The Development Of BACnet™

Abstract

BACnet™1, the standard communications protocol for the HVAC
controls industry, is clearly becoming the accepted alternative to the
proprietary communications solutions that to date have dominated most
HVAC controls installations. Its promise of interoperability has been
widely anticipated for over ten years.
As a co-author of the standard, I am often confronted with impa -
tience regarding the pace of the standard's development and market
penetration. A simple response to this concern is that interoperability
in DOC controls is a complex issue that should only be met by a care -
fully designed and released solution. A more cynical view is that the
building design, construction, and management industry is not normally
willing to participate in the learning curve of a new technology.
To make new technology palatable to the building industry, com-
puterized controls have been sold with overblown claims and expecta-
tions . Readers with experience in first-generation computerized energy
management and DOC systems should understand this challenge and
appreciate a careful transition to the industry dominance of BACnet.
BACnet products are widely available and can be found in thou-
sands of installations. Recent articles-? have documented the growing
popularity of BACnet and the completion of a multi-vendor project at
the Phillip Burton Federal Building in San Franc isco (known as "450
Golden Gate"). Nevertheless, further efforts, developments and patience
are required before BACnet becomes the de facto technology in most
building controls projects. This article provides insight into the chal-
lenges and complexities that were confronted in the development of
BACnet. It also describes the steps remaining to fully transition the in-
dustry to BACnet. Ultimately, this story will help the reader understand
that the success of the standard can only be assured through patient
participation by everyone in the building industry-a corollary to "you
are either part of the solution or part of the problem."