Episode 276: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending July 30, 2018 features another field interview update from Aaron Gorka, Innovation Manager, ANT Technologies; Sentient Buildings’ David Unger at Realcomm20/IBcon Live; Vykon releases Niagara 4.6; Honeywell Name Reveal: Resideo; Blue Ridge Technologies’ Dennis Swaboda’s BACnet Journal article: BACnet and Total Environmental Control; and don’t miss this week’s Flashback Friday: The Beatles and the Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance video.

Sentient Buildings’ “Building Awareness” at Realcomm20/IBcon Conference — Conference Live Launchpad Interview with David Unger ControlTrends learned about Sentient Buildings at the Realcomm20/IBcon Conference Live Product Launchpad. Sentient Buildings provides Cloud-Connected Controls and Gateways for Building Monitoring and Control Systems — transforming the built environment delivering real-time “building awareness” through the application of IoT technologies connected to smart controls and gateways reporting to cloud platforms.

VYKON Announcement: Niagara 4.6 is Here — Modernize Your Framework to Save Time, Effort and Money! Dear valued partner, Tridium has released Niagara 4.6, a significant advancement in our open framework. Niagara 4.6 provides fertile ground for developing applications that drive building automation systems forward and help businesses take full advantage of the IoT. Niagara 4.6 (4.6.96.28.4) follows the internal release of Niagara 4.5, a build used internally for testing and validating technology upgrades found in this newest release.

Honeywell Homes Name Reveal: A Message from Michael G. Nefkens, President and CEO, Resideo. As you’ve heard from previous communications, Homes and ADI Global Distribution will be spinning off from Honeywell to become an independent company. We expect the spin to be completed by the end of 2018. Many of you have been wondering how we’ll continue to deliver on the heritage and reliability of a great brand like Honeywell and have asked what will the brand become after the spin. In this letter, I’m excited to share with you the new corporate name of the Homes business, how we will go to market using the Honeywell name and a little background on the development of the name.

Listen in to some great heads-up interviews with ControlTrends Young Gun, Aaron Gorka, Innovations Manager, ANT Technologies, and four guests: Nick Benton, Manager Professional Development, HARDI. Columbus, OH; Jake Charleston, Territory Manager, Charleston, Inc. Omaha, NB; José Loubet, Owner, Rafacciones Loubet. Tijuana, Mexico; and Raul Ruiz, Owner — Refaccionaria Ruiz., Ciudad Victoria, Mexico. ANT Technologies are providers of paperless, cloud-based, operational technology for HVAC & Control Contractors. Technicians love this paperless solution that simplifies the business end-of-the-stick, and allows them to focus on maintenance. ANT Technologies solutions add more value!

BACnet and Total Environmental Control: Shining a Light on BAS Controls. With all the conversation about the 3-30-300 metrics and Ken Sinclair’s thoughts on the humanization of buildings and the new ways occupants and buildings will interact, it was interesting when I came across this article from the team at Blue Ridge Technologies (published in the recent edition of the BACnet International Journal).

Flash Back Friday: The Beatles and The Smart Building Controls Renaissance. Ken and I first noticed the controls Industry was in a renaissance period in Paris, at the EASYIO Global Conference. Sitting at a side walk cafe, drinking cafe au lait, discussing what we had seen and heard from the participants at the event,it became apparent that the smart building controls world as we had known it was changing and would never be the same. Over the next year, we noticed how quickly things had changed, and it was at the at EASYIO Global Conference in Manchester, that we confirmed that the New Age and Smart Building Controls Renaissance had indeed arrived, and there was no turning back.

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Episode 275: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending July 22, 2018 features interviews with Therese Sullivan, Director of Channel Marketing at Tridium, and Alper Uzmezler, Managing Partner, BASSG and Founder of Anka Labs. Contemporary Controls introduces their new EIGR Routers; Lynxspring offers Analytics at the edge; Acuity’s Lucid delivers a data and analytic platform; Why Project SandStar could change the Smart Building Controls world forever; and a message to contractors from Honeywell’s General Manager, Mike Garceau.

Contemporary Controls News: New Product — EIGR Routers Add OpenVPN Server Functionality. The EIPR-V routers have supported the OpenVPN client functionality to provide secure remote access using the RemoteVPN service. The newly released EIGR routers support this functionality but also can be configured to as an OpenVPN server. Setting up an OpenVPN server on your own is not a trivial task. It involves setting up a root certificate authority and generating certificates and keys for the OpenVPN server and for each client device that intends to connect to this server.

ControlTalk NOW interview with Therese Sullivan, who in her new role as Tridium’s Director of Channel Marketing, tells us how she still monitors the technology quakes emanating from the Silicon Valley, while taking a deeper focus on the Voice of the Customer. Therese also brings us up-to-speed on tagging, mobile first, bulk deploy, and the increased efficiency between the supervisors and controllers — features of Tridium’s Niagara 4.6 impending release.

