ControlTalk Now : Sales, Marketing, Products and Technical Tips for HVAC and Smart Building Controls Professionals

Episode 228: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending June 19, 2017 was recorded in San Diego, CA, at the RealComm|IBcon 2017 event. Join guest host Marc Petock and three special interviews, muRata's Tom Takesian, Memoori's Jim McHale, and Intelligent Buildings' Rob Murchinson as we discuss some of the most prominent take-aways from the show. Congratulations to Lynxspring's JENEsys IoT Edge Controller for winning the 2017 RealComm Digie Award BEST TECH INNOVATION INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS.

CTN 228 ControlTalk Now Live From IBcon Week Ending June 18, 2017 from Eric Stromquist on Vimeo.

RealComm|IBcon Pre-Conference Event Opens with CRE Cybersecurity Forum in San Diego. ControlTrends is joined by Ken Sinclair, owner and editor of AutomatedBuildings.com and Therese Sullivan, editor of BuildingContrext.me, as we review some of the highlights of RealComm|IBcon's Day 1, starting with the CRE Cybersecurity Forum, which brought the best cybersecurity minds in the business together — to address the most impactful cyber threats, share their wealth of industry experience and knowledge, and help attendees set cybersecurity benchmarks and strategies for their organizations.

RealComm|IBcon 2017 General Session Conference Kickoff: Technology – Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow – The Pace Increases! Keynote speaker Larry Smarr gave a humorous and mind-blowing summary of technology's past, present, and future. Larry is the founding Director of the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), a UC San Diego and UC Irvine Partnership. He began his research career nearly 50 years ago in relativistic astrophysics and in 1985 became the founding director of the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at UIUC, birthplace of NCSA Mosaic which drove the Web.

RealComm|IBcon 2017 Sets New Industry Precedents — DAY 3, Smart Buildings Best Practices Showcase, Vendor Show, & Educational Breakouts. Jim Young, Howard Berger, Lisa Woods, and team RealComm continue to set the new and significant standards in the Professional Trade Show, Networking, and Educational environment. It was all there, teed up for your ease of attenance: Cyber – IT and Real Estate Information, Real Estate Investment Management, The Changing Workforce, Innovation Tech Tours, and so much more! Stay tuned for more ControlTrends video coverage of this amazing event.

ControlTalk NOW first interview is muRata's Tom Takesian. Murata is a global leader in the design, manufacture and supply of advanced electronic materials, leading edge electronic components, and multi-functional, high-density modules. Murata innovations can be found in a wide range of applications from mobile phones to home appliances, and automotive applications to energy management systems and healthcare devices.

ControlTalk NOW second interview is with Memoori's Jim McHale, the Managing Director, Owner & Founder. Memoori is a consultancy company based in Stockholm providing independent market research, business intelligence and advice on Smart Building technologies. Memoori presents a brand new report, building on our portfolio of building technology related research. This independent study makes an objective assessment of the Prospects for the Internet of Things market in Smart Buildings from 2016 to 2021.

ControlTalk NOW's third interview is Rob Murchinson of Intelligent Buildings, LLC. Intelligent Buildings, LLC is a Smart Real Estate professional services company. About Intelligent Buildings, LLC: We provide planning and implementation management of next generation strategy for new building projects, existing portfolio optimization and smart community development. Additionally, we consult with future-minded solution providers who seek to be more attuned to owner's next generation strategy, including product development and go-to market strategy.

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Episode 227: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending June 11, 2017 features our coverage of Controls-Con 2017 in Detroit, MI to celebrate Cochrane Supply's 50th gala anniversary. Cochrane Supply & Engineering was founded in 1967 and has grown into a multi-award-winning company and a Leading Industrial IoT Supplier. Much more video coverage of Controls-Con 2017 to follow. Check out Mark's Cool Tools and Tim Chamblee's training video on the EnTouch thermostat. And, stay tuned, as ControlTrends travels to San Diego, CA to cover the 2017 Realcomm|IBcon.

Mark's Cool Tools is Back with a Special Limited Time Offer on the Greenlee Gorilla Pressing Tool. In this episode of Mark's Cool Tools Mark shows us the new line of Gorilla pressing tools from Greenlee. They are tool kits for pressing fittings used with PEX, Copper, and Steel pipes, and are designed for joining pipes safely by eliminating the need for an open flame and a hot work permit on the job site.

Entouch products and training at stromquist.com

Tim's Tech Tips: How to Make Entouch More Than a Thermostat. Tim Chamblee, Stromquist & Companies lead trainer, shows us a low cost, very effective way to use the Entouch Thermostat as a light commercial control system. Got a Church you need to provide a solution that controls and saves energy? Tim will show you how in this video. In addition, gain rich analytics with the ENTOUCH.ONE platform, and control energy consumption for your entire facility environment including: HVAC Control that allows users to create set points and schedules, monitor equipment, extend asset life and reduce maintenance.

Welcome to CONTROLS-CON 2017! — Cochrane Supply Takes Distribution to the Next Level while Celebrating 50th Anniversary! Welcome to Detroit! Welcome to Detroit! Home to Henry Ford and the American Automobile Industry, Motown Music, the Lions, Tigers, Pistons, Red Wings, and Cochrane Supply! ControlTrends is at the amazing MotorCity Casino Hotel in downtown Detroit to attend CONTROLS-CON 2017 proudly hosted by Cochrane Supply & Engineering. CONTROLS-CON 2017 is a fast-paced, education-packed event will bring together hundreds of integrators and end users from throughout the United States and Canada to explore the latest technologies and possibilities of Building Controls and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Controls-Con DAY 1 — Industry Experts and Thought Leaders Take Center Stage. Cochrane Supply Celebrates 50th Anniversary. Controls-Con DAY 1 began with Scott Cochrane and the Cochrane Supply team welcoming industry experts from all across North America to their dynamic education-based event, and ended with a heart-rending gala celebration of its first 50 years of success. It was very apparent to the 500 plus attendees by night's end, that Cochrane Supply is well on its way to 50 more years of pace-setting success. Scott Cochrane and Don Cochrane Jr. and the entire team at Cochrane Supply have redefined the role of the controls distributor and taken the leadership position in delivering building automation solutions and achieving customer satisfaction.

