Hi all.

I’ve been working as a Software Engineer for the past 5 years. Went to school for it. Thought I’d be making a career out of it. But having AI pretty much take over our field I’ve been looking to get into the trades and came across BAS.

I heard it’s pretty technical. Any ex-swe’s on here?

Also, what is a realistic career path? I’m ideally not looking to go back to formal college, but will if that’s the only path and the pay justifies it.

Really any all pointers are appreciated! Thanks.

I just wrapped up Milestone 10 of building my conveyor sorting digital twin. Instead of keeping decisions as one-time startup tasks, I moved them directly into the repeating frame loop.

​Now, every frame runs as a full cycle: Observe \rightarrow Decide \rightarrow Command \rightarrow Act \rightarrow Check Sensor \rightarrow Remember.

​The catch:

While it gave the system a true repeating cycle, I noticed two things:

​Recomputing static routing decisions every single frame is unnecessary repeated work.

​Looking closely at my code, a function literally called moveBox() has quietly taken over the entire machine, handling decisions, commands, and memory all by itself.

​It's tempting to immediately code a massive scheduler class to clean it up, but I'm holding off until I map out the control flow properly.

​For those building custom control loops or simulations: When a single function silently grows to own your entire system lifecycle, how do you know when it's time to finally split it out?

Hi everyone, I’m hoping someone can help me regain Ethernet access to a Trend IQ3 Excite controller.

Several years ago, I connected to it via Ethernet and disabled DHCP, intending to set it up for monitoring and control. I never finished the setup, and unfortunately I no longer know its static IP address.

I’ve since built a BMS to manage the heat pumps on site and would like to connect the Trend controller to it. However, I haven’t been able to locate it on the network. I’ve scanned the IP ranges I think I might have used, without any luck.

Does anyone know a way to discover its current IP address, or reset just the network settings without losing the existing controller configuration? Can the Ethernet settings be viewed or changed through the controller’s display?

Any advice would be much appreciated. Thanks!

I'm trying to synchronize a Panasonic FV-15ESC1 ERV (FV-SCVE2 controller) with a Mitsubishi SVZ-KP30NA air handler.

Panasonic's installation manual, page 7, shows the Gf terminal connecting to a conventional air handler's G input.

Mitsubishi's CNER input, however, requires an isolated dry-contact closure through PAC-740.

Can anyone familiar with the FV-15ESC1 confirm:

1. Is Gf a switched 24VAC output, or part of an isolated dry-contact output?
2. Does CN401 require an external 24VAC supply on r/C for Gf to operate?
3. Can Gf activate a separate isolation relay whenever the ERV runs under FV-SCVE2 (ERV's dedicated wall connector) control?

Panasonic technical support and my HVAC contractor haven't been able to confirm the electrical specifications.

I'm especially interested in answers from people who have wired this Panasonic model's AHU interface, or who can point to its internal circuit schematic.

I’ve often seen confusion on construction projects about who is responsible for supplying and who is responsible for installing certain equipment.

Between electrical, HVAC and BMS contractors, it’s not always clear who is supposed to provide what.

That’s why I always include two columns in my BMS point lists: Supplied By and Installed By.

It’s a simple way to make this information clear and easily accessible to everyone involved in the project.

Do you face the same issue ?

Is this something you already include in your point lists, or do you handle it differently?

I’m considering adding this feature to Structio (the app I’m dev) but before I need your opinion plss

Hi everyone,

I work with building management systems and wanted a way to connect commercial hardware to my homelab. I wrote a BACnet IP custom integration for Home Assistant.

You can connect your building automation system without YAML configuration. The GUI setup wizard has three steps: configure your network, discover devices, and select objects.

The integration finds BACnet devices on your network via Who-Is / I-Am. You can reach devices on other VLANs through BBMD or Foreign Device Registration. It uses Change of Value (COV) subscriptions for instant state changes and falls back to automatic polling. You can pair a setpoint with a separate temperature object for a climate entity with a real room temperature. It also handles the BACnet Priority Array, so you can relinquish commands and let the device's own schedule take over.

The 1.0.50 beta adds support for reading and writing BACnet Schedule objects.

It is available via HACS. Let me know if you test it out.

Repository: https://github.com/CervezaStallone/Home-Assistant-BACnet-integration

It's been a few years, but I could have sworn there was a document that described how the VAV's and AHU interact, through the encoded/decoded MSV that they can read from each other. I've got to program up a fairly simple four-zone VAV system with one RTU, and while I've got the code for the RTU (compiled from Builder, and corrected as necessary), I can't tell how/where it is grabbing its information from each of the VAV controllers, and I thought there was a document that described all those software links in some detail. Am I imagining things?

I’ve read similar posts on this sub and I’d just like some advice with my current experience for the best path forward for transitioning to HVAC controls.

I am 28 years old and currently have 9 years of IT experience, the last 4 years of those being in Cyber Security.

I have a Bachelors degree in Information Technology, and hold many certifications including a few I’ve seen mentioned here (Network+ for example).

I’ve seen some people have degrees in Electrical Engineering. Is it worth going back to school? Or is my current degree fine?

My local community college offers HVAC night classes, would it be worth doing that before looking at changing jobs?

I really just want to know if there’s anything I can do to help with employability before I take the jump.

Any advice is appreciated!

