A BMS (Building Management System) plays one of the most important safety functions,
controlling, monitoring, optimising, and reporting on facilities (ventilation, lighting, power,
fire, security), as well as giving owners the ability to optimise comfort and efficiency.
Systems linked to a BMS represent on average 55% of a building's energy usage. A BMS
consists of software+ hardware; leading to global opportunities for products and services.
Estimated at $30bn USD, the industry employs over 0.5m staff and serves 150 countries. Over
10000 UK companies operate in this market. Almost every industrial and domestic building
has at least one BMS Controller - a purpose-built unit that manages data (related to
temperature, humidity, pressure, current, etc) which it uses to communicate instructions to
BMS devices.
Products that reduce energy and carbon emissions in buildings will be in increasing demand.
Europe’s Energy 2020 document and the Lisbon Treaty states “Energy efficiency is a key
priority” and “the price of failure is too high”. Europe's Energy Performance of Buildings
Directive (EPBD) targets enhancement opportunities at building controllers. Further, the
Display Energy Certificates (DEC), Carbon Reduction Credits (CRC), BREEAM and
IS016001, all require the use of a BMS – supporting estimates that the UK Energy market will
reach £200bn by 2020 from £43bn today. BSEN 15232 (2012) was created to measure the
impact of intelligent building controls on energy efficiency in buildings - expected mandatory
in future building design.
This project addresses an unmet need for an energy efficient ‘Universal Controller that
maximises interchangeability amongst BMS equipment, requires no wiring, no dedicated
‘expert’, uses common software, and maximises interoperability via the cloud. A low-cost
‘Plug and Play’ approach has been identified based on Smart Phone tech that will achieve this,
satisfying current & future legislation and opening up new global markets.