Trane ICS: System Integration at its Best
Turning building systems into business advantages requires knowledge of HVAC applications, system design and controls.
Trane is one of the few companies in the industry that designs, tests and manufactures nearly all products comprising a high-performance
HVAC system. And our system and application knowledge is second to none. Trane's Integrated Comfort Solutions (ICS) meet the most challenging
temperature, humidity and ventilation needs by applying our controls, system components, and applications engineering expertise to create the
most effective and efficient system. ICS systems enable comprehensive monitoring to ensure optimal operating performance.
ICS incorporates the benefits of factory-installed and field applied microprocessor controls for HVAC components linked
to a Trane Tracer™ building automation system. To make sure you and your staff are comfortable with the system, we provide hands-on training
at Trane’s at Trane's College of Building Automation
Retrofits and Replacements
If you are planning a system retrofit or replacement, Trane building automation specialists can help you integrate your
existing system, improving comfort and control with our total systems approach. Our ICS components can also be connected to equipment and
systems originally built by other manufacturers for facility additions, so you can meet your retrofit and replacement challenges.
Comprehensive Monitoring and In-depth diagnostics
ICS systems can be remote monitored via the Internet, a phone modem or Local Area Network (LAN) to help customers service
their facilities. Trane’s ICS system uses Tracer Summit® building automation system to enable the building owner and operator to
diagnose building equipment on a continual basis and keep it running at peak efficiency. Summit provides access to all the necessary
temperatures, pressures and status of all safeties and operating conditions required to optimize building performance.
Commonly Used System Integration Terms
BACnet Building Automation Control Network. A standard communication protocol developed by ASHRAE
specifically for the building controls industry. It defines how information is packaged for transportation between building
automation system (BAS) vendors. The American National Standards Institute has adopted it as a standard (ASHRAE/ANSI 135-1995),
and Trane advocates the BACnet protocol for use in system-level control devices.
CAB is the set of protocol rules developed by Public Works Canada for use in the BAS systems in
many government and public buildings that it owns and maintains in Canada. It is available for use by any manufacturer.
However, it also does not go through a public review and comment process. It is maintained by Public Works Canada.
CAB is essentially a high-speed network protocol, best used when communicating between devices with a good
deal of processor capability. It is rarely used for field-device communication.
LonMark is a set of protocol rules and practices that has been developed and approved by a consortium of
manufacturers that use the Neuron processor developed by the Echelon Corp. (Palo Alto, CA). LonMark is not subject to the same
public review and comments process that BACnet uses to create and maintain its standard, depending upon agreement among its
membership for maintenance of its rules and practices.
While LonMark is very efficient and prescriptive in low-speed field-device communication, many agree it
does not currently support robust and high-speed exchange of data on networks (like "Ethernet"), as well as does BACnet.
For more information regarding the LonMark Interoperability Association, call 650-855-7488; 650-856-4971 (fax); director@lonmark.org
ModBus is an Instrument Society of America (ISA) protocol that has grown out of the factory automation industry,
particularly for enabling communication between different manufacturers' programs.
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