Educational Sessions 2026
Speaker: Tracy Markie, Engenuity Systems
Description: With the Neuron® chip sunset behind us, the future of LonWorks is not theory—it’s execution. We’ll show you practical, field-tested paths forward: how to sustain existing fleets, redesign with modern stacks (open-source and commercial), move confidently to IP/FT/10BASE-T1L, and keep toolchains and resource files working for you. You’ll see what’s real today, what’s next, and how LonMark’s development resources and community initiatives align with an open, Linux-Foundation-oriented future.
How Utility Programs Will Influence Appliance Functionality in the Future
Speaker: Rolf Bienert
Description: As utilities worldwide accelerate the deployment of dynamic pricing, peak load management, and grid-interactive efficiency programs, appliances and building systems will increasingly need to respond intelligently to external signals. Future heat pump water heaters, EV chargers, HVAC systems, and other major loads will be expected to automatically adjust operation based on energy availability and cost—pre-heating, delaying cycles, or modulating output to support grid stability and customer savings.
Secure Wired Communication for AI-Driven Smart Infrastructure
Speaker: Nobu Kodama – Nesssum Alliance
Description: This session will compare various wired technologies available today and discuss how the new Nessum technology—based on IEEE 1901c—offers next-generation, standards-based high-speed communication to enable cost-effective, robust, secure, and scalable data exchange for AI-driven command and control applications over existing wiring in smart buildings and factories. We will explore the strategic importance of robust communication across major protocol stacks, including LONMark, emphasizing its ability to modernize legacy systems, improve semantic interoperability, and support cloud-native deployments.