 |
Welcome to the newest edition of the Cornerstones enewsletter. The BACnet International community benefits from information and education shared through Cornerstones, the organization's monthly electronic publication. This publication is disseminated to members of the BACnet community, connecting corporate, integrator, site, student and individual end users.
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 there is a best practice, company news, product news or BACnet Success Story you want to share, please send them to us. And don't leave out the photos!
All submissions should be sent to Kathleen Magee, BACnet International's Marketing Manager.
|
|
Opportunities
|
|
European BACnet PlugFest 2017
The BACnet Interest Group Europe invites you to join the 11th European BACnet Plugfest, also known as BIG-EU Interoperability Workshop.
This year's host is Sauter Germany located in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
The Plugfest event will take place from May 17 - 19, 2017 and is open to developers and product managers. It will begin on Wednesday, May 17 after lunch, to allow arrival on Tuesday and setup on Wednesday morning. The testing starts at 12:30 pm and continues through Friday, May 19, at noon.
Shortly before the Plugfest event, the
BIG-EU spring meetings will also be held in Freiburg. The 2017 General Meeting and Advisory Board meetings are scheduled on Monday, May 15 and the Working Groups Technique and Marketing will meet on Tuesday, May 16. Additionally, the BACnet Academy will provide a one day introduction to BACnet in German on Wednesday, May 17.
Registration is open until April 3, 2017.
Please remember to make your own travel arrangements as soon as possible. Travel and accommodation tips can be found on the Plugfest webpage.
|
|
Save the Date - PlugFest 2017
The BACnet International BACnet Testing Laboratories Working Group (BTL WG) invites manufacturers of BACnet products to attend the 18th annual PlugFest, an interoperability workshop at The University of New Hampshire in Durham, NH.
This event permits vendors to test their BACnet products with BACnet devices from other vendors in a neutral and friendly environment. 2016 saw 80 BACnet engineers representing 37 teams in attendance, working together to improve their BACnet implementation and testing methods.
The 2017 event will run from Tuesday, September 26 through Thursday, September 28.
The BACnet Working Group will be meeting on Monday, September 25 prior to the start of PlugFest.
For More Information
|
|
|
|
Just as passionate as their commitment to creating an engaging experience for children was the executive directors' dedication to making ImaginOn a green building, taking waste-reduction measures during demolition and construction, and using energy reducing technology for ongoing operation. ImaginOn became the first public building in Charlotte and Mecklenburg County certified by the USGBC.
|
ImaginOn: The Joe & Joan Martin Center
Charlotte, NC
The Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County (PLCMC) and Children's Theatre of Charlotte (CTC) each offered engaging and educational programs for young people, but both were running out of space. The executive directors for both organizations decided to create a combined solution into a single, new facility.
Aesthetics became a vital part of the mechanical system design as unsightly panels and conduit have no place in a building designed to delight the eye as much as the mind. One of the biggest challenges was concealing as much equipment as possible.
An Alerton BACnet-based energy management system (EMS) provides energy efficient operation, including occupancy-based HVAC control, CO2 demand ventilation and more. Alerton's Envision for BACtalk front-end software manages all the functions and seamlessly integrates third-party devices and systems such as lighting control and fire/life safety.
Sophisticated control strategies--including supply air reset control, static pressure reset control, and fan speed modulation based on airflow measuring--effectively manage the vastly different heating and cooling needs of the library and the theater. In addition to motion-based space sensors, ImaginOn uses precision controls to reduce its energy use and increase savings by ensuring no space is over- or under-ventilated.
ImaginOn features electronically commutated motors (ECM), a high-powered, brushless motor that has less energy loss than permanent split-capacitor (PSC) motors, thereby reducing a facility's energy consumption. An analog output on an Alerton unitary controller uses an ECM speed card to control variable air volume (VAV) box fan speed.
Hoffman Building Technologies, the controls contractor, established interfaces to a packaged Bell & Gosset pumping system for secondary chilled and hot water systems. Piping is classic constant volume primary and variable volume secondary with differential pressure control. Onicon BTU meters are in the hot water and chilled water systems for energy measurement and verification (M&V) purposes. The meters are connected to the EMS, and energy consumption is trended for review and analysis.
