The ART of Building Sustainability #1: Certified open standards

In 2019 Reliable Controls thoughtfully developed a concept called the ART of Building Sustainability—nine elements of building sustainability that guide the work of Reliable Controls team members and the evolution of its products. 

In addition to the high level of integration between HVAC, lighting, and security systems, building sustainability applies other technological and supporting elements that will endure over the long term. One of these elements demands the use of technology that supports open standards certified by third-party listing laboratories.

Open protocols allow different vendors to supply components of a control system that can effectively share information and services to interoperate as a single system. To ensure a strong level of interoperability, some open protocol associations use third-party listing laboratories to test and verify adherence to a protocol’s form and function. Yet a number of control vendors still refuse to adopt a common communications protocol, despite the existence of broadly-supported, open, and interoperable building automation control standards such as BACnet. 

Since 1995 the BACnet protocol has delivered the promise of interoperability for building owners all around the world. Developed under the auspices of the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), BACnet is an American national standard, a European standard, an ISO global standard, and a national standard in more than 30 countries. BACnet International complements the work of the ASHRAE standards committee and BACnet-related interest groups around the world. The association facilitates the successful use of the BACnet protocol in building automation and control systems through interoperability testing, educational programs, and promotional activities. Of equal importance, BACnet International also oversees the operation of the BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL) and maintains a global listing of tested products. A virtual “who’s who” of the building automation industry have certified product listings on BACnet International’s BTL website with interoperability details for over 900 controls products that span almost every aspect of building control.