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Every month there is a blizzard of information contained in the emails and newsletters that cross my desk on their way to AutomatedBuildings.com. Some of this information is not in the form of any type of content we can publish but I feel I should share with you these snippets, blog bits, and url links that are about to fall off my desktop.

Cost of Energy Efficiency Is under Half the Cost of Building Coal Power Plants.  After mining the results of energy efficiency programs representing every US region, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) researchers have reported the initial result that the average total cost of saved energy is only  4.4 cents per kilowatt hour. This means that smarter uses of energy can replace dirty coal at a fraction of the cost of building coal plants to generate electricity (and without polluting our air or exacerbating climate disruption).

AllJoyn is an open source software framework and set of services to enable interoperability among connected devices to create dynamic proximal networks. AllJoyn is developed by the AllSeen Alliance, a cross-industry collaboration to advance the Internet of Things comprised of 80 members and growing. Microsoft joined the AllSeen alliance in July, joining the long list of key industry players such as Sony, LG, Qualcomm, Panasonic, Sharp, Cisco, Haier and many others to address a major challenge facing IoT, collaborating on a universal software framework, based on AllJoyn open source code, which allows devices to autonomously discover and interact with nearby products regardless of their underlying proprietary technology or communications protocols

IoT Meets ZigBee. What is going to happen as the proliferation of IoT devices, especially the endpoint population, goes well beyond what Wi-Fi can effectively support?

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) in many respects is the progression of distributed computing. IIoT relies on sound data to be effective. The fundamental components of an automation (or other) system are sensors; they are the “eyes, ears, and fingers” of any system. If the concepts of IIoT are to succeed, we need more effective, powerful sensors. The leaders in the Industrial Internet of Things race may well be innovators in the development of new sensor technologies.

Although smart buildings have been proven to save energy, streamline facilities management and prevent expensive equipment failures, many property owners and investors do not see the value in smart buildings, so Jones Lang LaSalle created a graphic that discredits the top 10 smart building myths.

Setting safe foundations for internet-linked building control systems This module considers the issues when planning building control systems using IP-based networks.

BOMA’s e-Energy Training  e-Energy Training is an interactive web-based training program for building operators, building engineers and facility managers. Participants develop the skills and knowledge to identify energy reduction opportunities and learn how to develop strategies to encourage stakeholders to save energy. The online format allows participants to learn at their own pace at work or from home. For more details, watch a video demonstration, view a slideshow highlighting course details, read video demonstration from course graduates and stay up-to-date with the latest e-Energy Training news.

Toronto’s George Brown College officially opened its new Green Building Centre on November 10. The applied research facility will train students in green energy, advanced construction systems and computer-enabled, efficient buildings. It will also create space for industry partners to conduct full-scale development projects focused on construction practices that are environmentally responsible and resource-efficient.

Songdo IBD which is a $35 billion "smart" city real estate development is built on 1,500 acres (6 sq km) of reclaimed land located adjacent to Incheon International Airport on the western coast of the Korean peninsula. Songdo is widely viewed as one of the world's most technologically advanced and environmentally responsible cities, featuring almost 14 million SF of LEED-certified space. In partnership with Korean and U.S. companies such as Cisco Systems, LG CNS and ADT Caps, the city is already serving as a test bed for both public and private "smart" city solutions, services, and technologies.

Debunking Top 5 Building Analytics Misconceptions Posted on November 14, 2014 by therese554 — Leave a comment

SkySpark® analytics has now been deployed to over 8200 buildings consisting of over 475 Million square feet.

By Bill Lydon, Editor Some industrial automation vendors and computer technology providers are offering cloud services that include historians, analytics, and complete MES (Manufacturing Execution System). Certainly, these services offer a new way to improve industrial automation, control, and operations by applying more computing power. Another important trend is leveraging new, more powerful controllers within the secure automation system environment

Market Research Suggests High Degree of Confidence with LED Lighting and Controls  By Craig DiLouie, on November 19, 2014

The ZigBee Alliance plans to put all forms of its low-power wireless technology under one standard, ZigBee 3.0, in a move that could make it easier to connect many wireless devices in homes.

Bluetooth and ZigBee: A new standards war brewing? 11/17/14, Cees Links, GreenPeak Technologies  Just like there are WiFi/Bluetooth combo products today, capable of “talking” both WiFi and Bluetooth, there will be devices in the future that can “talk” both ZigBee and Bluetooth. Trying to pit one technology against the other does not do right to either of them, creates a standards war, and stalls the market.

If This Then That (IFTTT )  The new cloud control language as a service?  In an attempt to do what I say and to increase my "I of Me" of IoT I am trying to get my head around this control language cloud service that looks more like a cooking school than programming. I have been fascinated by control languages and involved in their creation since the early 1980s and amazed at their power to do powerful things easily.

Universal Devices Brings “Energy Management In a Box” to Small & Medium Business Customers Demand Response Program, Using OpenADR, Complies with State’s Title 24 Building Requirements

Support for 1,000's of Z-Wave and INSTEON devices. Supports complete ecosystem of Z-Wave devices Best in class INSTEON support (requires optional 2413s PLM)  True energy management platform Reads energy usage from supported devices Support for OpenADR demand response

Mobility is no longer just an option No one can now imagine a successful company that does not have remote access to business systems; the same will soon be true for automation. With just five operators being hired for every 10 that retire, mobility is essential for increasing productivity. Employees can no longer spend the entire day in the control room or one area of the plant, thus HMI remote-access capabilities are mission critical.

A striking map created by John Matherly at search engine Shodan shows significant disparities in internet access across the world.  The graphic maps every device that's directly connected to the internet. We first noticed it when geopolitical expert Ian Bremmer tweeted it.  Some of the dark spots on the map could be attributed to low population density in those areas, but by looking at the map it's clear that internet access isn't equal across the world.

Due to advancements in IP networking, we can connect and control almost everything in the Internet and become the de facto ruler of machine-to-machine communication. This gives ICT engineers a huge opportunity to work any verticals or industry. In this article, we are going to learn how an ICT Engineer can work in Smart Building technology.

Has Anyone Seen A Real Internet of Things Ecosystem?  Smart Systems and the Internet of Things is real and many, if not most, of its silicon, software, and network pieces are finally beginning to fall into place.  But creative business development among technology developers has not kept pace with their technology innovations. The tech tools may be 21st century, but the business thinking of the tool “creators” has too often remained in the 20th. Yet, despite considerable progress in many areas, the potential for Smart Systems is still largely untapped - potentially billions if not trillions of nodes could be connected if the right technology and business architectures were in place.

Integrate and enhance an existing System with ZB-Connection. 4-noks provide all the tools you need to build a versatile wireless network on an existing system. All building owners & operators are demanding better control and more information from their buildings. This is where ZB-Connection addresses the problem and “plugs the gap” by allowing for extremely versatile wireless nodes to be incorporated into an existing BMS/PLC/SCADA System or any ModBus Master to enable enhanced control as well as remote monitoring at all levels using the sensor range.

The 2-2014 issue of the EnOcean magazine Perpetuum is now online – enjoy reading

The use and reach of KNX continues to grow, from the announcement that LG Electronics is now the 350th manufacturer member, to the formation of the first National Group in North America with KNX Mexico.

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