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Anniversary – 30 years of BACnet Jubiläum – 30 Jahre BACnet

30 Years of BACnet – From the Standard

Idea to Real BACnet Technology

30 Jahre BACnet – Von der Standardidee

zur realen BACnet-Technologie

The Early Siemens BACnet Automation 2. Operators as Drivers of Testability and
Stations in an Interoperable Market Certification
Environment.
Die frühen Siemens-BACnet-Automations- The decisive impulse for establishing testability
stationen im interoperablen Marktumfeld. did not originate from standardization, but from
concrete large-scale projects.
The BACnet Interest Group Europe (BIG-EU)
was founded to establish BACnet as an Frankfurt Airport was among the first major
open, interoperable standard in Europe. The operators in Europe to explicitly require BACnet,
sustainable success of BACnet is not based while simultaneously insisting on verifiable proof
solely on the existence of an international of conformity and interoperability. It was thus
standard document, but on the early availability clearly stated that an open standard alone was
of real, interoperable and testable devices that not sufficient; it had to be testable and certifiable. Siemens Desigo PX Web Controller (V2 generation) –
part of the early system landscape.
can be deployed under practical conditions. Siemens Desigo PX Web-Controller (V2 Generation) –
At the same time, the Federal Buildings in Berlin Teil der frühen Systemlandschaft.
This anniversary documentation therefore emerged as very early BACnet users. Here as © SIEMENS
deliberately focuses on the devices – specifically well, the requirement was clear: BACnet was to
the early Siemens BACnet automation stations – be used, but exclusively on the basis of tested
and places them within the cross-manufacturer, and certified devices. Proprietary assurances
interoperable market environment that was were not accepted.
essential for BACnet. Individuals are mentioned
by name where their role was technically or These operator requirements acted as a catalyst
organizationally necessary to ensure that these for establishing a European testing landscape
devices could be developed, tested, and made and developing formal certification procedures.
visible in the market.
3. Interoperability as a Mandatory
1. Initial Situation in Europe Before 2000 Prerequisite

At the end of the 1990s, BACnet in Europe From the very beginning, it was clear that BACnet
was a promising but risky approach. Although could only succeed if multiple manufacturers
the international standard (ANSI/ASHRAE 135) simultaneously offered interoperable devices. A
existed, essential prerequisites for reliable single certified product would have contradicted
deployment in the European market were missing: the fundamental idea of BACnet and would have
T
ƒ here was no BACnet testing laboratory in been of no practical use to operators. The early Siemens BACnet automation stations
Europe. therefore did not stand in isolation, but as
T
ƒ here was no formal, established certification Siemens was therefore not the only manufacturer part of an emerging interoperable ecosystem,
concept. to have tested BACnet devices at the beginning consistent with the mission of BIG-EU.
I
ƒ nteroperability could not be objectively veri- of the 2000s. Rather, the market was in a phase
fied. in which several suppliers were simultaneously 4. Transition from the Standard Idea to the
developing, testing, and introducing their first Real Automation Station
BACnet was therefore specified, but not BACnet automation stations.
verifiable. For operators, investors, and public Within this environment, Siemens began
clients, this represented a considerable risk, as This situation was decisive: implementing BACnet in real automation stations
I
interoperability could neither be demanded nor ƒ nteroperability could be tested in real condi- even before the year 2000.
contractually secured. tions.
ƒ Certification gained practical relevance. It is crucial to note that these were not gateways
ƒ Operators were able to issue cross-manufac- or demonstration systems, but fully functional
turer tenders for the first time. devices for productive plant operation at the

24 BACnet Europe Journal 44 03/26