Editor’s Note: This month we take a dive into our vault, revisiting the Building Automation column that was printed five years ago, in April 2017, by longtime Engineered Systems columnist Ira Goldschmidt, P.E.
Building automation system (BAS) integration to other BASs or to controls provided with mechanical/electrical equipment (factory-mounted controls or FMCs) was a driving force behind the development of BACnet. Nevertheless, with few exceptions, integration continues to be a challenge for both designers and contractors. This month, I will cover the issue of integration to FMCs.