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Certification testifies to integration expertise

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jan 22, 2008

LonMark International has developed a proficiency testing programme for qualified open systems installers, professionals and integrators.

Often end users are confused by the amount of choices and network "languages" available on the market today.

Many turn to the system integrator for the correct knowledge and knowhow to specify the best system to meet their needs.

More often, these system integrators are being forced to show credibility-to prove that they are qualified to design a fully open, integrated system.

And it is exactly this question that many integrators and system suppliers are trying to answer: "How and where do I get certified?".

For years LonMark International has been the certification body for the LON protocol.

LonMark was created in part to establish the interoperable standards and provide testing and certification to ensure products from multiple manufacturers work together in an open system.

LonMark Certified Products are tested and confirmed to meet the open, interoperable standards and this has been a large step towards meeting the market's demand for credibility and guaranteed openness.

To meet the demand for expert certification, LonMark International developed its proficiency testing programme for qualified open systems installers, professionals and integrators.

In co-operation with LonMark affiliates spanning the globe, LonMark has established training and testing centres for system engineers, specifiers and integrators.

LonMark Certified Testing provides the credentials associated with the fundamental knowledge of LON technology, therefore providing a means of establishing valid credentials and a reliable competency standard for industry specialists.

Through standardisation of professional knowledge certified specialists can be recognised as Master Systems Integrators (MSI) and offer their customers the best possible LON solutions and the most highly qualified people working on the project.

In meeting this demand for the certified MSI, LonMark has set a standard in the industry for excellence.

The value of a credentialing programme can often be determined by the acceptance of the specifiers who write specifications.

LonMark is starting to see specifiers require LonMark Certified Professionals be on staff within the Master System Integrator companies.

To date, over 100 individuals have passed the professional level exam.

A listing of all LonMark members who have passed the exam can be found on LonMark's website.

"We are very pleased with the level of acceptance and support for the credentialing programme", says Ron Bernstein, Executive Director of LonMark International.

"Testing centres are opening around the world as demand is increasing".

"Our plans include rolling out an installer level exam and an integration level certification".

"Complimenting this programme, LonMark International is launching an online training programme to teach the fundamentals necessary to obtain certification".

In addition to the proficiency testing programme, LonMark has set up a number of training and education programmes around the world including training and testing centres in Steinhausen and Thun, Switzerland, Ludenscheid, Stuttgart and Nuremburg, Germany, and Moscow, Russia.

The LonMark Sessions educational seminar programme reached over 3500 people in over 50 cities this year as part of an ongoing effort to help educate and expose people to the value of energy efficient intelligent controls using LON standards.

It is the goal of LonMark International to aid the controls market in the transition from propriety to open systems and from there, to help the market realise the full benefits of specifying open interoperable solutions.

With just a click of the mouse, Master Systems Integrators can answer the question: "How do I get certified and where?".

Specifiers and owners can also verify the current credentials of the individuals doing work on their facility.