ZigBee Alliance Completes ZigBee Building Automation Standard

The ZigBee Alliance, a global ecosystem of companies creating wireless solutions for use in energy management, commercial and consumer applications, recently announced it has completed development and ratified the ZigBee Building Automation standard.

ZigBee Building Automation is the global standard for interoperable products enabling the secure and reliable monitoring and control of commercial building systems. It is the only BACnet approved wireless mesh network standard for commercial buildings. Products using ZigBee Building Automation give building owners and operators control of more building types, previously unreachable rooms or sensitive areas, thanks to its low-power wireless operation. Existing wired BACnet building automation systems can now be expanded with greater ease and reduced operational cost. The standard was developed by numerous Alliance members, with major assistance coming from Convergence Wireless, Johnson Controls, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Ingersoll-Rand and Ubilogix.

“ZigBee Building Automation delivers much sought after integration with BACnet building automation systems,” said Andy McMillan, BACnet International president and general manager Philips Teletrol. “We selected ZigBee Building Automation because its low-power mesh networks will meet the needs of just about any type of building.”

With ZigBee Building Automation, building owners, operators and tenants can create more efficient buildings and benefit from increased energy savings. They can also ensure the lowest lifecycle costs with this green and easy-to-install robust wireless network. ZigBee Building Automation wireless products can contribute toward satisfying credits in the Sustainable Sites, Energy and Atmosphere and Indoor Environmental Quality categories of the U.S. Green Building Council’s LEED green building certification program.

“With ZigBee Building Automation, it is now possible to eliminate the web of wires required to monitor and manage a building and maintain all the benefits of BACnet, “said Bob Heile, chairman of the ZigBee Alliance. “ZigBee Building Automation provides product manufacturers with a proven standard to expand their product line and help their customers adapt for the future. Only a ZigBee Building Automation network makes it easier, faster and cheaper for a space to be reconfigured to meet a new tenant need.”

The alliance expects members to create ZigBee Building Automation products that will become ZigBee Certified. To see a full list of features and benefits offered by ZigBee Building Automation, visit: http://www.ZigBee.org/BuildingAutomation.