TESTS CERTIFY "SMART" BUILDING PRODUCTS.

Digital automation and control technologies have been widely available for more than a decade, yet structures with integrated building services remain more of a promise than a reality.

That is, until now.

At a recent NIST workshop, testing began for equipment and product compliance with the BACnet communication standard. BACnet stands for Building Automation and Control networks. The standard enables building control systems made by different vendors to work together and be controlled from a central location. NIST and its industry partners developed both the standard and the testing methods and tools for it under the auspices of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers.

The partners believe that BACnet integration of control devices will optimize operations, improve safety and reduce maintenance costs. The NIST workshop on BACnet compliance test procedures set the stage for full-scale product compliance tests beginning in February by the newly established BACnet Manufacturers Association (BMA). The BMA hopes the tests will assure building owners that devices they purchase from different manufacturers can be integrated. Products that successfully pass the tests will he able to display the BMA logo and will be listed on the Associations web site, www.bacnetassociation.org.

The draft testing standard ASHRAE 135, 1P, Method of Test for Conformance to BACnetis open for public review and comment through Jan. 30, 2001.

For technical information, contact Steven Bushby, [phone].