BACnet™, the ASHRAE Building Automation and Control Networking Protocol
BACnet, the ASHRAE building automation and control networking protocol, has been designed specifically to meet the communication needs of building automation and control systems for applications such as heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control; fire and other life safety and security systems; energy management; lighting control; physical access control; and elevator monitoring systems.
The BACnet protocol provides mechanisms by which computerized equipment of arbitrary function may exchange information, regardless of the particular building service it performs. As a result, the BACnet protocol may be used by mobile and cloud-hosted devices, head-end computers, general-purpose direct digital controllers, and application-specific or unitary controllers with equal effect.
This protocol provides a comprehensive set of messages for conveying encoded building automation data between devices including, but not limited to
(a) hardware binary input and output values,
(b) hardware analog input and output values,
(c) software data values,
(d) schedule information,
(e) alarm and event information,
(f) trend and event logs,
(g) files,
(h) control logic,
(i) application specific data for a large range of building services, and
(j) network configuration including security.
Standard 135-2020 -- BACnet™--A Data Communication Protocol for Building Automation and Control Networks
The 2020 edition of Standard 135 includes many new capabilities and several clarifications.
This protocol provides a comprehensive set of messages for conveying encoded building automation data between devices:
- Hardware binary input and output values
- Hardware analog input and output values
- Software data values
- Schedule information
- Alarm and event information
- Trend and event logs
- Files
- Control logic
- Application specific data for a large range of building services
- Network configuration including security
PURCHASE
BACnet Secure Connect: A Secure Infrastructure for Building Automation
Read about a new proposal centered on secure communications exclusively using accepted IT best practices. The new technology is called "BACnet Secure Connect (BACnet/SC)" and is the subject of this white paper. The purpose of the paper is to generate awareness of a relatively substantial change to Standard 135 that has to do with building automation systems and communication security over public/open networks such as the Internet.
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Momentum Press -- BACnet: The Global Standard for Building Automation and Control Networks
This new book by H. Michael Newman, original chairman of the BACnet committee, explains how the BACnet protocol manages all basic building functions in a seamless, integrated way.
The book explains how BACnet works with all major control systems--including those of Honeywell, Siemens and Johnson Controls--to manage everything from heating to ventilation to lighting to fire control and alarm systems. Contractors, architects, building systems engineers and facilities managers must all be cognizant of BACnet and its applications. Learn more
Bacnet™ Today and the Smart Grid - 2013
What's Next for BACnet™ and the Smart Grid - 2012
BACnet™ Today & the Smart Grid - 2011
Other Resources
ASHRAE Learning Institute Short Course: Introduction to BACnet™