This study is needed to identify the key applications most likely to become important and viable for both the electric utility industry and building owners. For each of these applications there is a need to identify the information that needs to be exchanged and characterize it in terms of parameters that are essential to the design of a communication system, such as the quantity of data, timing issues, access security and cost constraints. This project is focused on identifying these applications and their communication requirements, in part by analyzing existing technologies published in the technical literature from which general guidelines for the information exchange can be derived. A specific data model that satisfies all of the identified application and communication requirements will be developed. Furthermore, this research will identify the major players and stakeholders in the standardization process and discuss what specific role ASHRAE could and should play.

The objective of this research project is 1) to provide engineers, facility managers, and utilities with detailed information about communication requirements for the integration of the utility and building EMCS so that a communication infrastructure can be developed; 2) to provide a basis for proposing new enhancements to communication protocol standards for utility control systems and EMCS; 3) to allow EMCS equipment manufacturers, communication companies, software developers and building operators to understand the requirements and capabilities of existing and future communication services; and 4) to advise ASHRAE on what role it could and should play in developing this new technology.

PRINCAL INVESTIGATOR: Michael Kintner-Meyer, Science Applications International Corporation
CONDUCTED: September 1997 - October 1998
SPONSORED BY: TC 4.SBS Smart Building Systems