Johnson Controls has launched a highly anticipated update to the company's industry-leading Building Automation System (BAS), Metasys, which serves the needs of commercial, industrial and institutional buildings, regardless of industry.
The new iteration, Metasys 14.0, improves a commercial building's performance and sustainability while enhancing occupant comfort, health and safety.
It builds on the proven Metasys platform with revolutionary new features that offer an improved user experience, enhanced network efficiency, flexibility and security, simplified administration and improved energy management.
In addition, it will be the first version to feature a continual release model that will transform the way new functionality is introduced to the system.
Johnson Controls vice president and general manager of global building automation systems & controls, Bill Schwebel, said by using the next generation analytics tools, building managers can quickly access energy consumption information, providing clear insights to achieve energy goals while optimising their HVAC operations.
“This update showcases our commitment to delivering top tier building automation systems for commercial spaces, making it easier and faster than ever to access critical building data,” he said.
Ahead of the release, test customers tried and evaluated Metasys 14.0 and its new capabilities, including the University of Minnesota.
The university’s controls engineer supervisor, Dan Bellows, said the latest ADX revision 14, now contains a BACnet client.
“This allows communications directly from our ADX to any BACnet controller or device,” he said.
“Our users appreciate the Metasys User Interface single sign on feature. Our IT department is delighted to start the implementation of IPv6, which is now supported by Metasys 14.0.”
The Metasys 14.0 release includes:
- Next-generation analytics tools that increase building and troubleshooting efficiency, including preconfigured energy dashboards that report on energy usage and details by space, allowing users to find and reduce energy waste without additional add-on toolsets.
- Flattened architecture that offers greater flexibility and increases the efficiency of communication between devices. The upgraded BAS can now support up to 800 IP devices directly integrated with ADS and ADX servers across a wide range of IP protocols, including but not limited to BACnet/IP, BACnet/SC and ModBus TCP, extending the system scale without the need for an additional engine.
- Enhanced system security and compliance including single sign-on capability. The update also minimizes administrative burden and enables IT departments to centrally manage permissions and manage threats.
- Enhancements to the user interface provide a unified and simpler experience when navigating a Metasys system, including the ability to reach key data such as alarm and audit information with fewer clicks.