HVAC Control in the New Millennium.pdf - HVAC.Amickracing

HVAC Control in the New MillenniumInteroperability will be realized only if BACnet is supportedwidely by vendors. Most of the major controls vendors are introducingor expanding their BACnet-based product lines. Many BACnet productlines do not use BAController level and at the highest levels of the systemthey use a BACnet conformance class of only about three or four.LonMarkIn May 1994, a group of companies saw the need for establishingan interoperability standard for control networks and formed theLonMark Interoperability Association. The association has over 200members and promotes LonMark products and systems as open,interoperable control solutions. It sets the design guidelines forinteroperable devices based on LonWorks and verifies products thatmeet the guidelines for interoperability.Products that have been verified to conform to LonMarkinteroperability guidelines carry the LonMark logo, which indicates thatthey are designed to interoperate across a LonWorks network. LonMarktask groups include elevator, HVAC, lighting, refrigeration, fire, industrial,network tools, security and system integration.Interoperability means the easy integration of products from multiplevendors without the need for custom hardware or software. Withinteroperable control devices, end-users and network integrators canpurchase devices off the shelf from different manufacturers. Plugging inthese interoperable devices allows easy expansion of control networks.LonWorks ControlLonWorks provides an open, off-the-shelf networking technologyplatform for designing and implementing interoperable control networks.LonWorks represents a complete hardware and software solutionfor control network communication. It does more than integrate devicesand control systems. It offers a single, cohesive, interoperational controlsystem that does not depend on one proprietary vendor or require costlycustomization.If the lighting and heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning systemshave LonWorks technology embedded in them, the two can be©2001 by The Fairmont Press, Inc. All rights reserved.