Siemens Smart Infrastructure recently launched Building X, a smart building suite the company describes as open, interoperable, and fully cloud-based. “The suite is the first, next-generation offering built on the design principles of Siemens Xcelerator, an open digital business platform launched to accelerate digital transformation and value creation across industry, transportation, grids, and buildings,” Siemens said on June 29, when it launched both Xcelerator and Building X.
“Building X is the antidote to data silos,” said Matthias Rebellius, managing board member of Siemens AG and CEO of the company’s Smart Infrastructure business unit. “We can now connect all data that smart building systems generate in one single data lake, scaling up smart buildings faster and moving closer to our vision of autonomous, net zero buildings. Building X creates data-based outcomes for greater efficiency, performance and experience, changing for the better the way we work and live in buildings. We look forward to co-creating use cases with our customers and partners on Building X to accelerate innovation and sustainability in the industry.”
The company emphasizes that Building X addresses the challenges of stakeholders including building users, property investors, real estate companies and facility managers. Siemens says the software suite acts as a single source of truth to eliminate complexity and support net zero targets. Stakeholders can digitize and use their building data from various sources, disciplines and systems one a single platform, Siemens points out. This capability enables a seamless user experience, and the integration of the user’s existing software and ecosystem, including third-party applications, through vendor-agnostic connectivity and open application programming interfaces (APIs). The suite offers modular, AI-enabled applications as well as built-in cybersecurity. Its open architecture and cloud-based technology facilitates co-creation with users and partners.
Building X’s applications cover domains of building management including energy, security, and building operations, all of which include analytics capabilities. The applications offer a consistent user experience, Siemens notes, and relevant data is intelligently combined to drive outcomes.
Furthermore, the company says, Building X combines the real and digital worlds of buildings by consolidating data from multiple sources into a digital building operations twin. With a virtual representation of a building, building operators can resolve issues more quickly, Siemens states, adding that users benefit from the transparency Building X provides in their efforts to make their buildings more sustainable, achieve better building performance, and optimize user experience.
The company boasts that Building X applications provide “the right data to the right people” by virtue of being modular and persona-based. Users can choose from multiple ready-made applications in addition to the co-creation possibilities. Dashboards and data insights can be customized, yet also presented in the proverbial single pane of glass. At its launch, the suite supports four applications:
- Energy Manager tracks energy consumption, costs, and CO2 footprint of a building or building fleet and enables early corrective actions if necessary. It forecasts consumption based on historical data, and supports users in tracking their sustainability goals, helping them reach net zero buildings.
- Operations Manager operates and monitors building equipment and applications in real time. It can monitor a fleet of sites from a single point and ensures fast issue-response while reducing downtime. Users benefit from increased business continuity and improved reaction times.
- Security Manager operates and maintains security systems with unified and automated workflows; it centrally manages daily security operations and incidents across all systems.
- 360° Viewer App represents a location as a virtual 3D environment, allowing for indoor navigation for insights into equipment topology and installation.
Available on a subscription-based, software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, Building X allows building stakeholders to access software off-the-shelf.
Aside from that SaaS model, users can opt for an end-to-end program of Siemens Xcelerator Building Services, which are enabled by Building X. Through this model, Siemens leverages its technology combined with the expertise of its digital building professionals. These programs are customized to achieved predefined outcomes, such as reducing operating and energy costs, optimizing asset performance for uptime and productivity, meeting regulatory requirements, or enhancing occupant experience.
