ABSTRACT
This chapter provides essential information for facilities engineers and managers who are not communications experts or system integrators. The review of the BACnet protocol should enable building managers and engineers to understand the basic features of the protocol, which could help them in the review, analysis, and selection of building automation systems (BAS) communication options for their installations. The main objective of the standard is definition of data communications services and protocols for HVAC control equipment for buildings. The standard also can be applied for integration of other computerized building systems currently used in conjunction with BAS, such as security, fire detection, lighting control, and other systems. The BACnet architecture allows for design of a single or multiple networks. In a case of a single network, most network layer functions are included in the data link layer. Analog value objects are the results of calculations residing in the memory of a computer or controller connected to the BACnet-compatible network.