Beyond peak efficient operations to help the facility achieve LEED certification, ImaginOn building data had to be vigilantly tracked and verified. Integrated York chillers use an MS/TP trunk off an Alerton BACtalk Integrator (BTI), a BACnet-based global controller, picking up between 40 and 50 points and enabling the trunk to generate a great deal of building data. An integrated lighting control panel energizes lighting in a zone once it picks up an occupancy sensor contact. For additional control, an Alerton Microtouch unit offers a push-button override option if the motion sensor doesn't pick up the contact. Hoffman also tied in CO2 demand control ventilation (DCV), which controls the outdoor air intake, enabling the ImaginOn EMS to reduce the potential of over-ventilating a space during a period of low occupancy. The system still provides enough outdoor air ventilation, but decreases energy consumption in doing so.
One of the ImaginOn project requirements was for the controls contractor to provide power to the combination fire-smoke dampers. The fire alarm contractor provided a contact and a p-tap station for each damper. Hoffman facilitated the coordination between the fire alarm contractor and the smoke alarm contractor to placing and concealing the power transformers that power the fire-smoke dampers and complete installation.
Number of Buildings: 1
Total Area: 113,000 sq. ft.
Products / Equipment Installed: Global controllers, water-cooled chillers, water towers, boilers, chill and hot water pumps, air handling units (AHUs), and variable air volume (VAV) boxes. Alerton's Envision for BACtalk (TM) front-end software. Occupancy-based HVAC control, carbon dioxide (CO2) demand ventilation, lighting control.
Systems Integrated:
Chiller, CO2 Monitoring, HVAC, Lighting, Power Monitoring, Smoke, VAV
Number of Devices: 40+
System Points: 200+
BACnet Manufacturer: Alerton
|
|
|
Want to Share
Your Success?
BACnet International Success Stories further knowledge and understanding of the implementation of the standard by highlighting successful BACnet installations. Success Stories are subject to an application and approval process prior to public posting.
Once a Success Story is posted, it becomes a permanent, linkable record of the successful project. Further, Success Stories:
- Are automatically eligible for additional public recognition via BACnet International's Success Story of the Year Award;
- Are featured in Cornerstones, which is seen by thousands of individuals via email, and on the BACnet International website; and
- Are candidates for articles in the BACnet International Journal, BACnet International's official magazine.
Consider pulling together a Success Story for your company, and take advantage of the power of free and meaningful press!
Submit Your Company's Success Story
|
|
The BACnet Institute - a One-stop, 360-degree BACnet Experience
The BACnet Institute (TBI), an online center for
BACnet educational resources and discussion forums,
was launched at the AHR Expo. The BACnet Institute was developed by BACnet International, with the support of its members and industry leaders, and provides an easy path to BACnet information and learning for everyone involved with BACnet systems.
Designed around BACnet community needs revealed in an extensive 2014 member survey, The BACnet Institute
encompasses on-demand, self-paced courses alongside an organized repository of white papers, presentations and recorded webinars, as well as a Developer Forum. It operates under the administration of BACnet International in collaboration with other BACnet industry groups.
As a first time user, you will need to create an account. Visit The BACnet Institute and click on the "Sign Up Now" link.
To access the forum, once logged in click on the "Community" tab on the home page.
For More Information
|
|
BACnet MS/TP Troubleshooting Simplified with Innovative Product Integration from Contemporary Controls and Optigo Networks
BACnet MS/TP troubleshooting can now be done remotely on demand or via scheduled analysis thanks to a one-of-a kind product integration from Chicago-based Contemporary Controls and Vancouver-based Optigo Networks. Using Contemporary Controls' popular BASrouterLX to capture MS/TP traffic and Optigo Networks' new Visual BACnet for analysis, technicians will no longer need to be on-site to diagnose MS/TP issues.
Recent technological developments have made diagnosing IP network issues easier, but until this collaboration, troubleshootingMS/TP network issues has been hands-on and time consuming. When an MS/TP
network breaks down, the technician has to put on his boots, drive to the site, set up a USB dongle and capture traffic right on-site. The product integration between Contemporary Controls and Optigo Networks changes that.
For More Information
|
Automated Logic Introduces Two New Products and Updates Specification Tool
New High Speed BACnet Router for the WebCTRL® Building Automation System
Automated Logic has released its new high performance OptiFlex BACnet router, which serves as a key component in the powerful WebCTRL® building automation system (BAS).
