LON - More than just an Installation Bus

Why apply an Open Bus System?
Traditionally, the different installation systems in buildings are separated from each other, for example electrical installation, EDP, sanitation, HVAC and sunblind control. So in the past, the control systems evolved specifically according to each installation system, including different technological standards and features. Consequently, excessive costs were caused by:

 An unmanageable amount of pipes and cables and the corresponding 
    arrangement systems
 Many individual sensors having identical or similar functions
 The lack of facilities for exchanging information between the systems
 High coordination expenditure

Rising energy costs, resulting in the need of saving energy, combined with the desire to meet the requirements of environmental protection and to satisfy the increased demand for comfort and safety necessitated a fresh attempt.

The term “building automation” was invented. Cost-reducing and synergy-utilising, it combines all monitoring, open and closed loop control networks of a building – one bus for all installation systems.

LON - The Bus for Building Automation
There are high demands on a universally applicable bus system. The LonWorks technology with its LonTalk protocol or LON (Local Operating Network) in short, is a network which satisfies these demands.

 The LON topology and the system structure are especially designed
    for building  installation systems.
 All customary data transmission media – such as twisted pair cables,
    power line, radio frequency, infra-red and fibre optic technology – 
    can be used.
 LON is an open, multivendor and standardised system. Over 3000
    companies worldwide manufacture LON products, 45 % of which can 
    be assigned to the building automation sector.
 Due to the fact that LON is a decentral system, operational reliability 
    is increased and more complex systems can be realised. In addition, 
    the distributed intelligence facilitates handling, transparency and 
    variation possibilities.
 LON covers all levels of communication, from field level, through 
    automation level right up to management level.
 LON products are interoperable. Components from different 
    manufacturers can be combined so that new functions result from 
    their coactions.

In consideration of the fact that a building is used for several decades, the decision to install a bus system is of long-term importance. LON based building management systems provide tremendous advantages to everyone involved: 

Architects:
 The technical demands on building technology can be satisfied in a 
    more simple, flexible and cost-effective way
 Control and display devices with bus capability combine all functions 
    of the different installation systems and an appealing design

Builders and Operators:
 A cost-effective installation
 A high degree of flexibility and financial savings, should the 
    installation be retrofitted or modified
 Reduction of operational costs by intelligent facility management
 “Transparency” of buildings by centralised annunciation, control and 
    monitoring
 Standardised and easily comprehensible operation of the facilities
 Reduction of maintenance and servicing costs 
 
 
Planners and Installers:
 Prevention of installation and planning mistakes due to an easy and 
    comprehensible installation procedure
 Lower installation costs, in comparison to isolated solutions
 Facilitated compliance with regulations by reduction of the fire hazard
 Reduced production costs due to the multiple use of sensors and the 
    disuse of expensive gateway solutions for data exchange between 
    the individual systems
 Reduced (adaptation) training costs