ATLANTA (13 April 2026) – ASHRAE has announced the release of a groundbreaking new study by the University of New Hampshire (UNH), quantifying BACnet®’s global climate impact for the first time. BACnet is a global data communication protocol for building automation and control networks.
Developed under the auspices of ASHRAE, it enables heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting, life safety and other systems to communicate and work together, improving the efficiency of the modern built environment. The study shows that BACnet-enabled building automation systems have reduced CO₂ emissions by 1.4 billion tonnes since 1995.
This is equivalent to taking 300 million cars off the road for one year or offsetting Japan’s entire annual emissions. The study highlights BACnet’s role as a catalyst for smart building adoption worldwide.
“This research clearly demonstrates the power of smart buildings and the critical role BACnet plays in reducing global carbon emissions,” said 2025-26 ASHRAE President Bill McQuade, P.E., CDP, ASHRAE Fellow, LEED AP.
“For nearly three decades, BACnet’s open, interoperable framework has enabled building owners and operators to optimise energy use, improve efficiency and deliver measurable climate benefits.