Controls-Con DAY 2 – Business, Technology, and Educational Tracks – Evolution From BAS to IoT to a New Business Model and More. The Business Track, hosted Tridium's Ed Merwin, featured six different expert perspectives that provided real-life, inspirational business testimonials of how Industrial IoT has changed, and continues to change their business models. The Technology Track, hosted by Tridium's James Johnson and Kevin Williamson, along with Cochrane's Mike Mitchell and the Cochrane Tech Services team, discussed Solutions, Shortcuts, and Best Practices concerning Analytics, Niagara Edge, and Cyber Security.

Cochrane Supply 50th Anniversary Gala Celebration. Cochrane Supply celebrated it's 50th Birthday with an amazing gala event. Join us as we talk with the Don Cochrane Sr., Scott Cochrane, and Don Cochrane Jr. at this momentous event. Cochrane Supply & Engineering was founded in 1967 and has grown into a multi-award-winning company and a Leading Industrial IoT Supplier with locations in Madison Heights (MI), Redford (MI), Grand Rapids (MI), Toledo (OH), Cleveland (OH), and Louisville (KY). Cochrane Supply is proud to be your source of building controls products and hardware to connect to the Internet, as well as software and world-class support to enable and successfully implement functional integrations.

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Episode 226: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending June 4, 2017 throws a little Scottish Enlightenment, Manchester United football, and Beatles nostalgia into mix, along with our video coverage of EasyIO's 2017 Global Partner Event; also featuring an in-depth interview with Ken Sinclair, owner and editor of Automated Buildings; Therese Sullivan's insightful coverage of Haystack Connect; Phil Zito offers a course for Information Technology for BAS Professionals; Upcoming events include Cochrane Supply's Controls-Con 2017 and a don't miss RealComm|IBcon in San Diego; Webinars from Optigo (Visual BACnet) and ACI (Gas Webinar); and ControlTrends People is back with Automation Integrated's Jeff Houpt — and much more.

The Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance in Full Force — The Global EasyIO Partner Event to Begin in Manchester, UK! The Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance is all about making buildings better, more intelligent, more connected, and above all, the best places possible for people to live, study, and work. Where better to begin our renaissance reference than in Edinburgh, Scotland, known as the Athens of the North, a remarkable and proud city that led the 17th century world into a new age of enlightenment.

Global EasyIO Partner Event Kicks Off with Manchester United Versus Crystal Palace Premiership Football Match. EasyIO's origins and its global growth are success stories worthy of review. The authors of those EasyIO success stories are long-standing, well-recognized industry experts, now writing the newest best sellers in buildings automation industry — and ControlTrends is here in Manchester UK, to bring the message home.

Global EasyIO Partner Event Day 2, The Rules Have Changed! Introducing the FW Series Wireless Solutions, New Quad-Core Processor Server Class Controller. Day 2 introduced EasyIO's World Class Leadership team spearheaded by Mike Marston, VP of EasyIO Holdings Pte Ltd., Lim Hoon Chiat, CTO/R&D EasyIO Holdings Pte Ltd., Johan Schakenraad, President & CEO EasyIO Europe, B.V. and Guido van Erp International Sales Manager, and Bullzevents. Lim demonstrated wireless wizardry for retrofits and Jim Stiber of Control Consultants, Inc., reviewed VAV and CVAHU applications for the new FW-8V. Guest Presenters included David Kipling, Vice President of Jabil Circuit Inc. (US), Andrius Jasiulionis, Automation Engineer, Helgevold Electro (Norway) and Scott Muench, VP Marketing, J2 Innovations (US).

How the Beatles are influencing Smart Building Controls and the Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance

The Beatles and the Smart Building Renaissance. Join us as we celebrate the Beatles and stretch our Liverpool experience into what's happening in the Smart Building Renaissance. What's exciting about the Beatles is that they took different styles of music and made it into their own thing — that was something new, and incredible, and thrilling. As more companies get behind the idea of the Smart Building Renaissance, we will continue to see new players reordering different approaches to the variety of buildings that make up our industry with new technologies.

Free IT Video Training from Fearless Phil Zito — Phil Shares His BEST Secrets On How To Master IT and Future Proof Your BAS Career! Take advantage of this 4-part video training series from Fearless Phil Zito, of Building Automation Monthly, as he shares his experience, knowledge, and practical insight into the often intimidating world of IT. Great opportunity to learn more about IT and ensure successful outcomes when working with the IT department. Here is the link to learn more about Phil Zito's IT for BAS Professionals course.

Happy Memorial Day and Thank You — to all the Veterans! Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. Originally known as Decoration Day, it originated in the years following the Civil War and became an official federal holiday in 1971. Did you know: Each year on Memorial Day a national moment of remembrance takes place at 3:00 p.m. local time. Source: www.history.com

Haystack Connect and IoT World Set Foot on Common Ground — Therese Sullivan, Building Context.Me. It's a new day. Visibility is good, as dust from previous storms and battles has settled across the plane. Observers wait in the shadows. An imposing hero figure steps into the open. Everyone knows that whatever went on before—that's over. And something new has just begun. The story of the new sheriff bringing order to a lawless place is a common plot for Western films.

EASY IO: CPT Trainings in the UK – EasyStack in The Netherlands. We are very pleased to inform you about the upcoming trainings we scheduled in June: 26 & 27 June: CPT Tools & the F-series – London (city), UK. 29 & 30 June: CPT Tools & the F-series – Leeds (city center), UK. 28-29-30 June: EasyStack – Gemert, The Netherlands.The CPT training is the best way to get to know how to work with CPT Tools and the EasyIO F-series. Training is fun and a great opportunity to meet our team, and most important of all: it's free for EasyIO Partners.

