpose of each BACnet Device Profile is defined, explaining the role each plays in the context of building automation and how the profiles can be effectively combined in a specification to ensure the functionality required is achieved. | | This course provides insight on how facility managers can effectively participate in and contribute to a BACnet-based BAS integration. While the course is positioned from a facility manager’s perspective, it is still a valuable resource for other key professionals in the BAS integration process, including building owners, contractors, project consultants, and even IT professionals. | | Join us at the 2026 AHR Expo in Las Vegas! | | |
Mark your calendars for our
AHR Education Sessions!
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BACnet 101
Speaker: Edward Tom, Product Manager at Yaskawa America, Inc.,
Monday, February 2, 2026 • 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM | Location: S231
Description: BACnet is a popular open building automation protocol that continues to grow. This session will teach you about the basic building blocks and design philosophy that have made, and continue to make, BACnet so widely embraced. Learn how BACnet can help you now and into the future as the Building Internet of Things (B-IoT) and Cybersecurity continue to evolve.
BACnet in Mission-Critical Applications
Speaker: Ken Gilbert, Americas Solutions Consultant, Managing Director, Automated Logic Corporation
Monday, February 2, 2026 • 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM | Location: S231
Description: This session expands the traditional view of BACnet by showcasing its powerful role in mission-critical and non-traditional environments. Through real-world case studies, we’ll explore how BACnet is enabling smarter, more efficient operations in data centers, laboratories, and large-scale vertical farming systems.
BACnet: Past, Present & Future on its 30th Anniversary
Speaker: Andy McMillan, President & Managing Director, BACnet International
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 • 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM | Location: S219
Description: BACnet was published as an ASHRAE Standard in 1995. More than 30 protocol revisions later, BACnet continues to transform the building automation industry as an open-source, secure, interoperable, and evolving protocol. Independent conformance testing allows the standard to be trusted and increasingly adopted by the industry worldwide. This session provides first-hand accounts from BACnet pioneers and experts who continue to shape today’s building automation landscape.
Extracting Value from Open Systems
Speaker: Andy McMillan, President & Managing Director, BACnet International
Tuesday, February 3, 2026 • 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM | Location: S219
Description: This session will explore how BACnet-enabled integration of HVAC with Lighting and other building systems can qualify projects for utility rebate programs that recognize the energy and carbon emissions reductions fully integrated systems can produce. It will also explore the challenges inherent in designing such utility programs. The session will consist of a panel discussion and audience questions with experts in utility rebate programs, BACnet and networked lighting systems.
| | BACnet International is seeking building automation experts with knowledge of BACnet and DALI system integration as potential speakers, panelists and article authors. If you have experience and would like the opportunity to share your knowledge and showcase your expertise, please fill out the form below and we will get in touch with you. We look forward to hearing from you! | | Have an interesting BACnet success story? | | Does your company have an interesting, out-of-the-box, or atypical BACnet implementation success story? BACnet International is looking for such examples for the 2026 AHR Expo. Send the details or a link to Membership and Education Manager, David Nardone, at david@bacnetinternational.org. | | |
Every month, BACnet International
will highlight a resource from
The BACnet Institute (TBI) Resource Library!
| | This month's featured TBI resource is "BACnet in the Cloud," presented by Ken Gilbert, Automated Logic. This session, presented at the 2024 AHR Expo, discusses the evolution of the BACnet protocol and how BACnet/SC provides a Cloud Native Capability to support connecting to the cloud. | | |
The BACnet Institute (TBI) is an online portal for BACnet-focused learning and knowledge sharing. It provides an easy path to BACnet information and learning for everyone involved with BACnet systems. The portal includes three on-demand FREE courses and over 200 resources including white papers, articles, presentations, and a community forum. TBI Resources are free, but registration for an account is required. Courses are eligible for CEUs and PDHs.
Each year TBI continues to grow. Since its launch in January 2017, over 10,000 registered users across more than 80 countries have accessed its resources. TBI’s simple search function allows users to get quick access to anything they need.
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For BACnet International Corporate Members, if you have any news concerning one of your BTL-listed products, case studies, or company news stories, let us know, and we will be glad to include it in Cornerstones! All submissions should be sent to Mary Catherine Heard, BACnet International's Marketing and Communications Manager, at marycatherine@bacnetinternational.org.
Please ensure that we are included in your distribution lists for product and company news release as well.
| | ABB to invest more than CA$130 million in Canadian R&D and manufacturing | | ABB announced today that it will invest more than CA$130 million (around US$100 million) to expand the R&D and production capacity of its advanced power protection and grid resilience technologies in Canada. The investment in Montreal, Quebec will combine ABB’s existing Iberville and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu facilities at a new greenfield location. This will enable ABB to meet increasing demand in key growth industries, including utilities, renewables, transportation, and residential and infrastructure projects across Canada. | | Automated Logic Expands OptiFlex Family with New Network Controllers for Enhanced Building Automation | | |
Automated Logic is excited to announce the launch of two new controllers for the WebCTRL® building automation system: the OptiFlex™ Network Isolator and the OptiFlex Integration Router. These controllers enhance network security and streamline integration, offering a robust and future-ready foundation for modern building management. Automated Logic, a leading provider of innovative building-management solutions, is a part of Carrier Global Corporation (NYSE: CARR), global leader in intelligent climate and energy solutions.
The new controllers feature a compact design and include dual IP ports, facilitating daisy-chain Ethernet connections for straightforward installation. They are compatible with WebCTRL v9 or later systems and feature robust BACnet routing capabilities across IP, Ethernet, BACnet/SC, MS/TP, and ARCNET networks. They are also BTL listed, conforming to BACnet standards to ensure interoperability, reliability, and compliance.
| | Siemens earns Platinum and highest-ever score in EcoVadis Sustainability Rating | | |
Siemens has been awarded the Platinum medal – the highest possible distinction – in the 2025 EcoVadis Sustainability Rating. This achievement places Siemens among the top one percent of around 130,000 companies assessed worldwide by EcoVadis, a provider of business sustainability ratings.
The Platinum medal underscores Siemens' unwavering commitment to sustainability and reflects significant achievements across all of EcoVadis’ assessment areas: Environment, Ethics, Labor & Human Rights, and Sustainable Procurement. EcoVadis assessed Siemens with a score of 86* points. In addition, Siemens Mobility was assessed separately, achieving a score of 84 points.
More than 90 percent of Siemens’ business enables customers to achieve a positive sustainability impact across three key areas: decarbonization and energy efficiency, resource efficiency and circularity, and people centricity & society.
| | Mitsubishi Electricʼs Net Zero Energy Building Test Facility “SUSTIE” is Asian Regional Winner in ASHRAE Technology Awards Program | | Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Mitsubishi Jisho Design Inc. and Waseda University jointly announced today that Mitsubishi Electricʼs Net Zero Energy Building Test Facility “SUSTIE,” located in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture, was selected as Regional Winner (Regional Level Technology Awards 2025-2026 Regional Winner) in the Commercial Buildings (new) category of the ASHRAE Technology Awards program. Organized by the Asian Region (ASHRAE Region XIII) of The American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), the program is one of the worldʼs biggest technology award initiatives focusing on environmentally friendly building design. | | |
Congratulations to the following
BACnet International Corporate Members who have achieved BTL Certification!
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Desigo PXC7, PXC5 and PXC4 Automation Station (BTL-31359)
BACnet Building Controller (B-BC)
BACnet Secure Connect Hub (B-SCHUB)
BACnet Router (B-RTR)
BACnet Broadcast Management Device (B-BBMD)
https://www.bacnetinternational.net/btl/?p=3689
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