Yes.
If you’re a building owner, you don’t think you should need to care about the nuts and bolts of your network. Your focus is that your building is comfortable, safe, and secure for your tenants and that the technology you invest in to make that happen won’t be obsolete in five years.
As the future of smart buildings comes at us faster and faster, OT network pros have to design systems carefully. They have to build on a strong foundation with robust platforms that can grow and adapt. And right now, BACnet is that definitive solution for flexible, scalable architectures. But why does it matter for the building owners out there?
Let me break it down for you in very simple, non-technical terms. Here’s why you should care about BACnet.
Reason #1: It’s the Dominant Platform Everyone Designs For
First, and perhaps most importantly, BACnet is dominant in the industry. It’s being adopted in more and more buildings for more and more systems around the world. It’s particularly common on campuses — both corporate and academic — and in commercial real estate. This prevalence means you can count on getting BACnet products from just about every vendor out there. I don’t think there’s a manufacturer that doesn’t provide BACnet solutions nowadays. You have a ton of options, and you can choose what’s best for your building.
Reason #2: You Team Needs a Cheerleader
Your facility managers need your support and buy-in. There’s a lot that you can do with a BACnet system: save money, improve energy management, and empower your teams to do more with less. Because you can run so many systems on BACnet nowadays, it’s possible to understand all your building data within the bigger network picture.
But are far too many teams out there who manage their buildings with pieced-together spreadsheets and cheap (or very, very expensive) tools that aren’t even designed for building automation. They’re constantly backlogged and playing catch-up. They need you to invest in powerful solutions that will allow them to establish preventative maintenance and create truly intelligent systems.
Reason #3: It’s Your Future
BACnet/IP in particular is the future of our buildings. It supports the Internet of Things and connectivity in a way that other protocols — even BACnet MS/TP — just don’t. If you want to be able to grow your network with intelligent lighting, heating and ventilation, security, waste management, and more, BACnet’s the best-suited for the job. Arming yourself with information about why you should invest in the protocol will help you make informed decisions for the future of your building, rather than focusing on price tradeoffs.
Want to know more? Check out our Ultimate BACnet FAQ.
Article originally published in Automated Buildings.
