Methods and system for obtaining access to building automation systems

A system for controlling access to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising:

• a communications port;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the communications port, wherein the controller is configured to:
• send, via a network, an electronic invitation to a user device, wherein the electronic invitation represents a request from a contractor system to access data related to the operation of the HVAC system, wherein the electronic invitation comprises one or both of an invite email that is electronically sent to an email account accessible by the user device or an invite text message that is sent to a text message account accessible by the user device, and wherein the electronic invitation includes a link to a web page that includes a solicitation for a user of the user device to grant or deny the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system;
• receive an electronic response to the electronic invitation from the user device, the electronic response either granting the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system or denying the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system;
• when the electronic response grants the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system, grant the contractor system a level of access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system;
• and
• when the electronic response denies the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system, prevent the contractor system from gaining access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system.

A system for controlling access to a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, the system comprising:

• a communications port;
• and
• a controller operatively coupled to the communications port, wherein the controller is configured to:
• receive an invitation request from a user device via the communications port via a wide area network;
• send, via a network, an electronic invitation to a user device, wherein the electronic invitation represents a request from a contractor system to access data related to operation of the HVAC system, wherein the electronic invitation comprises one or both of an invite email that is electronically sent to an email account accessible by the user device or an invite text message that is sent to a text message account accessible by the user device, and wherein the electronic invitation includes a link to a web page that includes a solicitation for a user of the user device to grant or deny the contractor system access to the data related to operation of the HVAC system;
• receive an electronic response to the electronic invitation from the user device, the electronic response either granting the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system or denying the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system;
• when the electronic response grants the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system, grant the contractor system a level of access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system;
• and
• when the electronic response denies the contractor system access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system, prevent the contractor system from gaining access to the data related to the operation of the HVAC system.