Routers are integral to customer IT infrastructures and building automation systems. For smart buildings of today and tomorrow, routers play an ever-expanding and vital role. Now they must:
- Adapt to a wide variety of network topologies
- Serve as secure gatekeepers to process and filter huge volumes of network messages
- Work with other routers to dynamically manage and support secure data sharing across hundreds of network segments
- Interact with Cloud-based applications
|
|
|
ALC's OptiFlex BACnet Router
|
- Provide high-level functions such as alarm forwarding, data caching and much more
ALC's new high performance OptiFlex router provides all of these functions
and comes equipped with many communication features.
For More Information
Wireless Sensors
Automated Logic has expanded its product portfolio to include a new line of self-powered, wireless space sensors, promoting sustainability, optimized comfort and energy efficiency in commercial buildings. Designed to work with WebCTRL® controllers and the WebCTRL building automation system, these sensors monitor a building's conditions to optimize the use of HVAC and lighting systems within the building.
|
|
|
|
ALC wireless sensor
|
|
Available in eight models, the new line of wireless sensors (WS line) monitor avariety of building conditions including temperature, humidity, motion, light and the opening and closing of doors and windows. This information is then shared with the WebCTRL system where various control strategies are executed to enhance occupant comfort and optimize energy usage.
For More Information
Automated Logic Updates Online HVAC Controls Specification Tool, CTRLSpecBuilder
As part of its ongoing commitment to the engineering community, ALC has updated its CTRLSpecBuilder® specification tool. Since its debut in 2003, the CTRLSpecBuilder tool has been accessed by thousands of registered users from over 50 countries and has been used to create over 35,000 specifications.
The CTRLSpecBuilder tool, available at www.ctrlspecbuilder.com, is free to use and helps engineers prepare bid specifications for HVAC control systems quickly and accurately. With the new upgrades, the CTRLSpecBuilder tool now has an enhanced user interface along with updated verbiage to support industry-emerging technologies such as fault detection and diagnostics, automated demand response and other advanced energy saving strategies.
|
|
Delta Controls Debuts the eZNTW, Fully Programmable Thermostat with Superior Wireless Connectivity
|
|
|
Delta Controls announced the debut of the eZNTW, an advanced BACnet thermostat, to expand its enteliZONE thermostat product line at AHR Expo in Las Vegas. Named a finalist in the AHR Expo Innovation Award in the Building Automation category, the eZNTW, boasts unique communications capabilities, such as onboard WiFi to make it IoT-ready and enOcean® wireless capabilities for HVAC controls and in-room integration with a variety of peripheral products, such as lighting, blinds and door contact. The eZNTW also features a wide-range of sensing applications, from basic temperature monitoring to indoor air quality and occupancy sensing.
To cut down installation time, this BACnet-capable thermostat with fully-programmable capabilities can be configured using NFC-enabled mobile devices or a webpage via WiFi. Designed to accommodate a wide range of sensing applications, the eZNTW delivers custom solutions specific to the needs of each market within the built environment, and provides building occupants with an intuitive and customizable touch-interface.
For More Information
|
Johnson Controls Launches New Products
Verasys™ controls system - first plug-and-play solution that integrates HVACR equipment and controls
Johnson Controls introduces Verasys™, the first plug-and-play controls system that integrates heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVACR) equipment and controls. Verasys offers customers in the light commercial market a flexible,
one-source procurement solution with advanced technology already embedded for the self-discovery of Smart Equipment™. Suitable for single- or multi-zone applications, the new controls system seamlessly connects to a vast range of mechanical and electrical equipment, controls and sensors using wireless configurations that result in cost savings. Verasys accomplishes this without requiring any special programming tools, ensuring low installation costs.
For More Information
New VRF Smart Gateway provides unprecedented control for network management centers; next-generation systems increase performance
The new Variable Refrigerant Flow (VRF) Smart Gateway from Johnson
Controls
provides unprecedented control for network management centers. Offering fast, simple integration into the Metasys® building automation system (BAS) or any other BACnet BAS, the small, yet powerful gateway brings data into a BAS for
comprehensive control of the entire system. Data is organized and available on-demand from any connected device. The VRF Smart Gateway works over Ethernet to discover all data points from VRF indoor and outdoor units, and makes the data available for every
component across the entire system through the Metasys BAS. This comprehensive point data provides greater diagnostic capabilities and system control.
