“If your Wi-Fi goes down, you grumble. If your BMS fails, your building stops breathing.”
In today’s hyper-connected world, smart buildings are no longer a futuristic concept, they’re a strategic imperative. From energy efficiency and sustainability to occupant comfort and operational control, smart buildings promise a lot. But behind every sensor, dashboard, and automation script lies a critical dependency: the network.
And not just any network. A resilient, secure, and visible operational technology (OT) network.
Smart Buildings Run on OT – Not Just IT
We have supported Ark Data Centres internal infrastructure since 2015, from design, deployment, and on and off-site management.
While IT networks handle emails, video calls, and cloud apps, OT networks manage the heartbeat of the building:
- HVAC
- Lighting and access control
- Fire suppression and life safety systems
- Elevators, chillers, and energy meters
If these systems fail, the building doesn’t just become inconvenient, it becomes uninhabitable.
Legacy Systems Still Dominate, and They’re Vulnerable.
Despite the rise of cloud-native platforms and digital twins, most buildings still rely on legacy protocols like Modbus, BACnet MSTP, and KNX. These were never designed for internet exposure and lack basic security features.
A quick Shodan search reveals thousands of exposed BMS controllers – many unprotected.
Cybersecurity Is No Longer Optional
27% of UK buildings experienced a cyberattack in the past year (RICS). These aren’t just data breaches, they’re physical threats.
Overheating server rooms
Disabled fire suppression
Refrigeration shutdowns
Zero Trust, segmentation, encryption, and continuous monitoring are no longer nice-to-haves, they’re essential.
Visibility Is the Game-Changer
You can’t protect what you can’t see. Many facilities teams don’t even know what’s connected to their OT networks.
Unified monitoring platforms like PRTG, Auvik, and SolarWinds bring IT and OT together, enabling:
- Asset discovery
- Predictive maintenance
- Real-time diagnostics
Repeatable Network Models Reduce Cost and Complexity
Every building is unique. But the networks that power them don’t have to be. Trust Systems advocates for reference architectures, repeatable, scalable models that reduce cost, risk, and deployment time.
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Final Thought
Smart buildings need smarter networks:
- Resilient to failure
- Secure against threats
- Visible in real time
- Scalable across sites
- Transformative in impact
Let's Talk
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