Questions & Answers Regarding the ISO Standard For Technologies Underlying the LonWorks® Platform

Q1 – Why is ISO standardization important?

ISO/IEC standardization represents the highest level of standardization attainable and reflects the tremendous market support and adoption of the LonWorks platform by thousands of companies worldwide.  It is often used as a market requirement when there is no existing national standard equivalent. Often times, national standards setting bodies rely upon existing ISO/IEC standards to create their own standards.

ISO/IEC standardization helps ensure a long-lasting commitment to the LonWorks platform by providing formal recognition that the underlying technology of the platform has achieved significant market adoption on a global basis.

Many companies, publicly funded agencies, government agencies, and large institutions seek a more 'formal' recognition of the market adoption of the technologies they choose to implement. ISO/IEC standardization therefore adds an additional level of qualification to the tremendous, global market support of the LonWorks platform by companies and end-users. 

Q2 – Who is ISO? Who is IEC?

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is the world's largest developer and publisher of International Standards. ISO is a network of the national standards institutes of 157 countries, one member per country, with a Central Secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland, that coordinates the system.

International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is the world's leading organization that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies — collectively known as "electrotechnology".

Q3 – What, exactly, has been awarded ISO standardization?

ISO and IEC have granted the underlying protocol of the LonWorks platform, power line signaling technology, twisted pair signaling technology, and IP compatibility status as an international standard in the area of control and building management. The ISO/IEC standards for the LonWorks platform are formally known as:

  • ISO/IEC 14908-1: Communication protocol
  • ISO/IEC 14908-2: Twisted pair wire signaling technology
  • ISO/IEC 14908-3: Power line signaling technology
  • ISO/IEC 14908-4: IP compatibility (tunneling) technology

The standard is commonly referred to as the ISO/IEC 14908-1 standards.

Q4 – Has the technology of the LONWORKS platform been adopted by other standards setting bodies?

Yes.  Numerous standards bodies have already recognized the technology by creating standards around it.  These include:

  • ANSI/IEC 709.1-B – Control networking and home control
  • ANSI/ASHRAE 135-1995 – MAC layer for the Building Automation and Control Networking standard
  • IEEE 1473-L – Intra-car and inter-car communications for rail vehicle (passenger trains)
  • AAR ECP – American Association of Railroads electronically controlled pneumatic braking systems
  • EN14908-1 – European Union intelligent buildings
  • GB/Z 20177.1-2006 – Standardization Administration of China control networking
  • GB/T 20299.4-2006 - Standardization Administration of China Digital Technique Application of Building and Residence Community
  • SEMI E54.16 - Semiconductor equipment manufacturers standard for sensor-actuator networks

Q5 – Who uses the ISO/IEC 14908-1 family of standards?

There are thousands of products currently on the market that utilize the technology specified in the ISO/IEC 14908-1 family of standards in the building, industrial, transportation, streetlight, and home control markets. These include most of the world's leading building automation companies such as Johnson Controls, Honeywell, Invensys, TAC/Groupe Schneider, Trane, Carrier Corporation, and Distech Controls.

Market leaders in other industries include Fuji Electric, Samsung Electronics, Bombardier, Simon, Philips, and many more.

Q6 – What are some examples of applications/installations currently using the ISO/IEC 14908-1 family of standards?

A few applications/installations include:

  • New York City Public School District – standard for HVAC and monitoring for 1100 buildings
  • McDonald's Corporation – the company's “kitchen of the future” utilizes the standard for kitchen equipment networking and energy savings
  • City of Oslo streetlighting – Networked streetlighting system that has demonstrated a reduction in electricity use for lighting of 50%
  • Roppongi Hills Development Project – Japan's largest mixed used retail/residential/office complex
  • Morton Plant Hospital – Operating room environment controls and maternity ward baby monitoring
  • Paris' Gare du Nord train station – Natural light harvesting to reduce energy use
  • BP Corporate Headquarters – Integrated, multi-system building control
  • US Army Corps of Engineers – Building control (HVAC) specification for US Army, Navy, and Air Force base facilities
  • NASA Goddard Space Flight Center – Administration facilities and launch tower

Q7 – Why is an ISO standard important for energy management applications?

The most effective and enduring form of an energy management system is one that has, as its primary function, the operation of a control, monitoring, and sensing network.  Intelligent buildings, especially those built on the LonWorks platform, utilize LonWorks based (using ISO/IEC 14908-1) devices throughout the building to provide better convenience, safety, service, and operational cost reductions. These same buildings are utilizing energy savings strategies that leverage the exact same devices. The energy savings for such a building can reach 40% compared to a non-networked building.

ISO/IEC standardization helps give organizations confidence that the LonWorks control network that runs their building and enables their energy strategies is globally accepted and supported as a true standard and a de facto market standard.

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Echelon Announces ISO/IEC Standardization of LonWorks® Control Networks