How to troubleshoot BACnet networks

Learn How to Use Visual BACnet to Troubleshoot a Smart Buildings Controls Network. Ken and I had a chance to check out Bueno Systems and the cool BACnet troubleshooting tools from Optigo at Haystack Connect. If you work with building automation controls networks that use BACnet, this free webinar is worth checking out. From Monica at Optigo Networks: To improve energy analytics, you need a deep understanding of your building network. When Australian energy analytics company BUENO Systems used to start working with a new building, they would have no idea what was happening on the building's network. Now, with Visual BACnet, they can assess the health of a customer's network and ensure it is working in prime condition, well before adding their analytics.

ControlTalk NOW interview with Ken Sinclair. In his June edition of Automated Buildings, owner and editor Ken Sinclair, asks our industry at large — if we are really getting the gist of how IoT is turning the building automation industry, and us along with it, inside out. Using a slight of phrase, "Sensing the Change," Ken then asks what makes better sense and offers the greatest value, the good old sensor on the wall, or the "smart-sensorized occupant?" P.S. Happy 50th Anniversary to Ken and Jane Sinclair!

LIVE ACI GAS DETECTION WEBINAR — Wednesday, June 7th, 10:00 AM C.S.T. as detection has been a rising topic in the HVAC industry. As a new topic of discussion, people want to know more in order to better understand the monitoring and detection of many harmful gases. In ACI's next installment of the 2017 Webinar Series, we break down the key elements that should be used when selecting the proper products and locations of the sensors and controllers when used in your application. Hear from one of ACI's top Technical Support Engineers at our next live video webinar. REGISTER HERE!

ControlTrends People is Back: Check out Jeff Houpt from Automation Integrated. ontrolTrends People is back! You will remember that CTP is a project I am very passionate about. On the podcast we do a deep dive into the lives of the people that make our Industry great. Previous episodes include the likes of Marc Petock, Mike Marston, Lim Hoon Chiat, Ed Merwin. I believe that success leaves clues, and that one of the best ways to get better at anything is to study the lives of people that are already masters. On this episode we talk with one of the most respected master systems integrators in Smart Buildings, Jeff Houpt. Jeff is the President and CEO of Automation Integrated based in Oklahoma City.

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Jeff Houpt Automation Integrated

ControlTrends People is back! You will remember that CTP is a project I am very passionate about. On the podcast we do a deep dive into the lives of the people that make our Industry great. Previous episodes include the likes of Marc Petock, Mike Marston, Lim Hoon Chiat, Ed Merwin.

I believe that success leaves clues, and that one of the best ways to get better at anything is to study the lives of people that are already masters. On this episode we talk with one of the most respected master systems integrators in Smart Buildings, Jeff Houpt. Jeff is the President and CEO of Automation Integrated based in Oklahoma City.

Jeff is a brilliant thinker and strategist. Hear how Jeff's early life help shape the way he sells and relates to people. Jeff explains what makes Automation Integrated unique and what it takes to be successful in today's Smart Buildings Controls market. Jeff coined the phrase "we are in the integrity economy", hear why those might be the six most important words you can embrace as the Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance continues to evolve.

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Episode 225: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending May 14, 2017 captures the essence and impact of the 2017 Haystack Connect event held at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa, FL, last week. The 2017 Haystack Connect was about our industry becoming "Haystackable." And, as many INTEL-igent people are realizing, both the stakes and the pay-offs are too high to ignore. Imagine a building, a city, or a country where all the devices, controllers, and server-side web APIs — are driving data to its highest potential. The 3-day convergence of industry experts, systems integrators, specifying engineers, and end-users was amazing. Just watch the videos — and be sure to stay tuned to ControlTrends as we bring you coverage of EasyIO's Global Conference from Manchester, UK!

2017 Haystack Connect Begins on a Huge Note — A Thriving Community Assembles in Mass — Industry Gravitas, Systemic Benefits, and EcoHaystack Fun. ControlTrends coverage of the 2017 Haystack Connect begins among hundreds of industry experts, systems integrators, specifying engineers, and end-users — all mingling in a vendor-rich reception, an amazing and exciting testament to the growing Haystack community and ecosystem. As key Haystack Connect organizer, Marc Petock tells us, "This year's theme is 'Data Gets Real,'" and there will be many real-world examples featured, where Haystack is being used to deliver large-scale, high-level management strategies and solutions.

2017 Haystack Connect DAY 2 — Project Haystack Shifts into Overdrive: "Beyond Buildings: Data Models and Project Haystack." ControlTrends is joined by Therese Sullivan, editor of BuildingContext.me, in summarizing amazing Day 2 of 2017 Haystack Connect — which shifted into overdrive as Keynote speakers Rita H. Wouhaybi, Systems Architect, Intel and Milan Milenkovic, Principal, IoTsense, took the early morning stage and helped to bring the enormous macro potential of Project Haystack into perspective. It is quite clear that there are no boundaries when it comes to data and scaling opportunities — and scaling strategies. A full complement of breakout sessions followed till 5:30 PM, with themes ranging from Industrial IoT & Connected Buildings, to Project Haystack on the Energy Path, to Large Scale IoT Architectures.

DAY 3 at 2017 Haystack Connect — Meet the Power, the Progress, and the Players of Project Haystack by Day — Rockstars by Night! This ControlTrends video proves that our industry is full of superstars by day and rock stars by night. DAY 3 at 2017 Haystack Connect was another fire-hose day of new information, new perspectives, and technical insight beginning with opening remarks from Scott Muench, Vice President, J2 Innovations, followed by a special presentation from Keynote speaker, Rawlson O'Neil King, Communications Director, CABA "Intelligent Buildings and the Impact of the Internet of Things." Donny Walker, PE, RCDD, Partner at Newcomb & Boyd and Rawlson O'Neil King join ControlTrends and Therese to discuss some of the highlights from DAY 3. A sumptuous closing Gala Dinner was followed by the fantastic Interoperable Blues Band.

