Chris Howard, of Schneider Electric, starts new five-year term as voting member
(Marietta, GA – June 29th, 2026) BACnet International is proud to announce that Chris Howard will continue as a voting member of the BACnet Testing Laboratories Working Group (BTL-WG). Howard was inducted during a BTL-WG virtual meeting on June 25, 2026, and will begin a new five-year term on July 1, 2026. The BTL-WG operates under the auspices of BACnet International.
The BTL-WG provides technical oversight and guidance for the global BTL testing and certification program for BACnet products. The primary goal of the certification program is to improve BACnet interoperability among building automation products. Voting members are selected from knowledgeable experts in the BACnet community and serve 5-year terms.
“Chris has been a dedicated and impactful member of the BTL Working Group,” said Andy McMillan, BACnet International President and Managing Director. “We’re excited to see him continue as a voting member and look forward to his ongoing contributions.”
Chris Howard is a Principal Test Engineer at Schneider Electric with extensive experience in BTL certification and BACnet testing. As an active contributor to the BTL Test Package, he has helped define industry testing requirements while enabling product teams to deliver certified, interoperable solutions. His expertise includes test automation, protocol diagnostics, and developing solutions that meet customer needs while ensuring compliance with the BACnet standard.
About BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL)
BACnet Testing Laboratories was established by BACnet International to support compliance testing and interoperability testing activities and consists of the BTL Manager and the BTL Working Group (BTL-WG). Its general activities include publishing the BTL Implementation Guidelines document, awarding worldwide BTL Listings to qualified BACnet devices, publishing and maintaining the BTL Test Package, approving testing laboratories for BTL Testing, providing testing services through its managed BACnet laboratory, and organizing the annual PlugFest Interoperability Workshop.
About BACnet International
BACnet International is an industry association that facilitates the successful use of the BACnet protocol in building automation and control systems through interoperability testing, educational programs and promotional activities. BACnet International oversees operation of the BACnet Testing Laboratories (BTL) and maintains a global listing of tested products database. The BACnet standard was developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and has been made publicly available so that manufacturers can create interoperable systems of products. BACnet International complements the work of the ASHRAE standards committee and BACnet-related interest groups around the world. BACnet International members include building owners, consulting engineers and facility managers, as well as companies involved in the design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and maintenance of control equipment that use BACnet for communication.