Background

Definitions of the COBA BOS Framework were created in the standardization project named as "Connected Open Building Automation" (1999-2002). The project involved 15 companies representing different industries, including telecommunications, information technology, construction, building management systems and services. Commercial COBA based products are now available from several companies.

Members

COBA project members represent the best breed in their industries, whether it be supplying devices or systems, or providing services for intelligent buildings. The members included the following companies: ABB, Air-Ix, Elisa Communications, FCS Partners, Public Works Department in City of Helsinki, Hewlett Packard, Lonix, NCC Finland, Nokia, SOL, Securitas, Senate Properties, Solid Information Technology and YIT Huber. Lonix was coordinating the project.

Results

COBA definitions include open interfaces to all building management systems as well as modeling of buildings, spaces, devices, systems and users in accordance with IFC model. Standard modeling covers all building management systems, including building automation, lighting control, consumption management, access control, CCTV and digital video recording, burglar and fire alarms.

The first large scale COBA implementation was completed at the headquarters of Senate Properties (www.senaatti.com), where COBA has been in operation without interruption since June 2002. TaloInfo application by Granlund (www.granlund.fi) utilizes the data of the COBA Server.

Ongoing development

COBA development is continued through European wide co-operation in project I3CON (Industrialized, Integrated, Intelligent Construction). Project members include the following companies and institutions: Dragados (coordinator), BSRIA, Draaijer + Partners, EurExcel, EMVS, EQUA Simulation, Fraunhofer IAO, FläktWoods, Instapro, Intracom, Istanbul Technical University, Jama-Ur, University of Ljubljana, Lonix, Loughborough University, Martin & Martin Associates, Perspectix, Politechnika Wroclawska, SAES Ingenieros, Saint-Gobain Recherche, Thales Research & Technology, Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Uponor, University of Stuttgart, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, and Ed. Züblin AG.