Engineered Systems - September 2008 - (Page 5B)

services, and object models were leveraged as an integration platform. With the continued development of BACnet Web services, users will have the opportunity to bring together their speciﬁc suppliers to do just that. As these suppliers work to meet the needs of their common customers, they will likely ﬁnd that cross-supplier innovation does indeed create larger value propositions. Alliance participants will gain immediate beneﬁts, and the whole industry will beneﬁt over time. BACnet lowers the barriers to entry in our industry because it facilitates the integration of specialized products with systems from many suppliers. It allows anyone with expertise in sensor technology, actuator design, visualization software, data mining tools, system diagnostics, or other relevant domains to embed their expertise in a product and readily enter the market. New entrants do not have to provide a complete solution, as long as they incorporate a BACnet interface. BACnet’s inherent support for device integration, functional integration, and application integration also creates exciting opportunities in the area of entrepreneurship. BACnet lowers the barriers to entry in our industry because it facilitates the integration of specialized products with systems from many suppliers. It allows anyone with expertise in sensor technology, actuator design, visualization software, data mining tools, system diagnostics, or other relevant domains to embed their expertise in a product and readily enter the market. New entrants do not have to provide a complete solution as long as they incorporate a BACnet interface. These specialized hardware, software, and service products will offer users more price/performance options and will provide business growth opportunities for the people and companies who create them. BEYOND TECH TALK BACnet is frequently viewed as a topic of interest primarily to engineers and system integrators. This view has a strong basis in history, as the development of BACnet was largely a technical effort. However, times have changed. The technology continues to evolve and BACnet capabilities continue to expand, but BACnet is no longer only a technical issue. Much like the adoption of PCs and Ethernet created new business opportunities in computing, BACnet’s widespread adoption, coupled with the growing impact of IT, is creating new business opportunities in our industry: business opportunities that could change the game for innovative users and suppliers. This is also a dynamic time in our industry where energy costs and green initiatives are reducing the barriers to change in many organizations. So, if building value is one of your goals and you are hearing BACnet opportunities knock, I would say to you, “Carpe diem!” BACnet Connect MS/TP Devices to Your BACnet /IP Network ® RoHS Compliant BAS Router The 24 VAC power DIN rail mount Input 27 at www.esmagazine.com/instantproductinfo McMillan is president of BACnet International and president/CEO of Teletrol Systems Inc. BACn et Co n f er en c e a n d E x p o S u p p l e m e nt ESM09084ContControls.indd 1 5B 8/20/08 3:08:35 PM http://www.esmagazine.com/instantproductinfo

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of Engineered Systems - September 2008

Engineered Systems - September 2008 Contents Editor's Note HVAC Challenge Back2Basics Case In Point Commissioning Building Automation HVACR Designer Tips Application Checklist LEED®, Or Get (It) Out Of The Way? BACnet Supplement Race To Market Steam Humidification In Pharmaceutical Facilities Outside Air, Inside Data Centers Forecast: Increasingly Cloudy And Under Control Products Computers & Software Literature Glossary Classifieds Advertiser Index Tomorrow's Environment

Engineered Systems - September 2008

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