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Nachwuchs für die Gebäudeautomation Young Talent for Building Automation

Mein Dank gilt Prof. Frauenrath für das sehr
© BIG-EU
informative Interview.
I would like to thank Prof. Frauenrath for the very
informative interview.

Two of your students have already won
the €1000 BIG-EU Award, which has been
presented annually since 2023 for out-
standing student theses in connection
about technical measures – both for new means that selected companies develop a joint with the BACnet protocol. How did this
buildings and existing buildings. curriculum in partnership with the university, in come about?
which both sides actively adopt precisely defined
We do not formally require any specific qualifi- content. As a university of applied sciences, we attach
cations other than the entrance qualification for great importance to finding practical tasks for
universities of applied sciences. The basics of After intensive deliberations, including in our theses, which are ideally carried out in coop-
mathematics and physics are taught or, if nec- cooperation with the Aachen Buil ding Experts eration with companies. Our first success at the
essary, refreshed as part of foundation courses e. V. association, we came to the conclusion BIG-EU in this area focused on IT security, a
at the university to ensure that all students are that although many companies are interested topic that has a long tradition in our department.
optimally prepared. in cooperating, they are unable or unwilling to My colleague, Prof. Dr. Marko Schuba, conducts
meet the requirements for dual training. We have research not only in the field of classic office IT
Can the course also be designed as a dual therefore decided to offer a part-time option in networks, but also on security in industrial com-
study program? addition to the traditional full-time Bachelor's munication and in the building sector. Together
degree. This enables students to work in a we identified BACnet as a key technology and
In recent years, we have been asked more and company of their choice alongside their studies put it out to tender as a final thesis.
more frequently about a dual study option. To and apply their growing expertise in practice at
answer this, it is important to first understand the an early stage. The second prize-winning thesis was written in
exact definition of a dual study program. “Dual” cooperation with the Aachen-based company
Of course, this part-time option lengthens the ComConsult. For this company, it is crucial not
course somewhat, but for the students this only to be aware of current trends in building
disadvantage is then offset by the income and automation, but also to evaluate them critically. It
practical experience in the company. As an therefore made sense for us to work together on
Über den Interviewpartner additional advantage, we aim to ensure that the the practical application of BACnet Secure Con-
mandatory practical phases and internships for nect (BACnet/SC) as the subject of a final thesis.
Seit 2020 ist Tobias Frauenrath Professor und stell- our part-time students in full-time mode can be
vertretender Institutsleiter „Smart Building Engi-
neering“ an der Fachhochschule Aachen. Nach recognized through their professional activity in What are the prospects of gaining a foot-
seiner Promotion zum Dr.-Ing. an der Fakultät für the company. hold in building automation after success-
Mathematik, Informatik und Naturwissenschaf- fully completing the course – also with
ten der RWTH Aachen im Jahr 2010 arbeitete er To what extent do students come into regard to the new national and European
bis 2016 als Abteilungsleiter in der S.K.I. GmbH
in Mönchengladbach und war bis 2020 als Senior contact with the BACnet protocol during requirements resulting from the Ger-
Product Manager bei der devolo AG in Aachen tätig. their studies? man Building Energy Act (GEG) and the EU
Von 2015 bis 2020 war er Lehrbeauftragter an der Buildings Directive (EPBD)?
Hochschule Niederrhein in Krefeld.
The BACnet protocol runs like a thread through
About the Interview Partner the entire course. The basics of IP-based com- The career prospects for our graduates are
munication are taught as early as the first excellent and the number of job offers is very
Tobias Frauenrath has been Professor and Deputy semester in Information and Communication high despite the generally tense economic situ-
Head of the Smart Building Engineering Institute at
Aachen University of Applied Sciences since 2020. Technology. In the third semester, in Measure- ation. However, one small drawback is that not
After completing his doctorate in engineering at ment and Control Engineering, the automation all graduates go straight into the field of build-
the Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science concepts for larger properties are covered, with ing automation. Due to the interdisciplinary train-
and Natural Sciences at RWTH Aachen University
in 2010, he worked as a department head at S.K.I. BACnet serving as the central basis for the auto- ing, many students decide to start their careers
GmbH in Mönchengladbach until 2016 and was mation and management layer. In the advanced in the construction industry as (specialist) plan-
Senior Product Manager at devolo AG in Aachen course, in the subjects Smart Connect and Digi- ners, for example. Another group would like to
until 2020. From 2015 to 2020, he was a lecturer tal Building Networks and Building Automation, deepen their expertise by studying for a Mas-
at the Niederrhein University of Applied Sciences in
Krefeld. the functionality of the protocol is examined in ter's degree, which will soon be offered at the
detail and its design intensified. FH Aachen.

42 BACnet Europe Journal 41 09/24