Integrating with proprietary drivers for Lennox control boards – a crucial step for realizing a comprehensive EMS/BMS and avoiding truck rolls
As we know, there are many technology systems in a building that play a key role in its management and these systems are likely to have proprietary interfaces which sometimes present a barrier to their integration with the EMS/BMS. If that barrier can’t be overcome, you’ll run into problems — not the least of which is that your investment in the latter system will fail to fully deliver on its potential. So, this interface problem is one that you must solve.
How? Drivers. Drivers are designed to overcome the interfacing problem and, in this blog, we’re going to show you how by using an example that’s likely to be familiar: the Lennox control board.
What are Lennox control boards?
Lennox control boards are a key component of the overall Lennox HVAC unit. They’re specialized electronic circuit boards that help to manage and automate HVAC functionality. This gives users precise temperature control, better energy efficiency, and easier system diagnostics. We can understand the essential functions of the Lennox boards as follows:
- The boards monitor and adjust HVAC components (i.e. fans, compressors, dampers, and heating elements) allowing them to work together in an optimized, efficient manner.
- Lennox boards often have diagnostic functions to detect issues such as faults in a thermostat, wiring problems, or component failures. This helps users improve preventive maintenance and enables issues to be identified before they lead to system breakdowns.
- With intelligent controls, Lennox boards can reduce energy costs by optimizing HVAC operations based on the building's occupancy and environmental conditions, for instance by adjusting heating or cooling levels, or implementing demand response strategies.
So, what’s the problem? What are the limitations of Lennox control boards?
As we alluded to above, Lennox control boards have limitations when used in more complex or comprehensive energy and building management systems (EMS/BMS). One key limitation concerns integration.
Modern EMS/BMS platforms rely on widely adopted communication protocols (examples include BACnet, Modbus, and LonWorks). These protocols are what facilitate seamless integration across devices from different manufacturers. While Lennox offers a BACnet option at an additional cost with a limited feature set, NexRev offers a better alternative.
Solution: NexRev’s L-Net driver
NexRev’s L-Net driver means the many energy and facilities managers who’ve already invested in L-Net technology can gain the ability to control and monitor their Lennox units without having to pay for expensive add-on cards, like Lennox’s own BACnet option. A key benefit is the ability to remotely configure the Lennox units via our L-Net driver – which is a feature unique to NexRev. Even Lennox’s own BACnet solution does not offer this capability – so, every remote change executed via NexRev’s L-Net is a truck roll saved!
In addition, the NexRev L-Net driver also allows the user to audit and view the ECTO parameters in the Lennox boards and adjust them remotely through NexRev’s Freedom Building Management System. Integration has been achieved with different generations of Lennox technology – such as M1, M2 and M3 (also known as Prodigy boards), and M4 (recognized as the Core Controller).
With the L-Net driver, the building manager can export Lennox board parameters to a CSV file and then quickly add filters and look through settings. Additional data can be obtained, such as error codes – a bonus when trying to perform troubleshooting remotely without local human intervention.
NexRev solves the proprietary interface problem – so that any Lennox installation can easily be integrated with Freedom, extending command and control. A bonus – you keep existing components in place and don’t need to replace them when you migrate to a modern, cloud-based EMS/BMS like Freedom – reducing costly truck rolls and investment costs.
About NexRev
NexRev is the leading provider of cloud-based, multi-site energy management systems, backed by AI and delivered by SaaS models, that help businesses eliminate energy waste and reduce costs.
Our innovative Freedom™ EMS/BMS solution brings process-driven intelligence and AI to facilities management, providing complete remote control and centralized visibility of your energy-consuming devices across complex, nationwide property portfolios for leading brands in retail, theaters, restaurants, commercial, and industrial facilities.
With NexRev Freedom, our customers reduce waste, optimize energy management, and generate permanent cost savings by making the right decisions. To begin a discussion on how we can help you to reduce energy costs and waste please email us at