EMAIL INTERVIEW  CABA Intelligent Buildings Taskforce Members & Ken Sinclair

Paul Ehrlich, President and CEO, Building Intelligence Group
Ron Kolasa, Honeywell Offering Development, Open System Solutions Manager, Honeywell International, Inc.
Brad Haeberle, Vice President Marketing Solutions, Siemens Building Technologies, Inc.
Tom Lohner, Vice President, TENG Solutions
Pete Horton, Vice President Market Development, Wattstopper / Legrand
Terry Hoffmann, Director, BAS Marketing, Johnson Controls Ltd.
Ron Zimmer, President & CEO, Continental Automated Buildings Association

CABA Intelligent Buildings Taskforce

The task force consists of  board members, IBRM sponsors, and selected consultants.

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Sinclair: I have been a member of CABA for years, but many of our readers may not be so familiar with the organization.

Zimmer: CABA is an organization that is focused on the delivery of Intelligent Homes and Commercial Buildings.  We provide education, research, and promotion for our members and their customers and clients.  Our website at www.caba.org is a great place to learn more about the organization.

Kolasa: We at Honeywell see CABA as the organization that’s well positioned to grow the integrated and intelligent building automation space through member and industry support.

Sinclair: I am delighted to see that the Intelligent Buildings Roadmap has finally been released to the public see www.caba.org/ibrm  What is so important about this report?

Ehrlich: When we were selected to research and write the Intelligent Buildings Roadmap (IBRM) we decided to focus on building owner needs and the action plan required to deliver on these needs.  So the report provides details as to what owners really want, what they see as the impediments and the plans for industry members to deliver on these needs.  Interestingly one of the biggest problems we found is that the industry is not well organized, so as part of the report we recommended some dramatic changes for CABA to better serve the Commercial Building owners.

Haeberle: The CABA board has reviewed the proposed changes and has formed a task force to determine how to deliver on them.  The task force consists of  board members, IBRM sponsors, and selected consultants including Tom Lohner of Teng and Paul Ehrlich from Building Intelligence Group.

Sinclair: So what is this task force doing, and when will you be done?

Kolasa: The task force is working to address many of the issues raised in the roadmap, such as defining an “intelligent building”. We have also started work on a detailed business plan for CABA that will identify not just the required actions but also the budgets, staffing and funding necessary to accomplish our goals.

Horton: We really see that the need is to use technology to help deliver on Green and Sustainable buildings.  So much of what CABA can offer is connected to improved efficiency, comfort, and productivity as well as reduced operating expenses.  As developers and property managers we see this as being essential.

Lohner: The task force was established in June and has until late August to deliver their recommendations to the board, so we are on a tight schedule.

Sinclair: How will the work of CABA tie in with other organizations?

Zimmer: We work actively with over 70 organizations today.  In the future this will extend even further as we build closer alliances with groups such as Green Globes and USGBC.

Sinclair: This all sounds great – but what has the task force completed so far?

Hoffmann: In addition to building the business plan we have started to tackle defining the space.  Our draft definition is: 

“A building that provides superior occupant comfort, efficiency and safety through the application of appropriate technology.  It supports a sustainable environment by minimizing the use of scarce resources and providing a platform for innovative conservation moving forward.  The intelligent building supports the financial and social objectives of the enterprise, the community and the economy. Building Intelligence is not static, but a process that begins with design and proceeds through construction and commissioning to a continuous management cycle of monitoring, evaluation, change, with eventual decommissioning”

 Sinclair: How can others get involved in this group?

Kolasa: Anyone interested in participating can contact me or any task force member. They can also find more information about the Intelligent & Integrated Buildings Council (IIBC) on the CABA Web site: http://www.caba.org/councils/council.html

Horton: We are optimistic that our work will result in new programs that will be released within the next few months providing education, promotion and support of Intelligent Building designs including sustainability, improved efficiency, day-lighting, and the use of open protocols such as BACnet and LonTalk.

Sinclair: Thanks for your time.   

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