EasyIO World Conference, May 21-23, 2017, Manchester United, UK. EasyIO is changing the way building automation is deployed and is also reducing the cost. This Global Partner Event will unveil and officially release awesome new products and features to further enhance building and energy solutions for all types of buildings. We have a reputation to hold up for our amazing event programming, so this edition will definitely not disappoint you. Amsterdam, Madrid and Paris were previous hosts. For this year the surprising city of Manchester will be the place to be. We would love to invite you.

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Episode 224: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for Week Ending May 7, 2017 features interviews with Leroy Walden, President and Chief Consultant, Highrose Consultants; Fred Gordy, Director of Cyber Security, Intelligent Buildings; and Ken Sinclair, owner and editor of Automated Buildings. Also in Episode 224: 2017 CGNA Synergy Conference highlights; EasyIO's Global Event update and the 9-video EasyIO Training Video series is now available; 2017 Haystack Connect starts May 8th; and much more!

A Note to the Smart Buildings Controls Industry. This just in from Lynxspring's Marc Petock: Lynxspring is pleased to announce that we will be demonstrating our latest edge-to-enterprise and IoT solutions at Haystack Connect 2017. The biennial Conference of the Project Haystack Organization is being held this year at the Saddlebrook Resort Tampa, May 8 through May 10, 2017. These solutions will be demonstrated in Lynxspring's Booth # E11. Lynxspring is a founding member and holds a seat on the Board of Directors of Project Haystack, and is a Sponsor of the Haystack Connect 2017 Conference.

ControlTrends takes a deep-dive into CyberSecurity with our interview with two top industry experts, Leroy Walden, President and Chief Consultant, Highrose Consultants and Fred Gordy, Director of Cyber Security, Intelligent Buildings. Listen in, as Leroy and Fred advise the ControlTrends Community about attending industry events that are real opportunities to get up-to-speed with threat assessment, risks, and best practices — to deal effectively with the cyber terrorism. Both experts caution that the liability to safeguard networks is being shifted onto the shoulders of the system integrator integrating the building automation system into the network. Be sure to contact Leroy Walden at ([email protected]) — to take advantage of Leroy's $100.00 discount for the 2017 Realcomm|IBcon Conference and Smart Buildings Integrator Summit, June 13th-15th in San Diego, CA.

Ken Sinclair's Automated Buildings May, 2017 Theme: Our second interview is with Automated Buildings owner and editor, Ken Sinclair, who discusses the many IoT challenges and trends facing our industry along with his May theme, "The Uberization of Comfort, Satisfaction, and Wellbeing." "Occupant self-love" continues to improve its presence and functionality — integrating itself more readily into our building automation industry with a host of IoT applications that input the human whereabouts — and its condition, into the building network of things. Click here to read another great edition of Automated Buildings.

ControlTrends Interview with ACI's Barry Gordon at the 2017 CGNA Synergy Conference. ControlTrends had the opportunity to visit with Barry Gordon, Senior Sales Engineer at ACI, who was excited to tell us about ACI's new DLP Low Pressure Transmitter. The DLP Series is based on a piezoresistive, silicon sensing element which senses Differential Pressure and provides an analog output. The hinged cover on the DLP can be easily opened using the integrated locking tab on the side of the enclosure. This allows for easy access to the zero function and field selectable ranges and outputs.

2016 ControlTrends Awards Highlight: Catch all the excitement as the global ControlTrends Community crowns the 2016 Light Commercial Controls Solution of of the Year Award winner. In this case, it will take two crowns as both KMC Controls and Proton Optergy get recognized for their outstanding solutions. KMC's mission is to "provide innovative, intuitive building automation and Smart Buildings Controls solutions from responsive and supportive people," and the KMC Commander delivers as an open building automation and Smart Buildings control system that is open, secure, and scaleable. "Proton by Optergy became the first true open supervisor and controller that can interoperate with any BACnet unitary controller and is 100% web based. It has all the needed tools to setup, operate and maintain the system, and has all of this at economical price points."

The Complete EASYIO FG Training Series. In this 9 part video training course, Mike Marston shows you everything you need to know to get up and running with one of the most powerful controllers in Smart Building controls — the EASYIO FG controller. Learn how to program the controller, and create graphics and analytics. Click here to go to the EASYIO FG Training Course.Great job Mike!

The EasyIO Global Partner Event agenda has been set with the following speakers: David Kipling, vice president of Jabil Circuit Inc. (US), Andrius Jasiulionis, automation engineer of Helgevold Electro (Norway), Jason Briggs, CEO of J2 Innovations (US). And of course, key people from EasyIO will tell you all about where we are going as a company: Johan Schakenraad, President & CEO of EasyIO Europe B.V., Mike Marston, vice president of EasyIO Holdings Pte Ltd., Lim Hoon Chiat, CTO/R&D EasyIO Holdings Pte Ltd., and EasyIO Tech Team. But there's more than just the conference: an informal pre-event gathering at the Hard Rock Café on Sunday evening May 21, dinner and awesome entertainment on Monday evening, May 22, and an exclusive VIP training for CPT Tools and EasyStack on Tuesday, May 23. Check out the full program.

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Episode 223: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending Apr 30, 2017 takes on a special dimension as we videoed the show on location at the CGNA Synergy Conference at the Peabody Hotel, in Memphis, TN. Additionally, EasyIO releases VAV using Wi-Fi Mesh and Live Wiresheets; Hepta Systems' Jason Houck, Award-Winning Master Systems Integrator on ControlTalk Rewind; Acuity Brands Introduces SiteView Energy Solution; AHR interview with Dimitri Papadopoulos of Johnson Controls; ControlTrends Rewind with Therese Sullivan; and new Edge Controllers from Lynxspring.

