When we started AutomatedBuildings.com we joked that our purpose was to "join the dots" of our Building Automation industry...the dot coms, the dot org etc . Eleven years later all these connected dots to our web site have led to the new focus of building cloud connections. 

The cloud contains Software as a Service (SaaS, typically pronounced 'sass') . Our new mission is to expose how the dot com & org are using the cloud to provide their products and services. The identification and use of these valuable industry cloud connectors is essential to propel our industry forward at warp speed so it can radically change to survive.

After dropping my aging pocket pc phone into a tidal pool...(the jury is still out on whether it was intentional or not) the replacement iphone provides me a hand held cloud connector designed for that purpose. While the pocket pc struggled to run its own apps on a small, crash often, operating platform the iphone simply connects to powerful web services running on secure servers and with bullet proof operating systems. The fact that the iphone once connected to the cloud can self heal, update its firmware plus completely replace its operating system including features not originally provided raises the bar for our industry's products to follow this example. This device is a harbinger of our near future and does complex things simply with a little help from the clouds. That has to be our new mission doing complex things simply. OK I am done now, time to get on with what is in this month's issue and how it is helping build cloud connections.

A must read is my interview with Rick Huijbregts of Cisco;  Building Automation and the Cloud  With the new Cisco® Network Building Mediator we are taking it to the next level to enable the Internet of Things. Now, billions of sensors, controllers, actuators etc. can be added to the Network as the platform for the transformation of life experiences.

Another cloud connection is explained well in Automated Continuous Commissioning  David Wolins, Scientific Conservation, Inc. (SCI) SCIwatch is a software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution that automatically and persistently predicts, detects, diagnoses and prioritizes system faults and anomalies that are constantly present in office, retail and institutional buildings.

Next connection Track LEED v3 Credits in Project Management Software Houston Neal, Software Advice ADOC provides a fast secure easy to use web based project management application that allows facility owners and construction managers to exchange project documents and information electronically with their contractors, architects, engineers, and consultants

In Jim Sinopoli's, article Drilling for Dollars  he states; Each of the IT networking titans now has products, primarily software, to monitor, manage and provide information on energy usage. The hardware and software covers homes, buildings, smart meters, electric cars, IT networks, and building automation systems. Almost all have been released this year and some are in limited release, beta versions or development. Here’s an overview of some of the offerings:

This month our interviews come alive, be sure to read, listen, and watch the series developed and produced by BusinessWeek sponsored by Cisco and streamed on WebEx launch from this interview IntelligentBuildings® and BusinessWeek with Tom Shircliff & Rob Murchison There is so much information and even hype out there that BusinessWeek wanted to get some higher level clarity on smart/intelligent/green/high performance buildings. Some of your readers may find it basic in nature but we think this kind of message needs to get out more - just like you and others are continuously doing by volunteering to speak or moderate at the conferences, write for publications, do interviews etc. I think you have called it “outreach and education”.

Other August Interviews are; A Clean Interface to all Information Roy Kok Kepware, Integrated Energy Storage System John McGee Ice Energy, The Green Building Power Forum '10  Jeff Shepard Darnell Group, Address Operating Inefficiencies David Wolins.

August Reviews: Cisco Network Building Mediator,  Internet of Interactions,  Future with Flexible Paper OLED,  Integrating Lighting and Building Control 

August Columns: Airflow Monitoring Steven R. Calabrese, High Performance Buildings - Water Side Paul Ehrlich & Ira Goldschmidt, Opening the OPC Mailbag, Manny Mandrusiak, Distributed Energy Resources and Storage Toby Considine
 

This article from Wired Magazine is a harbinger of the resulting social change beyond the cloud. We underestimate the power of our tools to reshape our minds. Did we really believe we could collaboratively build and inhabit virtual worlds all day, every day, and not have it affect our perspective?  http://www.wired.com/culture/culturereviews/magazine/17-06/nep_newsocialism 

The news just keeps flowing thru our web site and RSS feeds daily, and of course the only way to truly find what you are looking for in the vast quantity of information on our site is with our site search engine http://www.automatedbuildings.com/search/sitesearch.htm

As always lots of new products, plus be sure to check our event calendar to see the number of events we have in our future.

Several of our advertisers have provided links to their very informative newsletters and blogs please check them out.

The news just keeps flowing thru our web site and RSS feeds daily, and of course the only way to truly find what you are looking for in the vast quantity of information on our site is with our site search engine http://www.automatedbuildings.com/search/sitesearch.htm

It is a great time to be in the news business for our industry. 

Send comments and suggestions to news@automatedbuildings.com