EASI – Enterprise App Standard Interface
Building automation systems are now embracing more integration levels due to the success of the open systems movement. Better interoperability has proven to add value and reduce costs in buildings.
No longer are we faced with islands of automation; islands of independent sub-systems that don’t talk with each other. Significant increase in efficiency resulting from cross sub-system integration has resulted in a wide array of sub-disciplines engaged in efforts to bring information into a common digestible model.
Lighting systems, HVAC systems, energy management systems are sharing data such as occupancy/vacancy information in an effort better control the environment. Multi-protocol systems, multi-media system, and multi-vendor systems are becoming the norm.
What’s missing is a common application interface model at the enterprise level: a mechanism to allow a variety of apps to access data from a variety of sources and protocols with a common understanding model, a common data profile model.
Think “Building App Store” with a wide assortment of apps that run on a variety of platforms that can get access a variety of control system elements in a common, open way.
This initiative is investigating a model referred to as the Enterprise Application Standard Interface (EASI) where apps are able to consume data from a variety of sub-systems, sub-protocols, in a more interoperable way; without the need for knowing or caring what protocol or who’s system the data is coming from.
This model is bringing together key organizations such as LonMark International, BACnet International, EnOcean Alliance, OpenADR Alliance, Zigbee Alliance, and others in a collaborative effort to solve one of the last fundamental interoperability issues left in smart buildings.
The EASI Committee is bringing together owners, users, integrators, and vendors to address a key industry issue. If you would like to learn more about this effort, enter a comment and your contact information below. If you’d like to be invited to the committee meetings, please indicate so.
Project Archives:
Intelligent System Integration for Facility Dashboards – Presented at the ASHRAE 2012 Summer Meeting – San Antonio
Intelligent System Integration for Facility Dashboards – Full video of presentation
Smart Buildings and Smart Grid Presentation – PDF Slide deck of presentation given at Engineered Systems High Performance Buildings Conference – Fall 2012 – Virgina
Smart Buildings and Smart Grid Presentation MP3 Audio – recording of live presentation