The Smart Buildings Academy Podcast | Teaching You Building Automation, Systems Integration, and Information Technology

Latest Episodes:

BAM 54: Can you have a career in BAS? Apr 19, 2017

Show notes

Lately, several folks have asked me, "Phil how did you get into the world of BAS?". While it's always fun to talk about myself, what I think folks are really asking is "Phil, how can I get into the world of BAS?" and "What career path is there for me beyond just being a technician?".

Over the next 4 episodes, I'm going to tackle these exact questions. In today's episode, I'm going to explore my path in the world of BAS and what I believe to be the key traits you need to be successful in the BAS world.

In this episode you will learn:

The path I took to develop from knowing nothing about BAS to becoming a BAS integration expert
The skills you need to be successful in the world of BAS
The multiple different career paths you can take

FFA 001: How do I know the hardware specifications for my BAS device? Apr 14, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to the new podcast series called "Friday Fan Answers or FFA). Each Friday I will be answering a question from the BAM nation.

This week I am answering a question I commonly get asked. The question I often get asked how to find out what the IT requirements for different BAS devices are. If you are not part of the vendor organization this can be quite hard. Well, at least until now.

In this episode, you will learn

Where the information around IT requirements and hardware requirements exist
How to find this information
Some Google search tricks to find the information you need even faster

BAM 53: 7 tips every BAS person should know about Apr 12, 2017

Show notes

Throughout my career, I've learned a lot of tips. Most of the time these tips came from the school of hard knocks but sometimes I was lucky enough to have someone come beside me and share the knowledge they gained.

Well in this episode I'm doing just that! I'm going to teach you 7 of the most valuable tips I've learned in my career. Now at first glance, these tips may seem basic. However, their effectiveness lies in their simplicity. So sit back, relax, and get your learn on!

In this episode you will learn:

My processes for working through almost any design or troubleshooting challenge
Why the way you install your BAS has a tremendous effect on how you operate it
How training your customer can massively decrease your warranty calls
Why the as-builts you're creating suck and what to do about it
The most common issue BAS folks experience with IT and how to solve it
Why it's ok to bill your customer for 3 hours of work, even if you only worked for 15 minutes

BAM 052: A deep-dive into BACnet Mar 29, 2017

Show notes

Protocols define how pieces of technology communicate amongst one another.

But how much do you really know about the protocols that govern the "rules" of your BAS?

If you find BACnet to be a confusing topic you're not alone. The BAS world is already full of acronyms and confusion. This episode will help you to clear some of that up.

In this episode you will learn:

The difference between BACnet/IP and MS/TP
Tips for successful BACnet communications
How BACnet objects are structured
The difference between a BACnet object and a BACnet property
How BTL listings, PIC's, and BIBB's come together to provide interoperability

BAM 051: The 7 most asked questions about IT Mar 22, 2017

Show notes

For many in the BAS world information technology is a foreign topic. A lot of us who have entered the BAS profession have backgrounds in HVAC and electrical systems. Because of this IT can at times feel very unnatural.

That's why I've recorded this episode. I captured the 7 most common questions I get asked about IT and answered them in this podcast episode.

In this episode you will learn:

How cyber security and hacks can or cannot affect your BAS
The different options you have for connecting remotely to your BAS
How to work with IT to get IP addresses
The difference between a virtual machine and physical machine and when you should use each one
What the cloud is and how you can or cannot use it with your BAS
Is wireless safe for your BAS?

BAM 050: The foolproof plan for working with IT Mar 01, 2017

Show notes

How many times have you walked onto a project and wondered…

Hmm where do I start with this IT thing…

What do I need to do?

Do you go after remote access? Do you get a server? What about the database?

Well if you've ever felt that way then this segment is for you!

In this episode, I take you through a full-proof plan on how to work with IT to setup your building automation system.
I walk you through a major Amazon Web Services issue that could majorly impact how we support BAS in the future.
I also take you through some BAM Nation questions

All this and more on Episode 50 of the Building Automation Monthly Podcast.

BAM 049: Cyber security isn't as complicated as it seems Feb 22, 2017

Show notes

Cyber security... Those two words strike fear into the heart of many a BAS professional.

No one wants to be the technician trying to convince the security expert to give him remote access, and no one wants to be the sales person trying to convince her customer that her BAS is secure.

Yet every day thousands of BAS professionals find themselves in these conversations.

And imagine how the owners, contractors, and engineers feel.

How can they wade through all the BS and get to the core of what they need to know?

Well, I've got good news.

In this episode of the building automation monthly podcast I will help you:

Understand what cyber security is
Realize how to communicate to cyber security professionals
Secure your BAS
Counter the top four IT security objections

BAM 048: Everything You Need to Know About Servers and Databases Feb 16, 2017

Show notes

Welcome to Episode 48 of the Building Automation Monthly Podcast.

This is the 2nd episode in the 3-part series on IT. In this episode, I will be teaching you a ton of information around compute, applications, and databases.

You will leave this episode with a much greater understanding of how to work with IT when it comes to servers, applications, and databases.

In this episode, I will be discussing:

Call out for Listener
What I've been up to
Recap on where we are in the IT series
A deep dive into the topics of
- Compute
- Applications
- Database
An expert tip that will save you hours of install labor on your projects
The top 4 IT objections and how to handle them

BAM 047: What is IT and a look at IT networking Feb 08, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, I take you with me on a journey into the world of information technology. One of the most requested topics is information technology and I understand why.

For most folks in the BAS world, IT is like a black art. Something that is full of acronyms, onery IT people, and miscommunication.

Or at least it used to be. Over the next four episodes, I am going to unpack the topic of information technology.

We are going to explore the four pillars of IT:

Networks
Compute
Databases
Cybersecurity

By the time you finish these episodes your knowledge of IT will have increased massively. In this episode, I will be discussing:

What is IT
What are the main areas of IT
The fundamentals of networking
The two most common IT networking objections and how to deal with them

BAM 046: C02 control and other BAS concepts Feb 01, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, I answer a question I got from a BAM nation subscriber around C02 control. I then proceed to dive deep into the core concepts around pressure, airflow, and heat transfer.

I look at these concepts from the perspective of a BAS professional and I share with you the valuable lessons I've learned working on some of the most complex BAS projects in the world.

By the time you finish this podcast episode you will have an understanding of:

How you can use a BAS to implement standards like ASHRAE 55 and 62.1
The effect of pressure and airflow on the performance of your building
How understanding the concept of heat transfer is critical to having a successful career in the building automation space.

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