Frost: Open Building Information Exchange (oBIX) Enhances Efficiency, Resource Utilization
May 27, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS
| |
| Construction Industry Tools |
IHS sells a full selection of standards, ICC building codes and Plan Analyst software to check compliance.
To learn more, and for a free quote, please complete the form below. |
|
The open building information exchange (oBIX) standard is an attempt to bridge the gap between enterprise software applications and building automation systems (BAS), according to Frost & Sullivan.
The need to export untapped BAS data into enterprise IT drives the development of the oBIX standard.
Analysts said such business intelligence can help companies enhance operational efficiency, improve energy management and understand resource utilization information.
Recent analysis from Frost & Sullivan of oBIX found there is a growing trend among information officers across industries to harness the vast amounts of data generated by BAS.
When converted to a format that integrates into enterprise IT, this historic and real-time data offers a treasury of knowledge ready for analysis.
"A building or facility offers a wealth of information, which, when presented in a suitable manner, can yield great knowledge," said Frost & Sullivan research analyst Zachariah Thomas.
"Businesses have deployed enterprise resource planning software to improve their efficiencies and are using XML (eXtensible Markup Language) as a common data format to improve inter-system communications," he said. "This is the basic need for an XML-based standard that can transform data previously unavailable to the business information systems into useful information which can improve all-around efficiency."
Businesses and other commercial entities view their buildings and facilities as mere assets which serve a certain functional role, namely housing people and equipment. Analysts said oBIX sets out to change this perception by providing a framework by which the company can get more value out of its facilities.
The value addition can come in different ways, like energy management and associated cost cuts, proactive building maintenance and reduction in downtime. These gains can, in the long term, translate into cost savings visible on the balance sheet.
As with any standard in the preliminary stages, oBIX currently attracts few proponents. Analysts said initial skepticism and change resistance are common problems associated with any new standard. This, coupled with market confusion over competitive offerings, makes the acceptance of oBIX very challenging.
"The biggest challenge facing the adoption of the oBIX and related initiatives within the building automation industry is the lack of awareness about potential benefits and gains businesses and consumers alike stand to reap," said Thomas.
"Consumers and building operators/owners do not know that they can ask for services that can be made possible with a standard such as oBIX. There is a general acceptance that you only get what is on offer and not what you demand."
Analysts said oBIX is a laudable attempt at creating a truly open specification, which the BAS and IT industry can use to interface. The standard is a work in progress and more must be done regarding specifications and market visibility.
Source: Frost & Sullivan.