ABSTRACT
BACnet, 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. BACnet products are widely available and can be found in thousands of installations. The issue of including LonTalk as a local area network technology within BACnet was passed prior to the third public review of the standard in 1995. One of the final efforts before the release of the standard was to develop a method to facilitate the specification of BACnet-based systems. It was understood that an intimate knowledge of the 500-page standard could not be expected of the consulting engineering community. Completion of the BACnet standard merely marked the start of a “re-tooling” of the controls contracting industry for delivery of truly integrated building automation solutions. BACnet will continue its path to market dominance because it represents a comprehensive consensus of industry ideas.
