Briefly …

ASHRAE's BACnet building controls protocol is now being considered for adoption as a standard by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the European Committee for Standardization. In December, both organizations will vote on whether to adopt BACnet.

Fortune 5000 business executives espoused their views on the Kyoto Protocol in a recent market survey, with 34% supporting it, 26% opposing it and 38% having no opinion on the matter. Conducted by American Viewpoint, the survey also found that more than four-fifths of respondents anticipate that the U.S. government will be regulating emissions and other pollutants by 2010. In addition, 75% of polled executives believe that global warming is a serious problem.

The number of intrinsically-safe products specified in hazardous classification areas is projected to grow 11.2% in Asia, 7.3% in the Middle East, 6.5% in North America and 3.4% in Europe, according to the Natick, Mass,-based Venture Development Corporation. Although North America is posed for more growth, the market in 2001 was only $191 million, with explosion-proof protection being the more preferred method, as compared to a $403 million market in Europe where intrinsic safety methods are more accepted.