Track 1 - Session 5

SPECIFYING BACnet SYSTEMS:

The Basic Do’s and Don’ts

Presented by: Ira Goldschmidt, P.E., LEED-AP®

Goldschmidt Engineering Solutions, Inc.
Denver, Colorado
ira.goldschmidt@comcast.net

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 1

First Some Food for Thought
• The A/E design industry’s job has gotten more complex (more
codes, more complicated building systems).
• Fees for the A/E design industry are on the decline.
• Controls manufacturer’s no longer provide training to engineers
(or the engineers don’t have time for it).
– Not to mention training on BACnet & Communications!
• Controls have gotten more complicated.
• Results:
– Engineers increasingly view controls as “design/build”
– Specs are taken off the shelf and filled with “boiler-plate”
– No sequences of operation or point lists are included

IS IT A SURPRISE THAT SPECIFYING BACnet IS A MYSTERY?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 2

 And On Top of That…

PC
HVAC

Telephone
Occupant
Access Control Sensor

Wall Switch

Security Lighting

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 3

So For Now…
• KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID!:
– Must a BACnet specification refer to points, setpoints, etc.
as “objects”?
– Were PICS and BIBB’s meant for use by Specifying
Engineers?
– Do we really expect engineers to understand data link
layers?
– Are we really making things simpler by pushing the notion
of only using “Native BACnet” products?

• ON THE OTHER HAND:

– There is no such thing a “BACnet Spec”
– There is no one way to spec BACnet
– Worse yet there is no clearly correct way to spec BACnet
(at least not yet…more on this later….)

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 4

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part One - Properly Specifying Controls
BACnet issues are a small part of successfully specifying a
BACnet-based automation system, so…
• Rule 1 – Controls cannot overcome a poorly designed or
applied HVAC system.
• Rule 2 – Focus on the Sequence of Operation and Points List.
• Rules 3 - Don’t waste time on voluminous prescriptive and/or
proprietary product details.
• Rule 4 – Don’t spec what doesn’t exist.
• Rule 5 – Develop a short list of manufacturers, associated
contractors, and the acceptable products for each.

Do we need anything more to specify a BACnet system?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 5

The Simplest Way of Specifying BACnet:
The Idealistically Simple Approach
1. Develop a short list of BAS manufacturers that you know to
provide BACnet (and only BACnet) systems.
2. State that all AHUs and terminal units (e.g., VAV boxes)
have field-installed controls by the winning BAS bidder.
 Make sure that the other division 15 sections for this
equipment specifies that no controls be provided.
1. Allow the BAS system to interface to the chiller, boiler, VFD,
etc. controls by either discrete BAS I/O points or via a digital
communications link.
Conclusions:
 Does this require that anything be specified about (or even
mention) BACnet?
 Is this a realistic approach for new/remodel A/E projects and
HVAC upgrade projects (not pure BAS retrofits)?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 6

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two – A More Sensible Approach
• Require that all controls be BTL listed.
• Define a tiered architecture based on BACnet Device
types.
• Require that the top level devices use use BACnet/IP
and BBMD
• List the “shared” data that needs to be readable and/or
writeable from each AHU, terminal unit, chiller, boiler,
VFD, etc. (the “HVAC equipment”) controller.
• Include a sequence of operation for each HVAC
equipment type.
Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 7
Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two (cont.) – Example Text for this Approach

SECTION 15900 – TEMPERATURE CONTROL

2.01 Product Requirements
A. All system controllers and operator workstations
shall be BTL listed.
2.02 System Architecture
A. Provide at least one BACnet B-BC device using the
BACnet/IP data link layer option and support the BBMD
networking option. This device shall also support routing
to the data link layer options used by the other
controllers.
B. The operator workstations shall communicate with the
system using BACnet/IP.

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 8

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two (cont.) – Example Text for this Approach
SECTION 15900 – TEMPERATURE CONTROL
3.0x Sequences of Operation
A. VAV Box
1. Index the box’s occupied/unoccupied mode
according to the building’s occupancy
schedule.
2. Reset the minimum air flow setpoint based on
the area’s BAS CO2 sensor as follows:….

