The first step in evaluating any Building Internet of Things (B-IoT) product is to make sure that it is truly commercial-grade, according to an article from Building Operating Management on the FacilitiesNet website. 

Consumer IoT is where building automation was 30 years ago, when the concept of BACnet was first conceived,” said Andy McMillan, president and managing director of BACnet International. 

“IoT for commercial buildings needs a different model,” says McMillan. In other words, there’s a big difference between IoT and B-IoT.

Common B-IoT offerings include devices for HVAC, lighting, security, etc., that provide human-oriented “web pages” built into the device, said David Fisher, president of PolarSoft, Inc., a consulting firm that specializes in BACnet software development and training. “These could simply provide information, or in some cases a user interface for making settings and adjustments.” 

Read the article.