Open-source BACnet/IP simulator for developers testing BACnet clients, BMS integrations, SCADA connectors, and HVAC automation software without physical devices.
Run a realistic BACnet test network in seconds with Docker: 7 virtual HVAC devices, ~50 BACnet points, REST API control, web dashboard, scenarios, alarms, and webhooks.
Use it to:
- test BACnet discovery, reads, writes, and device availability
- simulate HVAC equipment such as AHUs, FCUs, thermostats, zone controllers, CO2 sensors, and outdoor temperature sensors
- build and validate BMS, SCADA, building analytics, or digital twin integrations
- run repeatable BACnet integration tests in development or CI/CD
BACnet Simulator is built for developers working on:
- BACnet client libraries
- BMS / Building Management System integrations
- SCADA connectors
- building analytics platforms
- HVAC automation software
- digital twin platforms for buildings
- industrial IoT gateways
- CI/CD tests requiring virtual BACnet/IP devices
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| 7 Virtual BACnet/IP Devices | AHU, 2 FCUs, thermostat, zone controller, outdoor temp sensor, CO2 sensor |
| ~50 BACnet Points | Analog inputs/outputs/values, binary I/O, multi-state values |
| REST API | Full CRUD for devices, scenarios, webhook endpoints, events |
| Web Dashboard | Real-time monitoring with HTMX auto-refresh (zero JS build) |
| 4 Simulation Scenarios | HVAC day/night cycle, alarm simulation, device offline, manual override |
| Webhook Events | HMAC-SHA256 signed delivery to external systems |
| Docker Compose | One-command deployment on Linux with network_mode: host |
| SQLite Persistence | Zero-configuration database |
| HTTP Basic Auth | Optional authentication via environment variables |
git clone https://github.com/quentinnippert/bacnet-simulator.git
cd bacnet-simulator
docker compose up -d --buildOpen http://localhost:8080/ui for the web dashboard.
Note:
network_mode: hostis required for BACnet UDP broadcast and only works on Linux. For macOS/Windows development, see the Getting Started guide.
pip install -e ".[dev]"
python -m bacnet_labSee the full Getting Started guide for detailed instructions.
| Device | ID | Points | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| AHU-01 | 1001 | 12 | Air Handling Unit — supply/return/mixed air temps, valves, fans, pressure |
| FCU-01 | 2001 | 7 | Fan Coil Unit Zone 1 — room temp, valve, fan speed |
| FCU-02 | 2002 | 7 | Fan Coil Unit Zone 2 — room temp, valve, fan speed |
| TSTAT-01 | 3001 | 6 | Thermostat Lobby — temp, setpoints, occupancy |
| ZC-01 | 4001 | 7 | Zone Controller — damper, airflow, CO2, occupancy |
| OAT-01 | 5001 | 2 | Outdoor Temperature Sensor |
| CO2-01 | 5002 | 3 | CO2 Sensor |
Each device runs on a dedicated UDP port and is fully discoverable on the BACnet network. Device definitions are YAML files in config/devices/ — easy to add or modify.
See Devices documentation for full point lists and custom device creation.
| Scenario | Description |
|---|---|
| HVAC Day/Night Cycle | Compressed 24h simulation — outdoor temp varies, valves/fans respond, occupancy changes |
| Cyclic High Temp Alarm | Periodically raises and clears a supply air temperature alarm |
| Device Offline | Simulates a device going offline and recovering |
| Manual Override | Overrides a point value for a configurable duration |
Start/stop scenarios via the REST API or web dashboard. See Scenarios documentation.
| Method | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| GET | /api/health |
Health check |
| GET | /api/devices |
List all devices |
| GET | /api/devices/{id} |
Device details with points |
| PUT | /api/devices/{id}/points |
Write a point value |
| GET | /api/scenarios |
List scenarios |
| POST | /api/scenarios/{id}/start |
Start a scenario |
| POST | /api/scenarios/{id}/stop |
Stop a scenario |
| GET | /api/endpoints |
List webhook endpoints |
| POST | /api/endpoints |
Create webhook endpoint |
| DELETE | /api/endpoints/{id} |
Delete endpoint |
| POST | /api/endpoints/{id}/test |
Test webhook delivery |
| GET | /api/events |
Recent events |
| GET | /api/alarms |
Recent alarms |
See the full API Reference for request/response examples.
- BMS integration testing — validate your Building Management System against realistic BACnet devices
- SCADA development — build and test SCADA connectors without physical hardware
- BACnet client testing — verify your BACnet client handles discovery, reads, writes, and COV correctly
- Building analytics prototyping — develop analytics on realistic HVAC data streams
- CI/CD pipelines — spin up a BACnet network in your test environment
- Training and demos — demonstrate HVAC automation behavior without physical equipment
- Webhook integration testing — verify your event handlers with real BACnet events
Hexagonal architecture (ports & adapters) for clean testability and extensibility:
Domain (models, events, enums)
|
Ports (abstract interfaces)
|
Application Services (use cases)
|
Adapters (BACnet/BAC0, HTTP/FastAPI, SQLite, Webhooks)
See Architecture documentation for details.
- Python 3.11+ with async/await throughout
- BAC0 (BACpypes3) — BACnet/IP protocol stack
- FastAPI + Uvicorn — REST API
- HTMX + Jinja2 + Pico CSS — web dashboard (zero JS build)
- SQLite via aiosqlite — persistence
- httpx — async webhook delivery
| Document | Description |
|---|---|
| Getting Started | Installation, deployment, first steps |
| Devices | Simulated devices, points, custom device creation |
| Scenarios | Simulation scenarios and parameters |
| API Reference | REST API with request/response examples |
| Webhooks | Event delivery, signatures, payload examples |
| Configuration | Settings, environment variables, authentication |
| Architecture | Project structure and design decisions |
Contributions are welcome. Please open an issue to discuss your idea before submitting a PR.
MIT