Why only specify this portion of the VAV box

sequence here?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 9

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two (cont.) – Example Text for this Approach
SECTION 15xxx – AIR TERMINAL DEVICES

2.01 VAV Boxes

A. Communications
1. Controller shall be BTL listed as a B-ASC
device.
2. Controller points and data shall be
readable and/or writeable via the BACnet
communications as follows:

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 10

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two (cont.) – Example Text for this Approach
SECTION 15xxx – Air Terminal Devices (cont.)
Shared Data Table

Point/Data Name AI BI AO BO AV BV
Occupied Mode R/W
Space Temp. R
Damper (2 points) R/W
Air Flow R
Air Flow Setpoint R
Min. Airflow Setpoint R/W
Min. Heating Airflow Setpt. R/W
Cooling/Heating Mode R

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 11

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Part Two (cont.) – Example Text for this Approach
15xxx – Air Terminal Devices
B. Sequence of Operation
1. Pressure Dependent Control with dual
heating/cooling space setpoints and
deadband (box operates at minimum when in
deadband)
2. The Minimum airflow setpoint shall increase to
the minimum heating airflow setpoint when
the reheat coil valve is operating.
3. When in the cooling mode the minimum airflow
setpoint shall be reset by the BAS.

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 12

Now for the bad news…
• This simple sounding approach takes much more work
than appears:
– Must specify HVAC equipment controller BACnet requirements
in each of their associated Div. 15 sections.
– Must confirm that the manufacturers listed for each of these
equipment types can communicate via BACnet.
– Don’t I need to also specify the data link layer to be used for the
HVAC equipment controllers?
– Must confirm that these other controllers can perform their part
of the sequence of operation and expose the necessary data.
• And some faith about chiller, boiler, AHU…, controllers:
– BTL listed?
– Are PICS even available?

Conclusion: What happens to this sensible approach

when I don’t have the time, fee, and/or knowledge to do
this additional work?
Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 13
The Interoperability “Bid Day Dilemma”
These are the low bid HVAC equipment manufacturers with
factory-provided controls:

Will this combination work as specified/intended and without additional

cost?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 14

What Is The Real Cause of the
“Bid Day Dilemma”?
With current GC/MC business practices you can’t hold the
TC contractor responsible for providing whatever products
and labor that might be necessary for making a system
work! WHY:
– Chillers, Boilers, AHU’s, etc. are:
• Chosen by the MC based on low price.
• Without input from the successful TC contractor
– Therefore the successful TC contractor has no way of
knowing:
• What routers, gateways, etc. to include in their price.
• What programming efforts to include in their price to coax the
HVAC equipment into providing the specified sequence of
operations or data.

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 15

Basic Rules for Specifying BACnet:
Conclusion – A Pragmatic Fix to the “Sensible Approach”
• Require the MC to pre-select the BAS contractor and
designate them their “Systems Integrator”.
• Require the MC to utilize the “Systems Integrator” to help
them with the following additional section 15050
specifications that require an HVAC equipment bid to be
selected only if their controls:
– Communicates using BACnet OR if the cost of the necessary
gateway is included in their price.
– Uses one of the BACnet data link layers supported by the pre-
selected BAS manufacturer OR if the cost of the necessary
router is included in their price.
– Can perform the specified sequence of operation and share the
necessary data (including any field labor for setup).

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 16

Extend this Concept to Other Specification
Divisions…

• And BACnet becomes central to achieving IP

Convergence and the “Intelligent Building”!

• But only if A/E firms and Contractors are educated

on and accept this change in business practices.

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 17

Will we (the leaders of the BACnet revolution)
provide guidance:
1) On simple solutions to specifying BACnet and,
2) to the A/E and Construction industry so that IP
convergence using BACnet becomes the norm?

OR will another industry trade group

(or Microsoft) emerge to fill the
vacuum?

YOU MAKE THE CHOICE!

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 18

 THANK YOU!
Ira Goldschmidt
ira.goldschmidt@comcast.net

DISCUSSION/QUESTIONS?

Basic BACnet Spec Writing – slide 19