Building Automation
Technovator Smart Buildings Business and 2022 Financials Examined
August 30th, 2023Building Efficiency & Electrification At The Heart of US Net Zero Emissions Target
August 29th, 2023
US Smart Lighting Solution Provider Igor Tech Closes Down
This Research Note examines the closure of Igor Inc, the smart lighting solution provider. Founded in 2013, West Des Moines, Iowa-based Igor Inc., was the provider of Nexos, a Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) based IoT smart building platform that incorporated hardware, software and cloud analytics to enable smart buildings. The platform was positioned to enable non-electricians to […]

Siemens Xcelerator Partners Focus on Energy Performance Optimization & Building Analytics for Building X
This Research Note examines the progress of Siemens Buildings business in establishing the Siemens Xcelerator open ecosystem for its Building X suite, a year on from the launch of their software, open platform and co-innovation strategy. The Building X smart buildings SaaS software suite was launched in June 2022 by the Buildings business of Siemens […]

Azbil Building Automation Business and Financials Examined
In this Research Note, we examine Azbil, a Japanese public company with a leading position in the domestic building automation market. Our analysis is based on their FY2022 annual results, year ending 31st March 2023 and investor presentations. The Building Automation (BA) business, the largest of three business units, accounts for 46% of consolidated net […]

Net Zero Buildings Explored: The Bullitt Center
The Bullitt Center in Seattle, WA, is one of the net zero buildings known as a pioneer of “deep green” architectural design. Completed in March 2013, the $32.5 million dollar project was considered an “audacious and provocative experiment and living proof of the economic and technical viability of sustainable buildings” in a 2014 paper by […]

£93 Billion of UK Commercial Real Estate at Risk of Becoming Stranded Assets
In the UK, an April update to the minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) regulations for non-domestic buildings means large swathes of commercial real estate will have to improve their energy performance or face closure. As climate change dominates the headlines once again, building regulators will double down on environmental commitments, and commercial real estate owners […]

HVAC/R Control Products Manufacturer Carel Acquires Smart Building SaaS Provider Kiona
In this Research Note, we examine what’s behind Carel’s acquisition of a majority stake in Kiona, a Norwegian Saas player in building management, energy management and refrigeration management. Our article is based on Carel investor presentations and reports from the seller, Swedish private equity firm Summa Equity. Carel Industries SpA is an Italian public company […]

Building Automation Majors “Return to Workplace” with Strategic M&A & Investments
Underlining the growing importance of the workplace within building automation, smart buildings giant Johnson Controls acquired workplace management technology firm FM:Systems last week for an initial price of $455 million. This adds to a growing trend by major players in the building automation market who are seeking to increase the level of integration between integrated […]

How Smart Can A Building Be Without An MSI?
Smart buildings are complex. They are siloed, fragmented, and suffer from a deep design-operate divide that plagues most of a structure’s life cycle. Smart buildings embody every aspect of a facility and therefore impact every stakeholder group, creating inefficiencies and tensions that raise costs and inhibit development. Smart buildings are not a destination but an […]