Over the weekend we deployed a new version of the website with forum capabilities to begin collaboration. The website is based on the same software we've been using for the http://fantom.org/ open source community. Its a newer version of the code so we may have some initial glitches, but the basic process for collaboration and tracking tickets has proven very effective:
all collaboration and brainstorming is done primarily on the forum
the forum uses a plaintext markup format, Fandoc (this is also the same format used for all all the current docs). Write your posts in Fandoc and use Preview button to see how your post will look in HTML.
if needed we can use IRC channels or phone calls, but I would prefer to keep things on the forum as much as possible to cleanly document the "archeology" of our work
if needed we will turn on ticket tracking so that we can flag discussion topics for tracking
any IP (intellectual property) you contribute or post on the forum is considered be published as open source under the AFL 3.0. Please note this includes a grant of patent rights held on the IP - so don't please post anything you consider proprietary IP. If you have IP concerns please free to email me directly.
Process
My current thinking is that we will develop new tags through an iterative process. Initial ideas, brainstorming, and feedback will be conducted on the forum. Once we have achieved consensus on a given tag or library of tags, then I will "curate" the tag documentation and post on the web site for final review.
Initial Work
To bootstrap the process we have posted tags for the following basic areas:
site / equip / points
energy metering
HVAC air handlers and packaged rooftops
VAV units
very basic lighting model
As first order of business we will want to review and refine these basic models. If you have feedback on what has already been developed, please post your ideas on the forum.
Then I would suggest the next areas that seem ripe for modeling:
other terminal units
boiler plants, boilers
chiller plants, chillers, cooling towers, etc
If you are an expert in any of these domains please let us know your thoughts.
Jacob JacksonTue 5 Apr 2011
Brian, Would you have any interest in putting this project under an ANSI approved SDO? ISA has a new Building Automation System Technical Interest Group and we believe that this would fit in well with work that we currently looking at regarding documentation of control systems (ISA 5), and then extending this into the base into execution with Enterprise Integration (ISA 95). In reviewing what you have here I see no reason why it couldn't be extended past the base building into other pieces such as the manufacturing processes. Let me know, Jake
Brian FrankTue 5 Apr 2011
Brian, Would you have any interest in putting this project under an ANSI approved SDO?
Maybe eventually, but for now I would like to keep things moving as an open source project. That keeps the process side light weight until we have the core model done. Then we can always consider how the IP might be integrated into more formal organizations.
Brian Frank Mon 4 Apr 2011
Collaboration
Over the weekend we deployed a new version of the website with forum capabilities to begin collaboration. The website is based on the same software we've been using for the http://fantom.org/ open source community. Its a newer version of the code so we may have some initial glitches, but the basic process for collaboration and tracking tickets has proven very effective:
Process
My current thinking is that we will develop new tags through an iterative process. Initial ideas, brainstorming, and feedback will be conducted on the forum. Once we have achieved consensus on a given tag or library of tags, then I will "curate" the tag documentation and post on the web site for final review.
Initial Work
To bootstrap the process we have posted tags for the following basic areas:
As first order of business we will want to review and refine these basic models. If you have feedback on what has already been developed, please post your ideas on the forum.
Then I would suggest the next areas that seem ripe for modeling:
If you are an expert in any of these domains please let us know your thoughts.
Jacob Jackson Tue 5 Apr 2011
Brian, Would you have any interest in putting this project under an ANSI approved SDO? ISA has a new Building Automation System Technical Interest Group and we believe that this would fit in well with work that we currently looking at regarding documentation of control systems (ISA 5), and then extending this into the base into execution with Enterprise Integration (ISA 95). In reviewing what you have here I see no reason why it couldn't be extended past the base building into other pieces such as the manufacturing processes. Let me know, Jake
Brian Frank Tue 5 Apr 2011
Maybe eventually, but for now I would like to keep things moving as an open source project. That keeps the process side light weight until we have the core model done. Then we can always consider how the IP might be integrated into more formal organizations.