Smart Building Integration for Master System Integrators (MSIs)
The smart building industry is a complex one. There is a lack of a clear strategy that customers can implement in order to efficiently upgrade their building or implement in a newly constructed building. Currently, many customers are learning as they go. These are the early adopters, and they will have an advantage over others because their buildings will have improved efficiency, reduced operational costs, increased competitive power and be more sustainable, but they're also trailblazers, setting out a clear pathway that others can adopt.
One of the main barriers to the creation of smart buildings is a lack of integration across building systems and devices. In order to create a smart building, connectivity is key. Data is no use in a silo; it needs to feed into a central source that can then interpret it.
Building owners often assume that everything will come together when multiple contractors are providing services. But in reality, a cohesive building with seamless communication between systems doesn't appear organically; it requires strategic planning (Buildings IoT N/A).
The role of MSIs emerged to solve this issue; however, it is a demanding job that comes with lots of challenges as well as opportunities. As a relatively new role, MSIs are often not common on every project. In some instances, big companies have begun to offer multiple services, e.g., Main Contractor, MSI and building software platform; this, therefore, means they have more power and influence over the project, and it mitigates issues that can occur when there are multiple stakeholders. However, we still have a long way to go before the tried and tested methods of the past are let go, and this new digital/smart revolution is accepted as standard.
The role of an MSI in the delivery of a smart building:
MSIs are responsible for system interoperability and IP connectivity between a variety of smart building systems, e.g., BMS, Lighting, Energy, Security, Wellbeing, Space Utilisation, Audio-visual, etc. In their role, they identify systems that will enable interoperability between subsystems to securely integrate data. Many of these building services have their own proprietary protocols, which make connectivity between them difficult, often an MSI has to do a lot of expensive development work to achieve interoperability; therefore, any middleware software that can help to interpret the different 'languages' dramatically speeds up the process and saves costs.
MSI's main objectives are to:
Deliver interoperability across devices and systems from multiple vendors
Deliver building intelligence by providing a single, flexible, scalable building platform
Deliver a building system that provides better occupant experiences, and support operational and energy efficiency for bottom-line improvements
Ensure compliance with IT governance, security and privacy policies
MSI's main challenges are:
Unifying multiple disparate systems, some of which are proprietary
Keeping costs down - the process is often very costly
Ensuring everything remains connected and interoperable
With this in mind, how can SmartCore support MSIs and make the smart building delivery process easier through integration?
SmartCore is lighting control software; however, what makes us unique is that we are software-only. We are compatible with any hardware; we're therefore more cost-effective and offer more flexibility for clients. We have open architecture so we can communicate with other devices and systems in the building, passing data and allowing for a unified system to be created. We can communicate with protocols such as Modbus, MQTT, BACnet, PoE, Dali, DMX, Bluetooth and more. Data collected can be passed to the cloud or third-party system. We also have our own range of user interface products that display data and allow stakeholders to control the service if they wish. These include Emergency Lighting Control, Circadian Lighting Tool, Commissioning Tool and Facility Manager Tool. These user interfaces can be sold as standalone products or can be bundled into a full product suite.
Historically lighting has always been siloed because it was installed by the electrical contractor, whereas the BMS was installed by the mechanical contractor. This meant that the lighting could not communicate with the central building management software; many buildings today still have this issue. But today, building owners and landlords want to be able to manage and control all services within their building from a central source for efficiency reasons but also to be able to monitor their environmental performance – reducing the amount of energy that is wasted. In addition, building occupants are now demanding improved environments that put their wellbeing first; therefore, lighting has to be part of the picture. Quality lighting that supports occupants in their tasks and is appropriate for their natural body clock can be very beneficial in terms of mood, productivity and concentration.
Benefits of amBX SmartCore:
Open architecture and compatibility with most building and lighting protocols
amBX is a cost-effective way of linking multiple systems, acting as a middleware layer that transfers data
Constant development to ensure we remain compliant and compatible with future protocols
amBX SmartCore software can be installed on 3rd party hardware and removes the need for system integration
