September 2003

BFRL Monthly Highlights

September 2003

October 2003

November 2003

January 2004

February 2004

PAST Highlights

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BFRL and Industry Partners Complete BACnet® Testing Standard

BFRL researchers worked with industry for many years to develop a communication protocol standard for building automation and control systems known as BACnet. The collaboration has now resulted in the completion of a new standard approved for publication by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers, Inc. (ASHRAE). ASHRAE Standard 135.1, Method of Test for Conformance to BACnet, defines the steps to test whether a product or application conforms to the BACnet standard and correctly provides the features claimed by the supplier.

The standard will serve as the basis for BACnet testing, certification, and product listing programs. The first such program in North America has been developed by the BACnet Manufacturers Association, whose member firms have formed the BACnet Testing Laboratory (BTL) to carry out the tests and administer a BACnet product listing program. The BACnet Interest Group Europe (BIG-EU) also is establishing a testing and certification program that should be in operation by the end of the year. The BTL and BIG-EU are working cooperatively so that products tested by either organization can carry a common mark that will be recognized worldwide.

Contact:
Steve Bushby
301-975-5873

BFRL Researcher Develops Prototype Automated Commissioning Tool with French Scientific and Technical Building Center (CSTB)

Natascha Castro participated in a three-month collaboration with CSTB in Paris, France, to develop an auto-mated commissioning tool for building air handling units. After developing the concept for an automated commissioning tool, NIST partnered with CSTB to code the fault detection algorithm, develop the graphical user interface, and test the prototype tool on a real system. The retro-commissioning project took place in the ARIA Building at CSTB where none of the three constant air volume air-handling units had been previously commissioned. By interfacing the automated commissioning tool to the building energy management system, test scripts can automatically command changes to system setpoints to achieve various operating states and document system responses. In preliminary results, several faults having significant impacts on energy consumption and occupant comfort were identified, including sensor errors and improper setpoints.

Contact:
Natascha Castro
301-975-6420

ITL Participates in NIST Demonstration of First Responder Technologies to Firefighters

On July 16, 2003, BFRL, ITL, and MEL jointly hosted a meeting of firefighters and rescue personnel to demonstrate technologies under evaluation by the NIST Distributed Testbed for First Responders. In attendance were fire chiefs/commissioners and their associates from communities in Phoenix, Ariz.; New York City; Wilson, N.C.; King of Prussia, Pa.; Arlington, Charlottesville, Fairfax, and Prince William, Va.; and Fort Meade and Montgomery County in Maryland. A discussion on the needs and priorities of first responders followed the demonstration.

The technologies demonstrated included access to building information database and dynamic building status from sensors, sensor-driven fire model using the NIST Virtual Cybernetic Building Testbed simulator, standardization of communications interface for sensors, biometrics for identification and authentication, dynamic self-organizing wireless networks for voice and data, voice over Internet, and emergency personnel localization and tracking.

NIST established the Distributed Testbed for First Responders to evaluate different technical approaches and to carry out the NIST mission of assisting industry in the development of standards for interoperability and open systems. The testbed, which builds on work already under way in BFRL, ITL, and MEL, will enable collaborative research at NIST on issues relating to improving the safety and effectiveness of first responders. Research will be conducted on a variety of topics, including developing and demonstrating highly capable communication and localization systems, increasing the quality and quantity of information available to first responders, improving information display and decision support systems, and the seamless integration and interoperability of smart wireless sensor networks in buildings.

CONTACT:
George Kelly
301-975-5850

 

 

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