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Anniversary – 30 years of BACnet Jubiläum – 30 Jahre BACnet

In August 2004, the European Standard (EN ISO 16484-5) with the Thus, I wish all readers continued enjoyment and success with the
title BACS – Data Communication Protocol (building automation data fascinating field of BAC, and especially with BACnet! 
communication protocol), with Revision 4 of the BACnet standard, was
adopted unchanged in the original English text by the national standards
organizations. An “EN” must be published as a national standard in all CEN
member states.

Excerpt from the German description: “The international standard DIN
EN ISO 16484-5 provides a communication method by which building
automation devices can exchange information with one another,
independent of the building services system to which they belong. The
protocol specified in this standard can be used universally for data exchange
between devices and systems in building automation and control, both for
general applications and for user-specific solutions.”

The European Standard EN ISO 16484-2:2004-10 “Building automation
hardware” was officially adopted as a German standard in October 2004.

In November 2004, the draft prEN ISO 16484-6:2004 “Building automation
and control systems (BACS). Data communication conformance testing”
was published.

In 2004, the ISO/TC 205 committee developed an international agreement
stipulating that maintenance of the BACnet protocol would remain in
the hands of ASHRAE SSPC135. Parallel ballots on the inclusion of About the Author
additions/corrections remain, in simplified form, within the framework of a Hans Kranz has been passionately active in building services engineering
since 1960. From heating installer to electrical engineer, from Honeywell
“Maintenance Agency” at CEN and ISO. The German representatives were via Schmidt Reuter and IBM to Siemens in senior positions. He is a re-
Prof. Dr. Peter Fischer and Hans Kranz. cipient of the VDI Honorary Plaque and the DIN Beuth Commemorative
Medal, and a REHVA Fellow. In 2016, at the ASHRAE Winter Meeting in
See Fig. 15. Orlando, he was inducted into the “Control Trends Hall of Fame” and, in
the presence of BATman and Superman (Universal Studios), was ap-
pointed BACman.
Further additions (revisions) of the BACnet standard with addenda and new
editions of the standard can be found in the German technical book BACnet bodenstation@gmail.com
Gebäudeautomation 1.12/1.19, Chapter 8, published by cci Dialog GmbH.

Most recently, DIN EN ISO 16484-5:2023-02, Building automation systems
– Part 5: Data communication protocol, comprising more than 1,440 pages, Beginnen wir bei den Akronymen „BAC“ und „BACS“, welche sich spä-
was published by Beuth Verlag. It contains Protocol Revision 28. ter als Bezeichnung für die GA-Branche und deren Systeme global durch-
gesetzt haben. 1974 wurde ich durch das Ing.-Büro Schmidt-Reuter von
After 30 years, as of January 2026, there were 1,594 manufacturers/ Honeywell abgeworben, um die Meß-, Steuer- und Regelungstechnik
organizations worldwide with a BACnet Vendor ID. (MSR) für das erste IBM-Megachipwerk in Europa zu planen. Nachdem
ich Pilot-Projektleiter für die erste volldigitale, programmierbare Leittech-
Postscript nik (Honeywell Delta 2000) war, schlug ich bei einer Besprechung mit IBM
vor, dass zu so einem Werk auch eine Zentrale Leittechnik gehöre und
What I unfortunately did not succeed in during my active years was ich eine solche auch planen und ausschreiben könne. Die Herren von der
creating a BACnet object for electrical switchgear. This would require IBM meinten, das geht nicht, denn die in Frage kommenden ZLT-Herstel-
a timestamp with millisecond resolution in order, in large properties, to ler würden Computer verwenden, auf denen nicht IBM steht. Dann aber
identify the cause of fuse trips and cascades of circuit-breaker shutdowns durfte ich nach einem Briefing über die möglichen IBM-Computer ein Kon-
within the framework of selectivity. Perhaps my successors in the field zept erarbeiten.
will achieve this. Then the trades involved in construction would indeed
be completely covered by BACnet. Of course, there may be “operational Das erste BAC-System
technical systems” outside building services engineering that have
additional specific requirements, which, however, can certainly be solved Damals war die „IBM Series/7“ die einzige Möglichkeit und aus Montpel-
with BACnet. lier, Frankreich, war dafür eine Software „ECOSS“ (Energy Management
System) vorhanden. Als es um die Bezeichnung des Projekts ging, meinten
From now 66 years of activity in building services engineering, I still have die US-Kollegen „BA“ für Building Automation und die Briten korrigierten in
many interesting and funny anecdotes “in stock”. „BC“ für Building Control. Ich fragte, um einen Kompromiss zu finden, ob
I also maintain a dated “BAC history” collection with scanned milestone nicht die Kombination „BAC“ denkbar wäre. Beide stimmten zu. So nannte
documents of the building automation and control industry. Interested ich 1975 das Projekt für das Leitsystem „BACS“.
parties are welcome to contact me by e-mail.

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