BACnet launches Interoperability Acceleration Program

DORTMUND, Germany, 22 January 2020: The BACnet Interest Europe (BIG-EU) has launched the ‘BACnet Secure Connect Interoperability Acceleration Program’, which will be managed by BACnet International, the organisation said through a Press release.  According to the release, BACnet Secure Connect is an addendum to the BACnet protocol, recently released by the ASHRAE BACnet Committee. It is a secure, encrypted data link layer that is specifically designed to meet the requirements, policies and constraints of specialized as well as smaller, less specialised, managed IP infrastructures, the release said. The need for using standardised and often already present IP network infrastructures for BACnet communication is increasing, and this security is a critical piece in the networking of building technologies (Building Internet of Things – BIoT, the release said.\ According to the release, building automation system providers will derive the following benefits from the Program:

• Fast track to developing in-house technical knowledge of BACnet/SC and how to deploy it through education and experience sharing
• Access to a reference implementation for in-house interoperability testing
• Access to multi-vendor BACnet/SC testing to assure device interoperability
• Early license to use reference implementation or create derivatives for use in products

“We realize most BAS manufacturers will have a steep learning curve with BACnet/SC and will face pressure from the industry to adopt it,” Andy McMillan, President and Managing Director, BACnet International, said. “This program follows BACnet International’s core purpose of supporting the adoption of the BACnet protocol and assisting the community through education and testing services to make that process easier. We’re excited to see the impact BACnet/SC will have on the industry and how it will accelerate the recognition of BACnet as a secure platform for Building IoT (BIoT).”