1. Overview
BACnet is an building automation and control networking protocol. It was developed by ASHRAE. BACnet was designed specifically to meet the communication needs of building automation and control systems. Typical applications include: heating, ventilating, and air-conditioning control, lighting control, access control, and fire detection systems.
2. Flavors of BACnet
Flavor
IP • Uses the IP protocol • Controller to controller • Controller to HMI • Some field devices. Affects you ? On the up
Ethernet 802.3
• Raw Ethernet Packets Affects you ? Being displaced by IP
Point to Point
• Modems and phone lines Affects you ? Rare. Expect to disappear
MS/TP
• Field Devices Affects you ? Millions of installed devices.
ARCnet
• Controller to controller Rare. Affects you ? Expect to disappear
Clarification : Native Bacnet – What does that mean. In the Building Automation world the term ‘Native’ means that a device supports that functionality / protocol without the addition of a gateway or other module.
3. Convert BACnet Data
BACnet capable devices do not have an inherent ability to communicate with non-BACnet devices. To do that converters are required [Chipkin.com] is a source of converters and conversion knowledge.
Web XML WebServer
Building Automation Lonworks BACnet Metasys N2
Industial Scada / HMI Modbus (Full family of protocols) Rockwell (Full family of protocols) GE-Fanuc (Full family of protocols) Siemens Omron DNP3 Opto22 Profibus
Fire Alarm Panels Notifier AM200,300,400,600 Notifier 3030 Notifier 1010/ 2020 Simplex 4100 Siemens Fire Safety ( MXL, FSI, XLS, Cerberus) Grinnell Fike Cheetah Vesda
HVAC systems sTrane BCUs and Summit workstations Alerton Delta Controls Andover Controls Siemens Honeywell and Automation Logic DataAire TeKAir York Chillers McQuay Carrier
Others Catterpillar Lutron Scale XML SNMP