I just read Rebecca Ellis’ “Commissioning” column titled, “Equipment Data Overload” in ES magazine (July 2012, page 18). 

I think her observations on the state of the industry are very accurate and her suggestions should improve the likelihood of project success. In particular, her suggestion that specifications focus on the requirements for transactions that cross the boundary between equipment and the BAS is very powerful. This is analogous to the object-oriented programming model in software and has been long proven to make complex systems easier to correctly specify and maintain. Communications standards (like BACnet) make the “boundary” specifications easier to create, but they are not a substitute for them. Thanks for taking time to share your insights and knowledge with the industry.

Andy McMillan

General Manager, Philips Teletrol

President, BACnet International

Manchester, NH