ControlTrends CGNA Vendor interviews with Earl Doyle, Director, Product Management & Smart Systems Efficiency, VERASYS, Johnson Controls' Plug-and Play Controls System for Light Commercial Buildings; Josh Felphrin, Senior Sales Manager, Siemens' TRA and BT300 Solutions; Gina Elliott, Marketing Manager, Small to Mid-Markets, Schneider Electric's New Building Insights, Small Building & Energy Management System; Aaron Gorka, Innovation Manager, ANT Technologies'Paperless, cloud-based, operational technology for HVAC & Control Contractors; Barry Gordon, Senior Sales Engineer, ACI's New DLP Differential Low Pressure Transmitter; Maggie Talbert, North East Regional Sales Manager, Functional Devices' new products and continued partnerships; Bill Dunkleberger, President, Blue Ridge Technologies' BACnet Unified Lighting Solutions; and Mike Sackett, Executive Director, CGNA Elite — Industry's Elite Working Together.

EasyIO is CHANGING the Game — Again! VAV using Wi-Fi Mesh and Live Wiresheets. EasyIO is CHANGING the Game — Again! This time with VAV using Wi-Fi Mesh, Live Wiresheets, and you can mix wired and wireless, all running BACnet IP, with free tools and no extra fees. Does it get any better? And you get to keep the labor and wiring savings, as we are not charging a premium for this awesome device. See this in Manchester, UK, May 22-23, 2017, at the Global EasyIO Partner Event.

Hepta Systems' Jason Houck, Award-Winning Master Systems Integrator on ControlTalk Rewind. On this episode of ControlTalk Rewind, we replay our interview with Hepta Systems' Jason Houck, Award-Winning Master Systems Integrator. Jason, and Hepta Systems are all about taking the Smart Building Controls concept to the next level — and making their service available through The Panel Shoppe! Inquire within.

Acuity Brands Introduces SiteView Energy Solution! Real-Time Power Metering to Manage Energy Consumption and Costs. ATLANTA – April 25, 2017 — Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) today introduced its SiteView Energy solution, which combines power metering devices and a digital dashboard, to create a detailed, real-time look at actual energy consumption within a building. The SiteView Energy solution takes advantage of software that is hosted within nLight ECLYPSE smart building-ready controllers, also from Acuity Brands, to help building owners track and analyze weekly, monthly and yearly energy data to identify trends and savings.

Catching Up with Dimitri Papadopoulos and Johnson Controls at the 2017 AHR Show. ControlTrends interview with Dimitri Papadopoulos of Johnson Controls, who tells us all about Johnson Controls' new Niagara Analytics and the Johnson Controls new technology on display at the 2017 AHR Expo. Johnson Controls featured their FX Supervisory Controllers, which are web-based supervisory-class controllers in the Facility Explorer product family. FX Supervisory Controllers manage networks of field controllers using open communication protocols, such as such as BACnet®, LONWORKS®, and N2 protocols.

Edge Controls the Smart way to do Smart Building Controls: Lynxspring explains at the 2017 AHR Show. ControlTrends stopped by the Lynxspring booth at the 2017 AHR product show case. See what Marc Petock and Chris Ryan had to show us about the edge and Edge controllers. The Edge is the next great frontier in making smart building controls smarter.

Smart Buildings ControlTalk Rewind: Therese Sullivan. On this episode of ControlTalk Now Smart Buildings Control Rewind we feature Therese Sullivan, editor buildingcontext.me. Therese is writer/technologist and marketing professional providing news and analysis for commercial building system integrators, facilities managers and real estate professionals about innovations in building automation with emphasis on data analytics, mobile apps, cloud services and wireless networking.

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Episode 222: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending Apr 23, 2017 features interviews with DLR Groups' Ruairi M. Blackwell; Drew Mire, CEO of Computrol; and Scott Cochrane, CEO of Cochrane Supply. Big, big week in the HVAC Industry — several new products and releases from Honeywell, Belimo, Sierra Monitor Corporation, and KMC Controls reminds of their last order date. Johnson Control named 16th Best Corporate Citizen and Lynxspring receives Frost & Sullivan Excellence Award; Memoori – Cimetrics Podcast: Creating transparency from Building Analytics; and Fulham acquires Control Network Solutions.

ControlTalk NOW's first guest interview is with Ruairi M. Blackwell a principal with DLR Group's Chicago location. Ruairi leads the Building Optimization enterprise within the firm. In this role, Ruaiari is responsible for growing Building Optimization as a distinct DLR Group service area while contributing his expertise in high performance building design to benefit clients in the firm's core market sectors. Ruairi is a respected high-performance building design expert and his aim is to elevate the built environment and restore order to the climate for future generations. Additionally, Ruairi specializes in commissioning services for new and existing buildings, building energy assessments, high performance building design, energy modeling/advanced building simulation, and measurement and verification consulting.

Frost & Sullivan Applauds Lynxspring's Strategic Thought Leadership and Technical Excellence, Making it a Top Contender in the Smart Buildings Market. SANTA CLARA, Calif., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Based on its recent analysis of the Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled smart buildings market, Frost & Sullivan recognizes Lynxspring with the 2017 North American Award for Competitive Strategy Innovation and Leadership.

KMC Controls REMINDER – End of Life – Last order date May 1st! "As announced last year, end of life for the KMC Controls legacy BACnet controllers BAC-58XX and VAV's BAC-7XXX is less than 2 weeks away. I know you may already be using the next generation Conquest controllers…but I wanted to send one last reminder. If you need to order these devices you must place your order no later than May 1, 2017…or sooner."

