BACnet TESTING STANDARD BASED ON NIST RESEARCH APPROVED FOR PUBLIC REVIEW.

For many years the building industry has struggled with the problem of integrating control devices made by different manufacturers in order to optimize operations, improve safety, and reduce maintenance costs. A key step toward overcoming these difficulties was the adoption of BACnet--A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks--as an American national standard in 1995. BACnet was developed by NIST researchers and industry partners under the auspices of the American Society of Heating and Refrigerating Engineers (ASHRAE).

Building owners want the assurance of independent testing and certification of BACnet products. The need for testing and certification was recognized while BACnet was being developed. In 1993 NIST created the BACnet Interoperability Testing Consortium, a cooperative research and development agreement partnership with 22 companies, to address this issue. NIST researchers worked with consortium partners to develop test methods and testing tools while, at the same time, helping participating manufacturers to assure that their early products correctly implemented the BACnet standard. The work of the consortium has resulted in a companion standard, ASHRAE 135.1P Method of Test for Conformance to BACnet, which recently has been approved for public review and comment.

The BACnet Manufacturers Association is launching a testing and certification program in the United States based on this draft standard. A similar effort is under way in Europe under the auspices of the BACnet Interest Group-Europe.