Lynxspring Edge-to-Enterprise Solution Now Offers Analytics at the Edge for the Building Environment and Operational Systems. Lynxspring, Inc., a premier developer and provider of open, IP-control solutions for building automation, energy management, and edge-to-enterprise integration, announced today the full release of their Onyxx® SkySpark® Edge Analytics solution which embeds SkyFoundry’s SkySpark® Everywhere Analytics software in the Lynxspring Onyxx® Hardware platform.

ControlTrends’ Ken Smyers gets the 411 on Acuity’s Acquisition of Lucid at Realcomm20/IBcon. Ken Smyers digs in at RealComm|IBcon and talks with the team at Lucid about how their products will add to the great product portfolio Acuity Brands already has like DG Logik and Distech. Lucid provides a data and analytics platform to make data-driven decisions to improve building efficiency and drive energy conservation and savings. Its SaaS-based BuildingOS platform enables owners, operators, and occupants to gain powerful insights into the operations of their buildings, providing the ability to make them more efficient and improve the performance of the people and businesses utilizing these strategic assets.

ControlTalk NOW second interview is with Alper Uzmezler, Managing Partner, BASSG and Founder of Anka Labs. Alper tells us about Sandstar, an initiative that combines two open industry standards, Sedona and Project Haystack, which replaces hardware dependent code with self-describing haystack-based tagging. Alper follows with a demonstration and explains that the key to AI-infused PID loops is clean data. The next step is to develop the Sandstar ecosystem. Community participation is welcome!

Why Project SandStar Could Change The Smart Building Controls World Forever. If ControlTrends’ Young Gun, Alper Üzmezler, managing partner at BASSG, is correct with his theory that the way DDC software is done today is redundant — costly and inefficient, and if he can deliver the promises of Project Sandstar, then the smart building controls world as we know it — is getting ready to change forever. What Sandstar allows — is for independent Direct Digital Controls to merge Sedona with Haystack — into a seamless whole, which according to Alper, means you would eliminate the need for each individual manufacturer’s software.

Honeywell Building Controls 2018 Contractor Guide Book. A message from Mike Garceau, General Manager – Honeywell Brand: Dear Honeywell Contractor, Honeywell has a long tradition of working with independent contractors and integrators to provide complete, successful building control solutions. And thanks to your hard work and partnership, we feel our channel-to-market approach is the strongest it’s ever been. That’s why we’re committed to investing in the tools and resources and introducing more partner benefits — such as Contractor Pro Rewards — that help make you a success each and every day.

The post Episode 275: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for Week Ending July 22, 2018 appeared first on ControlTrends.

Episode 274: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending July 15, 2018, features Ken Sinclair, owner and editor Automated Buildings, who shares some more of his amazing industry voyage (viewers and listeners will be richly rewarded). Siemens puts the pedal to the metal on its way to “Perfect Places” — adding Building Robotics and Comfy to its J2 Innovations and EnLightened acquisitions. Kele acquires MI Controls; Belimo Fire Protection Scenarios Video; Microsoft’s perceived 30,000 foot participation in the Smart Buildings Space is really hovering at an altitude closer than you may think; Realcomm20/IBcon Conference Live Interview with Rajavel Subramanian of Facilio; and more!

Why Siemens bought Comfy and how they will make “Perfect Places.” We have been talking about Siemens’ acquisition of Comfy for a while. We have wondered just what the two companies will create. In this video we get clarity on how Siemens and Comfy will work together to create “perfect places” and perfect environments for people who inhabit smart commercial buildings. Eike-Oliver Steffen, the Head of Solutions and Services Portfolio Siemens Building Technologies, and Andrew Krioukou, CEO and Co Founder of Comfy, discuss their shared vision in this enlightening video.

Kele Acquires MI Controls. This just in: Kele has acquired MIControls, Inc., co-located in Seattle and Portland, OR. According to Kele President and CEO Richard Campbell: “This strategic move enables us to serve our customers in the Western United States better and faster by locating products closer to you. Nothing changes in how you do business with us today. We will be working through the integration with MIControls in the coming months. You can expect the same great service you already receive from Kele but with even faster delivery once the integration is complete.

Ken Sinclair’s Automated Buildings’ July 2018 Issue, “Building Emotion.” In his July, 2018, edition of Automated Buildings, owner and editor, Ken Sinclair suggests it’s time for us to create “an emotional sense of our building space.” Siemens CEO, Matthias Rebellius agrees — because we spend up to 90% of our lives in buildings. We know that art and architecture trigger our emotions, but will buildings ever evoke their own emotions? Ken Sinclair believes there is need for “An improved relationship between the physical, the virtual and the emotional world.”

Belimo – Fire Protection Scenarios — Great Visual Presentation of Motorized Fire Dampers versus Non-motorized Fire Dampers. More Performance. More Value. More Safety. Technology that Saves Lives! Belimo fire and smoke damper actuators are designed for operation in smoke and combination fire and smoke dampers in ventilation and air-conditioning systems with a torque range from 18 in-lbs to 180 in-lbs @ 350°F.

Watch (and or listen) to our amazing ControlTalk NOW conversation with Ken Sinclair, owner and editor of Automated Buildings. Ken reviews his Automated Buildings‘ July edition, important take-aways from his Helsinki excursion, some of his most recent 20 year industry journey, most of which is digitally documented, and then brings us to the crest of change and digital mindfulness and building emotions. Ken leaves us with one possible solution: instead of trying to make humans more technically savvy, make technology more human. Great industry insight and conversation.

