The Building Automation System (BAS) industry is made up of many passionate individuals, working for large multinational companies as well as technology startups. They are supported by many local providers and technology-focused groups, committees, systems integrators, consultants, specialists, media, and bloggers.

The past decades have brought about dramatic developments in technology, business practices, and approaches. Today, the industry is grappling with the impending disruption brought about by information technology, specifically the “digitalization of everything” under the moniker of the Internet of Things.

In mid-2017, Cimetrics saw the need to start a new discussion on how the industry should best adapt itself in the age of data. We started an online blog A New Deal for Buildings (newdeal.blog). The blog became the inspiration for a white paper to be created under the auspices and guidance of CABA (the Continental Automated Building Association), the industry body that lies at the center of industry discussion, education, and advancement.

It is worth noting that the New Deal is not promoting any specific technology or company, nor is it a new association or other entity. The New Deal is designed to encourage a new dialog on how the BAS industry can better present a way forward, and deliver significantly better value to its collective customers—building owners, facility managers and society at large. All will benefit from the best possible indoor environments and energy performance of their buildings.

The New Deal is based on three tenets, explained in full in the white paper:

• Open Standards
• Digital Twin
• Service Transparency

Discussing disruptive forces can be both invigorating and uncomfortable at the same time. Many in the industry that makes up CABA’s membership will be excited by the New Deal, while others will see it as unnecessary and counter to their current business priorities. A better way to view disruption is that it is inescapable, and the industry’s acceptance of this, and an open dialog about self-disruption will be much better than the inevitable external disruption from entities less able to fulfill the needs of building owners, operators, and managers.

[an error occurred while processing this directive]The authors of the CABA white paper is made up of key thought leaders and CABA members. Their objective was that the paper lays out the background, issues, tenets, driving forces and specific actions for the industry to take. The authors know that they are not omniscient and seek input from all in the industry to further the mission of the New Deal.

New Deal white paper Authors:

• Anto Budiardjo, Cimetrics
• David Katz, Sustainable Resources
• Harsha Chandrashekar, Honeywell
• John Petze, SkyFoundry
• Mike Welch, Fulham Co.
• Ron Bernstein, LonMark
• Therese Sullivan, BuildingContext.me
  

Read the CABA white paper at http://bit.ly/newdealwp
Join the online discussion at https://newdeal.blog