1ST EDITION

BUILDING
AUTOMATION
SYSTEM
EVALUATION
TEMPLATE
Building Automation Systems

PHIL ZITO
BUILDING AUTOMATION MONTHLY © 2016
 Table of Contents

1 How to use this document ........................................................................................................................................... 2

2 Building Automation System Manufacturer | Representative ................................................................................ 2
2.1 Manufacturer ......................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Brand ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.3 Version ................................................................................................................................................................... 2
2.4 Years in business ................................................................................................................................................. 2
2.5 Procurement Sources .......................................................................................................................................... 3
2.6 Service Presence ................................................................................................................................................. 3
2.7 Service Approach ................................................................................................................................................. 3
3 BAS Hardware .............................................................................................................................................................. 4
3.1 Server Deployment Methods .............................................................................................................................. 4
3.2 Operating System Supported ............................................................................................................................. 4
3.3 Databases Supported .......................................................................................................................................... 4
3.4 Communication Trunks Supported .................................................................................................................... 4
3.5 Controller Capabilities.......................................................................................................................................... 5
4 BAS Protocol Support .................................................................................................................................................. 6
4.1 What Protocols Does The BAS Support ........................................................................................................... 6
5 BAS Graphical User Interfaces .................................................................................................................................. 7
5.1 What Form of Graphics Does the BAS Support .............................................................................................. 7
5.2 Does the BAS Have Software For Developing Graphics ............................................................................... 7
6 BAS Integration............................................................................................................................................................. 8
6.1 What Forms Of Integration Does the BAS Support ........................................................................................ 8
6.1.1 If the BAS Has An API, What Kind of API Is It?....................................................................................... 8
6.1.2 If the BAS Has an API, What Is It’s Availability ....................................................................................... 8
7 BAS Configuration Tools ............................................................................................................................................. 9
7.1 Does The BAS Include Site Configuration Software....................................................................................... 9
7.1.1 What Capabilities Does the BAS Site Configuration Software Support ............................................... 9
7.2 Does The BAS Include Site Controller Configuration Software .................................................................... 9
8 BAS Reporting Tools ................................................................................................................................................. 10
8.1 Does The BAS Include Reporting Software ................................................................................................... 10
8.1.1 What Capabilities Does the BAS Reporting Software Provide............................................................ 10
8.1.2 What Format Can the BAS Export Reports ............................................................................................ 10

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1 HOW TO USE THIS DOCUMENT
This document is a template. This template is designed to assist you evaluating building automation
systems.
This document consists of a series of capabilities that a building automation system may or may not
have.
When you evaluate a building automation system you can utilize this document to keep track of its
capabilities. This will help you will evaluate building automation systems, surveying existing sites, or
performing system integration projects.

2 BUILDING AUTOMATION SYSTEM MANUFACTURER |

REPRESENTATIVE
Here you will fill out:
 Who the manufacturer is
 The brand they are offering
 The version of this brand
 Years in business
 The procurement sources (how and where you can buy this from)
 Their presence (where can they geographically cover)
 The operational approach (how do the execute work)

2.1 MANUFACTURER

2.2 BRAND

2.3 VERSION

2.4 YEARS IN BUSINESS

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2.5 PROCUREMENT SOURCES

2.6 SERVICE PRESENCE

2.7 SERVICE APPROACH

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3 BAS HARDWARE
In this section you are going to want to evaluate the hardware and software capabilities of the building
automation systems. You will want to look at:
 Server Deployment Methods
 Operating System Supported
 Databases Supported
 Communication Trunks Supported
 Controller Capabilities

3.1 SERVER DEPLOYMENT METHODS

Workstation
Server
Virtual Server
Other:

3.2 OPERATING SYSTEM SUPPORTED

Windows Server (Version):
Windows Desktop (Version):
Linux (Version):
Other:

3.3 DATABASES SUPPORTED

Windows SQL (Version):
Non-Windows SQL (Version):
Non-Relational Database:
Other:

3.4 COMMUNICATION TRUNKS SUPPORTED

BACnet IP (IP) MODBUS RTU (RS-485)
BACnet MS/TP (RS-485) MODBUS TCP (Ethernet)
IP (ETHERNET) Wireless (802.11/ Wi-Fi)
LON FTT-10 (RS-485) Wireless (802.15.4 Mesh Zigbee)
MODBUS RTU (RS-232)

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3.5 CONTROLLER CAPABILITIES
Application Specific Controllers
Free Programmable Controllers
IP Communication
On Board Displays
On Board Graphics
Power Over Ethernet
Time-Clock
VAV Modular Actuators
Wireless Communication

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4 BAS PROTOCOL SUPPORT
This is where you will determine what protocols the BAS supports:
 What protocols does the BAS support

4.1 WHAT PROTOCOLS DOES THE BAS SUPPORT

BACnet/IP
BACnet MS/TP
HTTP
LON
MODBUS
OPC
Other:

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5 BAS GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACES
Here you will determine what graphics capabilities the BAS supports
 What form of graphics does the bas support
 Does the bas have software for developing graphics

5.1 WHAT FORM OF GRAPHICS DOES THE BAS SUPPORT

Vendor Graphic Software
Java Based Graphics
HTML5 Based Graphics
Other

5.2 DOES THE BAS HAVE SOFTWARE FOR DEVELOPING GRAPHICS

Yes, but only the vendor can use it
Yes, and customers can purchase it
Yes, and it is included with the BAS
No

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6 BAS INTEGRATION
Here you will define what capabilities the BAS has:
 What Forms Of Integration Does the BAS Support
 If the BAS Has An API, What Kind of API Is It?
 If the BAS Has An API, What Is It’s Availability

6.1 WHAT FORMS OF INTEGRATION DOES THE BAS SUPPORT

Application Programming Interface
Custom Development Services
Standard Integration Gateways
Other

6.1.1 If the BAS Has An API, What Kind of API Is It?

RESTful API
Non RESTful Open API
Proprietary Vendor Only API
No API

6.1.2 If the BAS Has an API, What Is It’s Availability

Available for Download
Available for One-Time Purchase
Available with Licensing
Not Available to the Customer

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7 BAS CONFIGURATION TOOLS
Here you will define what capabilities the BAS has:
 Does The BAS Include Site Configuration Software
 What Capabilities Does the BAS Site Configuration Software Support
 Does The BAS Include Site Controller Configuration Software

7.1 DOES THE BAS INCLUDE SITE CONFIGURATION SOFTWARE

Yes
No

7.1.1 What Capabilities Does the BAS Site Configuration Software Support
Add and delete devices
Add, delete, and modify alarms
Add, delete, and modify graphics
Add, delete, and modify trends
Add, delete, and modify users
Add, delete, and modify users
Create, backup, and restore database backups
Adding and Deleting Devices

7.2 DOES THE BAS INCLUDE SITE CONTROLLER CONFIGURATION SOFTWARE

Add, delete, and modify controller settings
Add, delete, and modify programming
Perform mass discover and modification of controllers

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8 BAS REPORTING TOOLS
If applicable, describe the standard reports the BAS provides:
 Does the BAS include reporting software
 What capabilities does the BAS reporting software provide
 What format can the BAS export reports

8.1 DOES THE BAS INCLUDE REPORTING SOFTWARE

Yes
No

8.1.1 What Capabilities Does the BAS Reporting Software Provide

Alarm Reports
User Logs
Trend Reports
Custom Reports
Add, delete, and modify trends
Add, delete, and modify users
Create, backup, and restore database backups

8.1.2 What Format Can the BAS Export Reports

.csv
.doc, .docx
.pdf
.Txt
.xls, .xlsx

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