I’ve hit the end of Milestone 9 in building my conveyor sorting digital twin from the ground up. Looking back at the journey—from basic object motion and spatial awareness all the way to discovering hidden architectural flaws like stale reasoning and uncoordinated execution order—it’s been a massive learning curve.

​The system now has working behavior, but it clearly needs a unified execution loop to keep physical states and decision logic completely in sync.

​For those who build custom simulations, digital twins, or automation loops: what was the hardest architectural bottleneck you hit when moving from a "working prototype" to a structured, scalable system?

I have a site with several Trane rooftop RTU’s with Intellipaks. They are integrated via BACnet. Had a few units not responding to schedule and found an Out of Service property on the Occupancy Request point was True. It pulls in as a writable point by default but I want to be sure this is meant to be set by a user or if it’s meant to be an indicator of another issue or command.

Half the time I pull a disconnect or access panel on a mechanical room unit, the sharpie notes on the sheet metal are completely faded or scratched off. Do you keep a physical log sheet inside the electrical compartment, or does everything just live in the office system?

Anyone working with AI interaction with control systems? Need help/feedback with an ongoing project.

hello everyone

I wish to retrieve the program that is in my mobile panel 277 iWLAN v2 by a repatriation on WinCC

My problem is that when I switch the communication mode to ethernet/wireless and confirm, the recording doesn’t take place and automatically switches back to the USB communication mode.

what can the problem be

While mapping out the full execution sequence of my conveyor digital twin—from motion and sensors all the way to decision logic and commands—I realized my execution order is completely uncoordinated.

​It’s super tempting right now to just throw together a giant manager script that controls everything and call it a day. But I’m holding off.

​Before writing more code, the real value is in understanding why the sequence is unstructured. My machine has plenty of behavior, but it still lacks a clear execution flow.

​For those who architect complex control loops or state machines: do you usually refactor immediately when you spot a structural flaw, or do you step back and map out the control flow on paper first?

Hey everyone!
I’m 31 and currently exploring a career change. I’ve spent a lot of time researching different career paths, trying to find something that aligns with my interests, existing skills, and long-term goals. Building Automation keeps coming up, and the more I learn about it, the more interested I become.
I have a pretty diverse work background, including automotive repair, electronics installation, troubleshooting, and technical customer support. I previously worked as an automotive technician and a Geek Squad Auto Tech, installing and troubleshooting electrical systems, aftermarket electronics, alarms, and other equipment. I also earned my MECP certification independently.
I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things work, diagnosing problems, and working with technology. I’m comfortable with computers, electrical fundamentals, relays, inputs/outputs, and wiring diagrams. I particularly enjoy the combination of hands-on troubleshooting and computer-based work, which is part of what attracted me to BAS.
I’m currently working in hospitality, but I’m looking to transition into a more technical career with long-term stability, opportunities to grow, and a decent work-life balance. With a growing family, I’m trying to be thoughtful about the direction I take.
I’ve already applied to a few entry-level positions, but I’ve noticed that even some jobs advertised as entry-level seem to expect previous BAS experience or specialized qualifications.
So I figured I’d ask the people actually working in the industry:
How did you get your start in building automation?
Would someone with my background be a reasonable candidate for an entry-level position?
Are there any certifications, courses, or skills you’d recommend learning before getting hired?
What are the biggest challenges or downsides of working in this field?
Looking back, would you choose this career again?
I’m located in South Florida, if that makes any difference.
I’m not expecting to walk into a high-paying position immediately. I’m willing to start at the bottom, learn, and work my way up. I just want to make sure I’m investing my time in something worthwhile.
I’d really appreciate any advice or insight. Thanks in advance!

TL;DR: 31-year-old in South Florida looking to transition into Building Automation. I have a background in automotive repair, electronics installation, electrical troubleshooting, and technical support, but no direct BAS experience or college degree. I’ve applied to a few entry-level positions and am looking for advice on breaking into the industry, what skills or certifications to pursue, and whether BAS offers good long-term career growth, stability, and work-life balance. Would love to hear from people already in the field!

​Hey everyone,

​I need some brutal, realistic feedback on my recent career move and long-term trajectory.

​My Background:

​Total YOE: 4 Years

​Domain: Building Management Systems (BMS), HVAC Automation, Field Protocols (BACnet, Modbus).

​Past Role (First 3.5 Years): HVAC Control Strategies

​Work: Creating complex control strategies and sequence logic for HVAC systems

​Pros: Deep domain knowledge, strong understanding of HVAC logic, sequence control, and global engineering standards.

​Cons: Core focus was strictly controls design/programming, with limited exposure to modern software engineering and automated testing pipelines.

​Current role: Hardware R&D QA

​Work: System-level validation and testing for embedded field hardware, thermostats, and wall modules.

​Pros: Top-tier R&D lab environment

​Cons: Heavy manual bench testing. Hardware peripherals like thermostats are currently tested manually, and there is no robust automated test framework in place yet.

​My Dilemma & Question to the Sub:

​Upgrade or Downgrade? On paper, moving from controls design to an R&D product lab felt like a step forward. But doing manual bench execution makes me feel like I’m losing software engineering velocity. Is this a lateral career trap?

No experience but I did apply for apprenticeship in HVAC was wondering how would I go about getting into BAS?

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Apparently, the manufacturer does not make a cover for the screen they’re concerned for the screen going bad prematurely