Honeywell has introduced BACnet-compliant control system for heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) products, Honeywell ComfortPoint. Honeywell ComfortPoint features a family of BACnet controllers and a simplified interface that give consulting engineers and building managers a flexible, cost-effective platform for monitoring and managing HVAC equipment from a variety of vendors. ComfortPoint adds to Honeywell’s portfolio of open solutions, complementing the company’s existing LON-based HVAC offerings.
According to Honeywell Building Solution, ComfortPoint allows customers to choose either, or a mix of, BACnet or LonWorks-based devices depending on their individual building system’s requirements. Customers now have more options available to them as ComfortPoint’s open protocol allows different products or systems to be integrated - all on one platform. This freedom of choice is quite revolutionary as proprietary systems are still the norm in some markets.
The ComfortPoint interface is designed around an Open Platform which allows for maximum flexibility and scalability when customers choose their building automation systems. ComfortPoint’s 32-bit processor technology is capable of covering a wide range of applications from single temperature control through to complex optimisation applications.
ComfortPoint also is fully compatible with Honeywell’s award winning building automation platform, Enterprise Buildings Integrator (EBI), which allows building owners to go beyond traditional HVAC controls and integrate everything from access control and security monitoring to fire alarms and digital video surveillance.
ComfortPoint’s simple yet powerful network architecture works with EBI’s graphical and intuitive interface which simplifies both operations and training time. Users interact from any standard PC or via a web browser and can be notified of critical alarms via their mobile phones or PDA if they are not the office. Benefits from this approach include improved operations, easier access to information within the ComfortPoint BACnet network, and powerful monitoring capabilities for reporting, analysis and trending of facility data.
The ComfortPoint network architecture and modular controllers are designed to be expandable and compatible with existing network infrastructure. So not only does this save on upfront costs, it also allows businesses to invest with the ease-of-mind that the different components can be upgraded without costly gateways or interfaces to meet the business needs as they evolve.
Additionally, ComfortPoint continually optimises energy usage with inbuilt meter interface and energy management function to provide consistent and reliable data for better management decisions. This means a more competitive package to streamline processes, simplify operations, conserve energy, and save businesses money.