The New Face of Building Automation

Our industry has developed a new face, not just the one projected on this building by digital signage software but a new face that includes new functionality and form. Buildings are now expected to be an interactive part of their virtual community and of course the electrical grid. This new face is creating untold opportunities that we all must investigate, understand and support.

This month's interviews give you some insight into our evolving new face. Buildings as Virtual Peaking Plants Peter Kelly-Detwiler followed with Energy Asset Management With EnterpriseDX Keith Gipson and Honeywell's Demand Response Thermostats Steve Smith.

With energy written all over our green face (CABA) has contracted Frost & Sullivan to conduct research that addresses the operation, energy savings and long term benefits of commercial facilities that implement intelligent and green building technologies above and beyond LEED certification. The research study will try to provide clarity to our new green face. Convergence of Green & Intelligent Buildings Study

Anto tells us that the new face is strangely a combination of the past, the changing, the new, and a heavy dose of socially-driven subjects that together are turning the world of energy and buildings upside down. Read his article about how  ASHRAE, CSI & OPC are meeting at BuilConn

Getting a Handle on Web 2.0 and the New Services Development Paradigm is a great lead in to BuilConn in Santa Clara Buildings 2.0 Roundtable to discuss the status of Internet-based building automation, and more importantly, the new type of products and solutions that are being enabled by the use of this ubiquitous technology.

We need a better way to upgrade, enhance, and control what we have. Facility managers need a plan, a partner, and an incentive. Ron Bernstein, Executive Director, LonMark International stated in his article Total Facility Control

The new face of video security is discussed in Mega Video Solutions Systems are not just cheaper and more flexible they have opened up new opportunities. Barry Keepence, CTO, IndigoVision

Toby tells us how Rent Seeking is Crippling Building System Markets in his column this month.

And of course as usual there is lots more great articles, reviews, interviews and new products all about our new evolving face.

Going Green is this month's theme by default as almost every article uses the word green or somehow references to the sustainable movement.  I am pleased with our industry's response to the need for change and seizing the opportunities that lie within.

Welcome Toby Considine as our newest editorial columnist. Toby's 25 years experience in business process optimization using information technology helps him provide us his unique perspective as to where we may be going and why. Please read his first column and truly understand what an SOB really is, and get connected to his prolific blog "New Daedalus". Thanks, for sharing your views with our readers Toby.

In our lead interview with Lauren Kolb, Executive Vice President, Automated Logic Corporation answers the question we all wanted to know - "Carrier now owns Automated Logic. Will Automated Logic change its name and go-to-market under the Carrier brand?"  I am very pleased with Lauren's responses and the knowledge that all the innovation and support provided to the industry by the original core ALC folks will not be lost in the merger. Be sure to read The Focus at Automated Logic

In a twist of role reversals this month your Editor and interviewer gets interviewed By George Thomas, President of Contemporary Controls. for their newsletter "The Extension".  George digs up dinosaur bones from the past trying to figure out why we created our online global magazine. George asks; What prompted you to start AutomatedBuildings.com?  Check the interview out and subscribe to their newsletter at http://www.basautomation.com/ExtVol9N1.htm   Also check out Oops! I Missed a Point Joe Stasiek, Contemporary Controls and Industrial Ethernet University Joe Stasiek

We are a media sponsor for the Green Intelligent Buildings Conference and we are very excited, as Jeff Harris, VP of Program Development at the Alliance to Save Energy, has been secured as keynote speaker. Mr. Harris will explore the "Impact of the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007", speaking about the incredible opportunity this Act presents to our industry!

Anto's article last month achieved top reads The Energy Revolution is Here! and he is back with the sequel  How Energy Revolution Affects You!

Second best read article last month was The Virtual Building Operations Center by George B. Huettel, PE, Cyrus Technologies, Inc. and he is also back with an interview to provide more insight into this interesting concept.

Lots of great information so be sure to read all the interviews, reviews, articles, columns and new products

We have added a new Blog tab to our navigation menu which links to related industry blogs of interest.  We created an Industry online Forum many years before blogging was conceived and have combined these.

Of course the news just keeps flowing thru our web site and RSS feeds daily, and of course the only way to truly find what you are looking for in the vast quantity of information on our site is with our site search engine http://www.automatedbuildings.com/search/sitesearch.htm

Be sure to check our event calendar to see the number events we have in our future.

Lots of information and links in this issue use the menu on your left to explore.

We have been working on improving our web site by reorganizing how we handle the great number of news release we receive daily.  We now provide a News Feed ( Which Needs a RSS Feed Reader ) and have provided a New Our RSS news feed rendered into HTML

Tell our sponsors you saw their ad on the AutomatedBuildings.com web site and thank them for supporting your free access to evolving Automated Building Industry information. Click on their ads and view their valuable products and services. Please review all Our Sponsors. 

Be sure to check our event calendar to see the number events we have in our future.

As I always say, it is a great time to be in the news business for our industry. 

Send comments and suggestions to news@automatedbuildings.com

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