Data Modeling Working Group (DM-WG)
XML Applications
The Data Modeling Working Group is responsible for developing the BACnet framework(s) for complex data models both on the wire and in other machine-readable formats (such as CSML and JSON). They work in cooperation with the other working groups (AP, SG, etc.) to ensure that the framework(s) developed meet the needs of their specific use cases.
This group was formed in November 2012. Convener: Scott Ziegenfus, Hubbell Lighting
Elevator Working Group (EL-WG)
The EL-WG is developing extensions to allow the monitoring of elevator systems with the BACnet protocol.
Integrating elevators into BACnet systems permits common observation and reporting stations for alarms and other events from elevators along with other BACnet building systems. Making elevators’ self-aware energy usage available to the building systems will also be a key element in building energy-efficiency systems and the Smart Grid.
Convener: Coleman Brumley, Jr. PassiveLogic
Information Technology Working Group (IT-WG)
This group recently completed the development of a new secure datalink layer for BACnet, BACnet/SC (defined in Addendum bj), that is built upon WebSockets and TLS. Future projects will include the development of new BACnet functionality that will complement BACnet/SC, such as enhancements to the Network Port Object.
Since the design of BACnet began in 1987, much has changed in the world of computers, networking technology, and building automation systems. BACnet has been sufficiently flexible to handle many of these changes, but more changes are coming that may further challenge BACnet’s architecture. Here are some of the changes that could affect the requirements for building automation systems:
- The trend toward convergence of IT and building automation
- Network security policies and standards
- The increasing use of battery-powered and wireless networked devices
- “Smart Grid” applications that involve building automation systems
The BACnet IT working group’s primary task will be to enumerate the general communication requirements of building automation systems that will be deployed over the next several years and evaluate BACnet against those requirements. To the extent that BACnet does not meet those requirements, the working group will discuss, at a high level, how BACnet could be modified or redesigned in order to better meet those requirements. Based on the outcome of those discussions, the working group members might initiate projects to investigate various design options.
Convener: Jim Butler, Cimetrics
Lighting Applications Working Group (LA-WG)
This group will work on issues relating to lighting applications.
This group will research, draft, and propose additions to the BACnet to support the requirements of lighting control applications. The group will work in cooperation with the NEMA Lighting Control Council, and the Illumination Engineering Society Controls Committee.
This group was formed in January 2001, and held its kick-off meeting on March 30, 2001, at NIST. The meeting centered on a discussion of the various functional aspects of lighting systems (dimming with various ramping and timing parameters, override situations, integration with other building systems, etc.) and what communication requirements these implied.
If you are interested in participating in the work of this WG, please contact the convener.
Convener: Steve Karg, The Watt Stopper / Legrand
Life Safety and Security Working Group (LSS-WG)
The goal of this group is to determine whether new objects and services are needed to facilitate the use of BACnet in life safety and security applications and, if so, to develop them.
This new group will research, draft, and propose additions to the BACnet to support the requirements of life safety and security applications. The first systems to be tackled were fire alarm and control systems. The group has developed several new objects and services to this end.
The group has completed work on the life safety features of BACnet needed for fire alarm systems. Attention is now focused on security system requirements.
The white paper “Physical Access Control with BACnet” (updated September 2008) represents the ongoing conceptual work of the LSS-WG for extending the BACnet standard into the realm of Physical Access Control.
Convener: David Ritter, Delta Controls
Network Security Working Group (NS-WG)
This group will work on issues relating to network authentication, and the authorizing and transfer of control from one device to another.
The Network Security Working Group works on a variety of AAA (Authentication/Authorization/Auditing) topics and collaborates on security aspects with other groups such as the DM-WG (BACnet Web Services) and the IT-WG (BACnet Secure Connect). In addition to protecting communications, the group’s scope also includes Auditing and Reporting mechanisms to track network actors and their actions.