Belimo Proudly Announces New Products and Innovations for 2017 — Get Your Access to New Pricing and Media Files. For over 40 years, Belimo has successfully focused on the heating, ventilation, and air conditioning markets. Our relationships with you and our employees are based on trust and adding value with a focus on sustained prosperity rather than short term gains. Our innovative products have always been designed to help you achieve your objectives better, faster and more economically. Investing in new technology has been a key to our success and Belimo proudly announces these new products and innovations for 2017.

Sierra Monitor Corporation Launches Cloud-Connected Network Discovery and Management Appliance for Facility Automation. BACnet Explorer NG appliance enhances device and network commissioning and integration for installers and system integrators. MILPITAS, Calif., April 18, 2017 — Sierra Monitor Corporation (OTCQB:SRMC), a provider of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions that target facility automation and facility safety requirements, today announced the availability of the BACnet Explorer NG, the industry's first cloud-connected network discovery and management solution for BACnet networks.

Creating Transparency From Building Analytics. Great stuff from Memoori. Our friend Therese Sullivan, from Building Context, turned us on to this great Smart Buildings Resource. Here is the Audio Stream from the 4th Free Webinar in the 2017 Smart Buildings Series, sponsored by Project Haystack. Creating Transparency From Building Analytics. This was an in-depth Q&A Webinar with James Lee CEO & President of Cimetrics. We discus Jim's recent article "Analytics Creates Transparency" and his thoughts on why he thinks analytics is the key that the industry has been waiting for to unlock the true business value from building technologies.

ControlTrends Breaking News

Honeywell Introduces New and Improved Variable Frequency Drives. Honeywell is pleased to announce the introduction of the SmartVFD HVAC2 line of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) available to all Commercial Distributors. This new offering provides a reliable, high-performing VFD that minimizes HVAC energy consumption on fans and pumps. Honeywell's SmartVFD HVAC2 provides maximized energy savings and monitoring capabilities at an affordable price, with quality products backed by a strong 3-year warranty and solid technical support.

Fulham Acquires Control Network Solutions to Bring DALI® Control to Customers for Emerging Smart Lighting Products. CNS's Smart Light Management Software and Technical Expertise Helps Fulham Meet Growing Demand for DALI-enabled Clever LED Drivers and Smart Lighting Controls. HAWTHORNE, Calif. – April 19, 2017 – Fulham Co., Inc., a leading supplier of lighting components and electronics for commercial and specialty applications, today announced the acquisition of the assets of partner company Control Network Solutions (CNS), the UK-based creator of the elitedali smart lighting control and management system.

Functional Devices and Contemporary Controls Smart Building winners

ControlTrends Award Highlight: 2016 Peripheral Product of The Year. Catch all the excitement as Smart Building Controls Powerhouses Contemporary Controls and Functional Devices are Awarded the Peripheral Product of The Year. Contemporary Controls designs and manufactures the system building blocks for networking, integrating and controlling automation processes where performance and reliability are important. Functional Devices, Inc. has been designing and manufacturing quality electronic devices in the United States of America since 1969.

ControlTalk NOW second guest interview is with Computrols' CEO, Andrew Mire, who took the helm of VP of operations in 2014, and was promoted to Chief Executive Officer in 2017, where he manages corporate operations, Computrols' dealer program, and remote job operations. In 1983 Computrols began providing first-rate professional technical service for large building automation systems. A complete dedication and commitment to customer satisfaction has provided valuable lessons that have carried the company for years. Simplicity, flexibility, and power are the Computrols cornerstones of success, and it is this first-hand knowledge of what's important to customers that drives product development even today.

Hanging Out with Scott Cochrane at the 2017 AHR Show. I had a chance to catch up with one of the smartest people in Smart Buildings controls at the Distech booth. Check out what Scott Cochrane had to say about Building Automation Controls, why Cochrane is now handling Distech Controls, and the CONTROL-CON 2017 Event hosted by Cochrane Supply & Engineering, CONTROLS-CON will take place June 8th and 9th, 2017 at the MotorCity Casino Hotel in Detroit, Michigan. This fast-paced, education-packed event will bring together hundreds of integrators and end users from throughout the United States and Canada to explore the latest technologies and possibilities of Building Controls and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

Future Shock: Something to think about! Excerpt: Artificial Intelligence: Computers become exponentially better in understanding the world. This year, a computer beat the best Go player in the world, 10 years earlier than expected. In the US, young lawyers already don't get jobs. Because of IBM Watson, you can get legal advice, (so far for more or less basic stuff), within seconds. With 90% accuracy, compared with 70% accuracy when done by humans. So, if you are studying law, stop immediately. There will be 90% fewer generalist lawyers in the future; only specialists will be needed.

The post Episode 222: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for Week Ending Apr 23, 2017 appeared first on ControlTrends.

Episode 221: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending Apr 16, 2017 features an interview with one of the most venerated experts in the Building Automation Industry, Leroy Walden, President and Chief Consultant Highrose Consultants, LLC. Updated Ken's Calendar details upcoming training, webinars, and major industry events; more 2016 ControlTrends Awards video highlights; new DLP pressure sensor from ACI; EasyIO's Mike Marston and Lim Hoon Chiat discuss new product release and the upcoming EasyIO Global Conference.

2016 ControlTrends Awards Highlight: The PID Award. Join all the excitement, and I do mean EXCITEMENT, as the most exciting man in the smart buildings controls industry Roger Rebennack and Mike Marston from EasyIO (both former recipients of the PID Award) light up the crowd and announce this year's PID Award winners.

ControlTrends Keeps an Eye on 2017 Events with Ken's Calendar. While it has been an amazingly busy and productive year so far, many more events are on the horizon. ControlTrends will continue to post the event information as we receive notice or become aware of the event. Please note that the information is gathered from various sources, and the times, dates, and locations may have changed. Be sure to visit the appropriate website or contact the event coordinator to ensure the most up-to-date information.