For More Information
Johnson Controls launches new line of BACnet thermostats
Johnson Controls recently launched the T8800 series of BACnet thermostats which is designed for growing the network thermostat market and features BAS integration capabilities that enables remote monitoring and programmability for efficient temperature control. The T8800 series support two-pipe or four-pipe FCU applications.
For More Information
|
LG Unveils New MultiSITE Controls Suite, Ushering In The Connected Building Of The Future
Air conditioning technologies leader LG Electronics unveiled the future of connected buildings at the 2017 AHR Expo with the introduction of its new controls platform, LG MultiSITETM. The new suite of products empowers building owners and operators to optimize their operations and efficiency with features that enable more building synergy and accessibility than ever before.
With the MultiSITE products, LG's goal is to supply building owners the tools they need to make the best operational choices for their businesses and bottom lines. The suite of advanced solutions is composed of the LG MultiSITE Remote Controller, Communications Manager and VM3 building management solution - all of which allow operators to take control of their buildings in ways that were not previously possible.
- LG MultiSITE Remote Controller: an intuitive control panel featuring a customizable screen and configurable functionality to meet the requirements of each installation
- LG MultiSITE Communications Manager: integrates the power of LG VRF technology into an existing third-party building management system. For the first time ever, a controls framework directly integrates with a VRF system; eliminating the need for a gateway
- LG MultiSITE VM3: a building management solution that maximizes the sophistication of control in each building system for cohesive building operation and synergistic performance
For More Information
|
Acuity Brands Taps Cochrane Supply to Expand Footprint in IoT Building Controls and Automation Services
Acuity Brands has announced that its subsidiary, Distech Controls, has signed an agreement with Cochrane Supply & Engineering, a leading Industrial Internet
of Things distributor, to expand Distech Controls' sales footprint in Michigan, Kentucky and parts of Ohio.
Under terms of the agreement, Cochrane Supply will distribute Distech Controls' HVAC and Building Management Solutions, including its ECLYPSE® Connected BACnet/IP and Wi-Fi HVAC controller series and ENVYSION™ web-based design and visualization interface. These products create a distributed architecture over the IP protocol that enables building owners to optimize HVAC control systems management, and simplify the exchange of business and occupant data.
For More Information
|
Carrier Highlighted Investment and Innovation with Newest Climate Control Products at AHR Expo
From new, advanced products and services to enhancements of proven legacy solutions, Carrier previewed its "Next Big Things" at the AHR Expo in Las Vegas. Carrier's slate of new offerings underscores the business' unwavering commitment to innovation through research and development investment.
Among the "Next Big Things" Carrier showcased:
Products
- New air-cooled and water-cooled chillers that represent the future of chiller technologies and efficiency
- New additions to our comprehensive portfolio of energy-efficient variable refrigerant flow systems
- A reinvented 39M commercial air handler that delivers greater flexibility by increasing the number of available sizes, configurations and options
|
|
|
Carrier AquaEdge 19DV Centrifugal Chiller
|
- The expansion of the Carrier residential lineup of Cor® thermostats as well as its growth in the home automation segment
Services & Features
- Remote connectivity and advanced analytics through Carrier SMART Service to help building owners and facility managers drive increased reliability, reduced energy and maintenance expenses and diminished resource consumption
- A factory-installed direct digital controller for many water source heat pump systems that will deliver increased efficiency and improved dehumidification
- Improved customer design and system analysis tools, which support the HVAC design process, focused on providing greater flexibility while saving customers time
- Enhanced software packages to improve the specification and design process
For More Information
|
Have some product news to share with the BACnet International Community? Contact BACnet Marketing Manager Kathleen Magee today.
|
|
Corporate Members:
Don't Forget Your Benefits
Click on the image to discover how BACnet International is the cornerstone to your company's success.
|
|
|
Introduction to BACnet for Building Owners and Engineers
The purpose of this document--click on document for access--is to provide an overview of BACnet history, terminology and philosophy for building owners, managers and others involved with BACnet projects. The document provides an introduction to the topic of BACnet but it is not a comprehensive description of BACnet and it is not a product or system implementation guide.
|
|
|
BACnet International Members
|
|
See what's happening on our social sites:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
