BACtwin-Forum 2026: From Spreadsheets to an Open Data Exchange Format

From Excel to Software

The main direction for the development of the BACtwin standard in the near term is the replacement of Excel spreadsheets, which are still partially in use, with user-friendly software. To this end, AMEV, together with manufacturers and integrators, is developing an open data exchange format based on the JSON (JavaScript Object Notation) text format, which allows structured data storage and transfer between various programs. The goal is to ensure the transfer of BACtwin user addressing keys (BAS), objects, and properties (Properties) throughout the entire building automation process without a break in data carriers between the systems involved.

At the same time, as forum participants repeatedly emphasized, the success of projects depends on clearly defined requirements from operating organizations. The phrase «BACtwin with everything» does not work: for effective implementation, clear operational specifications, appropriate templates, and a willingness to apply the standard throughout the entire building lifecycle are necessary.

Forum Scale and Dynamics

BACtwin-Forum 2026 took place on October 28 at the LUX-Pavillon, Hochschule Mainz. Approximately 300 people participated — around 160 in person and just under 140 online. For comparison: the first forum in 2022 had 40 participants, and last year's had 160.

The official organizer is Hochschule Mainz in cooperation with AMEV (the working group for mechanical and electrical engineering of public and municipal authorities). Support is provided by gefma (German Facility Management Association), VDMA-Fachverband BIM (association for BIM, building automation, and electrical engineering), BTGA (Federal Industrial Association for Technical Building Equipment), and a number of industrial partners. The organizational support for BACtwin-Forum 2026 was again taken on by Iconag Leittechnik GmbH (Idar-Oberstein) under the leadership of CEO Christian Wild, who also served as the event moderator.

What Was Discussed: Lifecycle and Key Tools

In April 2026, AMEV published Recommendation No. 174 «BACtwin in Public Buildings» as a 2026 update (see cci324251). The central question at the Mainz forum was the application of the standardized BACtwin data model as a cross-cutting working basis for the design, installation, commissioning, and operation of building automation systems (GA).

Presenters demonstrated that BACtwin is no longer a theoretical concept: numerous projects are being designed and implemented on its basis. The entry point to the BACtwin ecosystem, as noted by several speakers, is the BACtwin BAS user addressing key (see cci293681). It forms a unified machine-readable structure for BACnet systems, units, and objects and serves as the basis for reusable and verifiable specifications.

The presentations covered the full building automation cycle: from the importance of operating organization requirements through pre-project and installation planning to programming, visualization, quality control, commissioning, and monitoring of GA systems. The benefits of standardized templates and the potential for cross-cutting data exchange were demonstrated. In particular, for control and dispatch panels, automation station programming, as well as testing and monitoring tasks, presenters pointed to significant gains in efficiency and quality.

Outlook

A detailed report on BACtwin-Forum 2026 will be published in cci Zeitung 14/2026 (release date — December 14). The next BACtwin-Forum is scheduled for October 26, 2027; due to the expected increase in the number of participants, the event will be held in the facilities of Hochschule Mainz, which are designed for a larger in-person audience.

Source: cci Dialog.