New York City Schools to Replace Outdated Pneumatic Control Systems with LonMark Open Systems.

Business Editors

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 26, 2004

The New York City School Construction Authority (SCA) in charge of construction projects for the New York City School District and their engineering consultant Burns & Roe Enterprises, Inc. (Oradell N.J.) has

specified a LonWorks(R) "open system" control architecture as the design standard for new school construction projects for a project updating a series of outdated control systems in a variety of existing school facilities. The control architecture employs LonMark control field devices and the Echelon LNS(R) operating system for new school construction within the New York City school district.

Faced with the difficult task of replacing a series of pneumatic and proprietary Direct Digital Control (DDC) systems in a variety of facilities, the SCA investigated the available control solutions and determined that, for this specific application, the LonWorks "open systems" and LonMark products provided the most flexible and cost effective solution. In addition, in order to guarantee that the conditions of the specification were met, the SCA opted to contract with an experienced LonWorks/LonMark Facility Management Systems Integrator (FMSI) to ensure that the transition from closed proprietary/pneumatic controls to open interoperable system would run smoothly.

As part of the three-year contract, the SCA will retain the services of this FMSI to provide project oversight, implementation, and integration of each individual control system that is installed via a competitive bidding process by individual Temperature Control System Contractors (TCS). This Integrator will provide the SCA with expertise generated by using LonMark devices as well as Echelon Corporation (Nasdaq:ELON) training in the use of LonWorks.

"The SCA and New York City Schools will serve as a great example to other large schools districts faced with the need to replace outdated proprietary equipment. By choosing LonMark products the schools will have the flexibility, cost-savings, and freedom of choice that is limited by a closed system," said Barry Haaser, executive director of LonMark International. "Open interoperable systems are the best way the New York City Schools can retrofit their facilities and guarantee future-proof design."

"After comparing BACnet, LonWorks, and proprietary control offerings it was essential that a successful "open system" approach required common networking tools and a common graphical user interface. To ensure that the current and future control requirements of the SCA were met, retaining the services of a qualified Facility Management Systems Integrator (FMSI) who would provide a common graphical user interface and front-end software became an essential program requirement," said Robert S. Cascone, P.E. Senior Energy Management Consulting Engineer for Burns and Roe.

About Burns and Roe

Burns and Roe is a full-service engineering, construction, operations and maintenance firm headquartered in Oradell, New Jersey. With over 1,400 personnel worldwide, Burns and Roe provides comprehensive services for private and governmental clients in the power, process, infrastructure and government service industries. Engineering News Record consistently ranks Burns and Roe as among the Top Engineering Design Firms in the publication's annual survey of the engineering and construction industry. For more information on Burns and Roe, please contact the company at (201) 265-2000 or through its website, www.roe.com.

About LonMark International

Since its inception in 1994 and new corporate structure in 2003, LonMark International has become a major driving force in the establishment of interoperable guidelines for building, industrial, transportation and residential/utility automation. LonMark membership is open to any manufacturer, end-user and system integrator committed to the development and use of open, interoperable products utilizing ANSI/EIA 709 and related standards.

Products that have been verified to conform to Echelon's LonMark interoperability guidelines are eligible to carry the LonMark logo, an indicator that a product has been designed to interoperate over a LonWorks(R) network.

LonMark(R) and the LonMark logo are registered trademarks of Echelon Corporation in the United States and other countries. Other trademarks belong to their respective holders.