Our interview this week is with Leroy Walden, LEED AP, President and Chief Consultant Highrose Consultants, who has worked in the Building Controls and Automation industry since 1978, beginning with Robertshaw Controls as an Applications Engineer. Leroy recently retired from a leading systems integration firm to pursue his passion for tracking the growing uses of technology in sustainable building operations. Listen in, as Leroy brings specific insights to smart devices and equipment and how open-source integration platforms will transform building maintenance in the coming decades. Contact Leroy ASAP ([email protected]) — to take advantage of Leroy's $100.00 discount for the 2017 Realcomm|IBcon Conference June 13th-15th in San Diego, CA.

ACI's Differential Low Pressure Sensor has Arrived — The DLP is Available Now! ACI is combining all the best features from multiple products to create an all-encompassing differential pressure option that should make a huge impact! Every aspect of this product was analyzed and designed to maximize the value it will present to you!

Connexx Energy to Participate in US Department of Commerce International Trade Administration Smart Technologies Mission to Hong Kong and Taiwan. Lee's Summit, Missouri, April 5, 2017: Connexx Energy (www.connexxenergy.com), a recognized developer and implementer of smart building, energy and IoT data management and visualization solutions, announced today that it will be participating in the Smart Technologies Business Development Mission to Hong Kong and Taiwan being organized by the United States Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration.

2016 ControlTrends Awards Highlight: The Light Commercial Control System of the Year. Light Commercial Solution of the Year Winners: KMC Commander and Proton, Optergy. KMC's mission is to "provide innovative, intuitive building automation and Smart Buildings Controls solutions from responsive and supportive people," and the KMC Commander delivers as an open building automation and Smart Buildings control system that is "open, secure, and scaleable." "Proton by Optergy became the first true open supervisor and controller that can interoperate with any BACnet unitary controller and is 100% web based. It has all the needed tools to setup, operate and maintain the system, and has all of this at economical price points."

EasyIO's Mike Marston and Lim Hoon Chiat Discuss the FW Wireless Controller "That Will Change the World!" This is the first video of a series from EasyIO's Mike Marston and Lim Hoon Chiat, who share their visions of the FW Series wireless controllers — that they believe will change the world of Building Automation. Lim cites how WiFi, the defacto protocol for wireless networking, has been around for over 20 years, and because it's so pervasive and each generation is inherently compatible, it's ideally suited for the HVAC and Building Automation industry.

EasyIO's Mike and Lim Preview Next-Gen Smart Sensors and Introduce the Early Guns Education & Learning Program. EasyIO's Mike Marston and Lim Hoon Chiat continue their discussion on the differences and nuances between M2M and IOT, smart sensors and edge devices, and the impact that wireless will have on the future of HVAC and Building Automation. Also, Lim's amazing insight into programming starter kits and educational programs to kick start our next generation of system integrators and HVAC technicians.

Let's Go to England: Last Chance for Discount to EASY IO. Manchester (UK) May 21–23, 2017. This EasyIO Global Partner Event will unveil and officially release awesome new EasyIO products and features to further enhance building and energy solutions for all types of buildings. We're gonna reveal all the secrets of our five(!) new controllers that are coming up: the WiFi controllers FW-14 and FW-8, the WiFi VAV controller FW-8V, the powerful FS-32 and the FR-02. Register Here!

Haystack Connect 2017 Update! Keynote Speakers & Technical Program & The IBB is Getting Back Together! Make your reservations for Haystack Connect 2017! There are, technically, a lot of reasons to attend Haystack Connect 2017. Now, we added some fun ones! See below. Register Today! 3-Day Technical Conference at the Saddlebrook Resort Tampa: See the very latest software and hardware solutions for the Building Industry exhibited in the Vendor Showcase. Meet and network with leading experts in our industry that are implementing real solutions that combine diverse devices, systems, data and protocols.

LIGHTFAIR 2017 PHILADELPHIA — PRE-CONFERENCE MAY 7-8, TRADE SHOW & CONFERENCE MAY 9-11. Trade Show + Conference + Networking = See It All. LIGHTFAIR 2017. The world's leading manufacturers will be showcasing their latest products in IoT (Internet of Things), intelligent lighting, LEDs, decorative lighting, daylighting, exterior lighting and more. Experts from around the world will be leading courses on the forward thinking topics in lighting design and technology.

DDC Training with the BAScontrol22: For Colleges and Training Centers Interested in Providing Direct Digital Control (DDC) System Training. April 2017 – For colleges and training centers interested in providing Direct Digital Control (DDC) system training, Contemporary Controls recommends using the BAScontrol22 unitary controller and the free Sedona Application Editor (SAE). The BAScontrol22 is an ideal controller for training technicians on programming DDCs and use of unitary building automation controllers.

Increasing Efficiency for Better Business — New Siemens Website Launches Next Week! Mark your calendar for next week. That's when the new Siemens partner's website will launch! The new site will replace the Vantage, Beacon and Infolink sites which you may have used in the past. By the end of next week, all links will take you directly to the new site. What can you expect? A product-centric site that is organized around the products you sell and the information you need to succeed; Updated content and a systematic approach to managing important assets; and Account registration that has self-service capabilities.

The post Episode 221: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for Week Ending Apr 16, 2017 appeared first on ControlTrends.

Episode 220: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending Apr 2, 2017 features video coverage of the 2016 ControlTrends Awards Young Gun recipients and Belimo's Award-winning Energy Valve. News of the Week: Roger Rebennack takes over as CEO at Jackson Controls; Honeywell releases WEBs-N4.2.36.38; 2017 Project Haystack Announces Keynote Speakers; EasyIO World Conference, Manchester United, UK, Early Bird Tickets now available; CABA's upcoming Intelligent Buildings & Digital Home Forum in Silicon Valley; Stromquist's Tim Chamblee Valve training; Eric Kreuter explains KMC's SimplyVAV; Siemens' Talon Building Controls Systems overview; and Ken Sinclair's April edition of Automated Building.