This group was formed in January 2001, and is working on assessing the various threats to building automation and control systems and determining the appropriate countermeasures. If you are interested in participating in the work of this WG, please contact the convener.
Convener: Dave Robin, BSC Softworks
Objects and Services Working Group (OS-WG)
This group is working on infrastructure issues related to new objects and services and the refinement of existing general-purpose objects and services.
This group is working on “infrastructure” modifications needed to support new objects or new services. The addition of, and refinements to, existing general-purpose objects and services are typically prepared by this group.
Some of the many issues under discussion are:
- Unification and clarification of I/O model, override, and out-of-service
- Discovery clarifications and extensions
- Alarming clarifications and enhancements
- Error indication clarifications and refinements
- Object, property, and services clarifications and enhancements
Convener: Frank Neher, Lutron (fneher@lutron.com)
Protocol Stack Working Group (PS-WG)
This group is tasked with maintenance of the BACnet protocol stack. This includes maintenance of all of the link layers (Clauses 7 to 11, Annex J, Annex O, and Annex U), the network layer (Clause 6) and the application layer (Clause 5).
This new working group was created in Spring 2017 to include all work from the former IP-WG and MSTP-WG. The maintenance of the network layer and application layer in Clause 5 was moved from the OS-WG to this new group, in support of the OS-WG to focus on objects, services, and related parts of the standard.
The topics under discussion are:
- MS/TP Zero Config
- Various enhancements and improvements of MS/TP
- Test enhancements of MS/TP
- Testing of BACnet/IPv6
Convener: Michael Osborne, Reliable Controls (mosborne@reliablecontrols.com)
Semantic Interoperability Working Group (SI-WG)
The Semantic Interoperability Working Group is developing a comprehensive way to apply semantic formalisms to represent the context of building system data and relationships between the associated building systems and components. The objective of this work is to enable applications to find and understand the information in an automated way. This will facilitate the development and implementation of building analytics tools and enterprise knowledge applications that can implement a number of building system functions.
This working group is the home for development of proposed ASHRAE standard 223P Semantic Data Model for Analytics and Automation Applications in Buildings. It is also developing guidance for enhancements to the BACnet standard that relate to the use of the Tags properties in BACnet objects.
Smart Grid Working Group (SG-WG)
This group will work on issues relating to communication between building automation and control systems and utility providers with a new focus on Smart Grid technologies.
The Smart Grid WG is all about enabling the building to be an active participant in the operation of the electric grid. This includes integration of facility load as a resource (demand response), customer owned generation (distributed generation), and customer owned storage (electrical, thermal, pumped water, etc.). SG-WG is working to define a building energy services interface (ESI) that receives OpenADR signals, market signals, utility meter data, and weather feeds, and then communicates on the internal BACnet network to manage consumption and receive load forecasts. The ESI can then provide external grid services (e.g., DR response) and serve data via BACnet web services to building clients (e.g., OpenADR signals, load history and forecasts).
SG-WG is evaluating different use cases to understand the required data, use of objects and services, storage and other details required to then serve data to external clients in FSGIM (ASHRAE 201) format via BACnet web services (Annex W). We are also examining semantic tags relevant to smart grid as input to the ASHRAE 223 semantic tag standard.
If you are interested in participating in the work of this WG, please contact the convener.
Convener: David Holmberg, NIST
Testing and Interoperability Working Group (TI-WG)
This group is to serve as a liaison to the BACnet Testing Laboratories Working Group within BACnet International.
This group’s mandate is to extend and maintain Standard 135.1 – the BACnet Testing Standard, to extend and maintain the BACnet Interoperability Building Block definitions and Device Profiles, and to identify and resolve existing interoperability issues in the BACnet standard itself.
This group had its first meeting in Atlanta in November 2006. One of its main objectives will be to actively cooperate with the BTL-WG in a joint effort to reduce the time and work required to identify and resolve issues in the testing and specification of interoperable products.
Convener: Thomas Kurowski, Siemens