What Ken Sinclair and Julie Miner have to teach you about your next Smart Building Controls Opportunity. One of the really cool things about ControlTrends, is that we get to go to great conferences like Real Comm IBcon and talk with insightful people like Jim Young and Ken Sinclair. We get to see trends unfold and are hopefully able to convey these to the ControlTrends Community in such a way that our insights can prepare you for the next turn in the road and the next opportunity. Well listen up, because putting great controls and analytics in a building are not going to be enough. It is going to be about the experience that the building creates.

Realcomm20/IBcon Conference Live Interview with Rajavel Subramanian of Facilio. ControlTrends had the opportunity to interview Rajavel Subramanian of Facilio at the Realcomm20/IBcon Conference Live Product Launchpad. Facilio is new to the North American market and is seeking to develop a channel with Niagara partners. Facilio offers a great facility management product for buildings in the 50,000 to 100,000 square foot range.

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Episode 273: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending July 1, 2018, features a discussion with industry expert, Chief Communications Officer and Vice President at Lynxspring, Marc Petock, who provides unique insight into this week’s industry events and trends challenging and changing business as usual. 2018 Realcomm|IBcon interviews continue with Microsoft Azure’s Group Program Manager, Abundant Power Group, and Cyber Pro. 2019 AHR Expo returns to Atlanta — and AHR announces the call for nominations for the prestigious 2019 Innovation Awards. Celebrate National HVAC Technician’s Day, and Honeywell introduces two new products.

AHR Expo Returns to Atlanta for the First Time Since 2001, Clay Stevens, AHR Expo Show Manager, “We are thrilled to be back in this great city for the first time in 17 years.” The AHR Expo will return to Atlanta for the first time since 2001 for its 2019 Show at the Georgia World Congress Center. HVACR accounts for billions of dollars in revenue and is a key economic driver for the state of Georgia, with U.S. Department of Labor projections indicating it will see nearly 20 percent growth in the coming years. With this booming HVACR market, the region is a top location to host the next AHR Expo.

AHR Expo Announced — 2019 Innovation Awards — Call for Entries! he awards call attention to the products, systems and technologies that have set elevated standards for the industry’s responsible and effective use of its resources. Here’s some additional info: Submissions are due by July 31, 2018; Entries should demonstrate innovative design, creativity, application, value and market impact; and Categories include: building automation; cooling; green building; heating; indoor air quality; plumbing; refrigeration; software; tools and instruments; and ventilation.

Microsoft’s Group Program Manager of Azure IoT, Bert Van Hoof and Willow’s CEO and Co-Founder, Josh Ridley at 2018 Realcomm|IBcon. Bert Van Hoof tells us about Microsoft’s ability to help influence what “SMART” means in the smart building context and how their new Azure platform capabilities, which Microsoft refers to as Spacial Intelligence, are helping their partners realize their innovation goals in new global markets. Willow’s CEO and Co-Founder, Josh Ridley, explains that without a Digital Twin, you don’t really have a user experience. Willow is about the digital environment for a physical world. Great Willow demonstration follows.

Cyber Pro: Smart Power Supply. No matter how good your smart building controls are, if the power coming to them is off, the controls won’t work the way they should. Get the power right and you are on your way to creating a great smart building controls system. We had the chance to catch up with Dan Niewirowicz,CEO at Next Device, LLC, about CyberPower. CyberPower designs and manufactures uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, power distribution units (PDUs), rack enclosures, surge protectors, remote management hardware, power management software, mobile chargers, and connectivity products.

NATIONAL HVAC TECH DAY: With the days heating up, June 22nd is a perfect day for National HVAC Tech Day! Why should we show appreciation for our HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) Technicians? Though a variety of home heating and cooling techniques have existed since ancient times, central heating and air as we know it was born in the early 1900s. New inventions like the residential air conditioner and advances in older technologies, such as the thermostat and blower-equipped furnaces, gave Americans greater control over their indoor comfort than ever before.NATIONAL HVAC TECH DAY – June 22! Belated Congratulations and Thanks for a Job Well Done!

Making Buildings Smarter: Catching Up with Abundant Power at 2018 RealComm|IBcon. had a chance to meet Derek McGarry, the Head Building Performance Engineer at Abundant Power. Abundant Power out of Charlotte, North Carolina, provides solution focused services, great customer service, and profit driven outcomes so that their customers get the most value out of Analytics, and as we all know making data actionable and useful is easier said than done. After hearing what Derek has to say, I believe that Abundant Power knows how to use data to make buldings smarter. And with great smart building controls integrators like McKenney’s, Atlanta, using their product, they are keeping very good company. Just Announced: New Products from Honeywell.. Honeywell is excited to announce the launch of two new lines of pressure sensors (P7650 and P7635) and a new line of current sensors and switches! The pressure sensors offer enhanced features and directly replace their P7640 pressure sensor. These easy to install current sensors will replace Honeywell’s existing line of current sensors. For more information click here.

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