Consulting-Specifying Engineer - January 2008 - (Page 24) It’s the NEW Codes & Standards well as mutual liaisons with the Security Industry Assn., to ensure that the security industry’s state-of-the-art practices are being incorporated. As with Addendum i, these extensions use the existing BACnet communications platform, which allows these new capabilities to be retrofitted in buildings already using BACnet. Addendum l introduces a means for specifying different kinds of BACnet workstations, from simple wall-mounted LCD devices or hand-held terminals up to advanced workstations able to monitor system performance and modify system parameters. In addition it includes a new life-safety workstation specially intended to support BACnet’s life-safety capabilities. Addendum o was drafted by the BACnet Internet Protocol Working Group to deal with issues arising from the increased use network address translation (NAT) firewalls since BACnet’s Internet Protocol (BACnet over IP) capability was first developed. For example, NAT firewalls generally allow connections to be established only between devices inside and outside the firewall if the connection originates from the device inside the firewall, which makes access to the system from workstations outside the firewall difficult. Addendum q defines a new BACnet/ZigBee wireless capability. The BACnet Wireless Networking Working Group and the ZigBee community have been working together to marry the two technologies, the goal being to give BACnet a shortrange wireless LAN for use in installations where a wired LAN is either too expensive or impossible. BACnet in demand The BACnet Utilities Integration Working Group (UI-WG) has been working with the energy utilities and their industry organizations to develop automated communications between the utilities and buildings to automate the exchange of information about real-time energy pricing and needs for temporary demand reduction. Such communications aid strategies for reducing energy costs, as well as reducing more expensive brownouts or blackouts. In an example of how one BACnet extension can facilitate another, the UI-WG has proposed to convey these communications between the buildings and utilities using the BACnet Web Services development discussed in 2005’s “Bullish on BACnet.” BACnet “going up” In 2007, BACnet “elevated” its coverage of areas of building automation even more with its response to a request from the elevator industry to integrate elevator monitoring into BACnet. A jointly developed technical proposal to add elevator support to BACnet has been submitted to the BACnet Objects and Services Working Group. Internationally speaking When “Bullish” was published, BACnet had been an ISO standard for almost a year and a half. As an ISO standard, its international support has grown. In addition to the four regional BACnet interest groups around the world at the time (Europe, North America, AustralAsia and the Middle East), new national groups in Russia, Sweden, Finland and France have been formed, with more announcements forthcoming. Even BACnet conformance testing has gone international. The original North American BACnet Testing Lab, which certifies equipment for BACnet compliance, is now operated in India by BACnet International. A second lab is now open in Germany, operated by the BACnet Interest Group—Europe. Still bullish As exciting as things were for BACnet when “Bullish on BACnet” was published in 2005, it was hard to imagine that three years later it would so much more so today. With the advancement of BACnet into new areas of building automation, the development of more capabilities in BACnet, and the increasing support of BACnet internationally, it’s easy to still be bullish on BACnet. Bill Swan is ECC Buildings Standards Initiatives Leader at Alerton/Honeywell, Redmond, Wash., and chair of the ASHRAE BACnet committee. Technology that matters most! Visit us at csemag.com for the latest engineering news and information on electrical, fire, HVAC, and plumbing systems. NEW on our site: • BLOGS • INDUSTRY SEARCH • WEBCASTS The first destination for consulting engineers www.csemag.com 24 Consulting-Specifying Engineer • JANUARY 2008 http://csemag.com http://www.csemag.com
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