Chicago Faucets has joined BACnet International as part of its ongoing investment in connected plumbing and water management technologies. The announcement coincides with the introduction of CF Connect PLUS, a solution that integrates electronic faucets with building automation systems through native BACnet/IP connectivity.

"Joining BACnet International gives Chicago Faucets the opportunity to collaborate more closely with the professionals who design, integrate, and manage today’s building systems. It also supports our work to create better ways to connect plumbing infrastructure with building automation systems through BACnet-enabled technologies. We’re pleased to introduce CF Connect PLUS, an innovative solution designed to simplify water management,” said Richard Nortier, vice president of products and marketing at Chicago Faucets.

CF Connect PLUS connects compatible Chicago Faucets electronic faucets to a building automation system through native BACnet/IP integration. Unlike traditional building automation inputs that monitor centralized plumbing equipment, CF Connect PLUS captures water temperature directly at the point of use, providing facility teams with visibility where water is delivered to occupants.  Retrofit temperature sensors installed at the faucet angle stops measure water temperature and send that information to the CF Connect PLUS Gateway. The Gateway then communicates with the building automation system using the BACnet/IP communications protocol.

"We welcome Chicago Faucets' CF Connect PLUS platform as the first certified BACnet connected solution built specifically for commercial water monitoring and hygiene management. By expanding BACnet’s reach into building infrastructure, this product enables facility operators to seamlessly integrate critical water data with the rest of a building's information and analytics to optimize health, safety, and operational efficiency," states Andy McMillan, president and managing director, BACnet International.

"BACnet is already an important part of building automation," explains Greg Hunt, commercial product manager, "What we are adding is visibility of the faucet, including water temperature at the point of use. Access to temperature data at the point of use helps facility teams better understand plumbing system performance across a building."

CF Connect PLUS also provides automated hygiene flushing, system status, alerts and digital documentation. Hygiene flushing events are automatically recorded, giving facility teams an audit trail of system activity.  The CF Connect PLUS Gateway exposes connected devices as BACnet objects, allowing faucet and sensor information to be incorporated into an existing BAS.

The system can connect up to 30 wired faucets to a single Gateway or up to 10 faucets using Bluetooth connectivity. Multiple Gateways can be connected to a building automation system using standard LAN architecture.

The technology is designed for facilities where plumbing systems are distributed across large areas, including hospitals, universities, airports, stadiums, schools, offices, and other commercial buildings.

CF Connect PLUS gives engineers and facility teams access to information from the faucet while allowing that information to be used within the building automation environment.