Honeywell Announces Release of WEBs-N4.2.36.38. Honeywell is pleased to announce the release of the WEBs-N4.2.36.38 software that is packaged with Spyder, Stryker Venom and BACnet FF Tstat programming tools. Main Features: * This is a packaged release with Honeywell tools within the Niagara N4.2.36.38 software build. * This release Fixes software issues after the release of WEBs-N4.2.36, including the CCN driver issues. * There is no cost to upgrade for existing N4.x users. However for other users of AX (3.8 and below) software, please use SMA part number to upgrade to N4.x software.

Project Haystack Announces Keynote Speakers and Technical Program for Haystack Connect 2017 Conference. This year's conference will bring together industry leaders, end-users and corporate representatives involved in automation, control and Internet of Things applications to share the latest techniques for managing, presenting and analyzing the vast amount of data generated by today's smart devices and equipment systems in applications including intelligent buildings, energy, HVAC, lighting, remote monitoring, and other smart-device applications. Rita H. Wouhaybi,Ph.D., and Milan Milenkovic are the Keynote Speakers for the third biennial Haystack Connect Conference 2017 beginning May 8, 2017 at the Saddlebrook Resort Tampa.

Congratulations to Roger Rebennack! The "most exciting man in the controls industry" and our friend Roger Rebennack is moving on from Honeywell to become the CEO of Jackson Controls in Indianapolis. Roger has been at Honeywell for 30 years and spent time in the Alarm Monitoring Security & Fire division, the HBS Branch Division, Environmental Controls Division and at Tridium. Rog will bring his skills and passion to Jackson Controls, who is the Honeywell Indiana Authorized System Distributor (ASD) and has been a HVAC controls distributor for 40 years that handles Honeywell, Vykon, Johnson, Belimo and Tridium.

EasyIO World Conference, Manchester United, UK, May 21, 2017 — Early Bird Tickets for EasyIO Global Conference now available! Our Global EasyIO Partner Event in Manchester (UK) is coming up May 21-23, 2017. The conference will unveil and officially release awesome new products and features — to further enhance building and energy solutions for all types of buildings. Consider this is your official invitation! EasyIO is changing the way building automation is deployed and is also reducing the cost. This Global Partner Event will unveil and officially release awesome new products and features to further enhance building and energy solutions for all types of buildings.

CABA Intelligent Buildings & Digital Home Forum — April 26-28, 2017 in Silicon Valley. Attend the CABA Forum — this April 26-28, 2017 in Silicon Valley, and learn about the latest research in our industry from the many research analysts and research firms attending. Industry thought leaders will be providing their insights during the many technical panel discussions and during the four (4) connected home and intelligent buildings research workshops.

Everything You Wanted to Know about Control Valves… but were afraid to ask. Valves, Valves everywhere. If you work with Building Automation or Smart Building Controls or do HVAC maintenance in buildings you cannot escape control valves. Join Stromquist & Company's master trainer Tim Chamblee as he trains control pros on everything they need to know about control valves. If you are interested in attending one of Tim's classes call Nancy at 800.241.9471 and ask for a schedule.

VVT Retrofit made easy

The Easy Way to Do A VVT Retrofit. Variable air volume projects can represent tremendous opportunities for contractors serving commercial and institutional customers. But even in today's world of open system communications, digital VAV projects have been unnecessarily complex. Until now. Watch as Eric Kreuter explains SimplyVAV, KMC's digital product that fits that universal replacement need and does so in a fashion that is nearly as straightforward as that old thermostat. It is, in fact, your ticket to today's digital VAV project marketplace.

Siemens' TALON Building Control System – Making the Most of Your Building Investment. Today's buildings are becoming increasingly complex. Building automation systems don't just control the basics. They regulate airflow, monitor energy use and are being called upon to integrate with security, lighting, and other systems throughout buildings to deliver comfort, safety and energy efficiency. Choosing a TALON® system can help you get the most out of your building, today and tomorrow.

2016 ControlTrends Awards Highlight: The Young Guns. ControlTrends is extremely proud of the Young Gun Awards and what we believe to be another important industry initiative to draw young talent to our industry. There is no better way to enhance the image of the HVAC Industry than recognizing young professionals — who, early in their careers, have already made an important contribution or significant impact within their organization — that serves well as career role model.

Ken Sinclair's Automated Buildings April, 2017 Theme: In Search of the "Make Me Happy Button" – Claiming our Piece of the Productivity Puzzle. Most of us see that the forces driving much of our industry are changing faces, morphing from the owners' countenance to the occupier's smile or frown. The seriousness of these new metrics, criteria, and occupant feedback cannot be underestimated. In this April edition of Automated Buildings, Ken Sinclair, owner and editor, continues his elucidation on this most worthy topic.

The Belimo Energy Valve Wins Energy Savings Solution of The Year. The Belimo Energy Valve was awarded the 2016 Energy Savings Solution of the Year the 2016 ControlTtends Awards. This is not the Belimo Energy valve's first win in this category, having won in 2014 and 2015. This unique control valve combines the Belimo pressure independent flow strategy with a supply and return temperature sensor which allows the valve to control off of Delta T. Not only do you have BTU data but you can gain an additional 20-30% energy savings. Well done Belimo.

What is Scrum and Why is it Important? In Ken Sinclair's April issue of Automated Buildings.com. Brad White from SES Consulting answers this question in a very timely article called Cope with the IOT Revolution by Staying Agile. I encourage you to read this article to understand the importance of this video and why Scrum might be the tool you need to keep up with the Smart Building IOT revolution.

The post Episode 220: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for Week Ending Apr 2, 2017 appeared first on ControlTrends.