BACnet Eyes Security

Staff -- Consulting-Specifying Engineer, 10/1/2006

An addendum to extend BACnet to support access control systems is being proposed by ASHRAE.

The proposed addendum f to Standard 135 establishes a standard BACnet object, which represents a door operated as part of an access control system. According to Bill Swan, chair of ASHRAE's BACnet committee, it presents information and alarms about the door, such as its status—open or closed, door open too long, door forced open—and provides means for controlling the door—lock, unlock, etc.

This object is the first access control work item to come out of the BACnet committee's Life-Safety and Security Working Group. The group is working to develop full support for access control in BACnet, with more extensions to BACnet to follow. The group is working closely with the Security Industry Assn. to develop common data models and methods for access control systems.

The proposed addendum will be open for public review until Nov. 6. To review the proposed addendum or to comment, visit www.ashrae.org/publicreviews.