
A number of DBC members spoke at the ISE Europe Smart Building Summit today in Barcelona, including the following on our Redefining Master Systems Integration panel:
- John Clarke, Operations Director – One Sightsolutions LTD
- Sam Norledge, Head of Smart Buildings – LMG (lmgiq.com)
- Daniel Watson, UK Director – Hereworks
- Aleksandra Dasala, Smart Building Consultant – Nuxform
- Sam Farrant, Smart Workplace Director – Smart Spaces® (Moderator)
The panel discussion focused on challenges related to roles and responsibilities within the industry. It highlights the confusion surrounding the roles of vendors, integrators, and consultants, particularly regarding overlapping specialisms and communication breakdowns. Participants emphasise the importance of early engagement and education to mitigate these issues, advocating for clearer definitions of roles and a more collaborative approach to project delivery. The use of analogies, such as the healthcare system, helped illustrate the complexities and the need for improved communication and standardised processes throughout the project lifecycle. Future roles for professionals were also considered, anticipating a shift towards validation and data standardisation, leveraging AI and low-code/ no-code platforms.
We have put together the following summary for you to give you a flavour of what was discussed:
Smart Building Industry Challenges:
- Panel discussion on key lessons learned in the Smart Buildings industry
- Roles and responsibilities of vendors, integrators, and consultants
- Importance of understanding the overlap between different roles
- Need for education in the market to overcome challenges
- Importance of early engagement and communication among stakeholders
Procurement and Design Process:
- Direct client engagement is recommended for better outcomes
- Importance of benchmarking and pilot projects
- MSI involvement is crucial from practical completion onwards
- Early engagement of MSI in the design process (ideally stages 2-3)
- Open communication is essential for setting expectation
Future of MSI and Smart Buildings:
- Potential for AI in smart buildings, but standardization is needed
- Skill shortage in the industry, but promising new talent emerging
- MSI role evolving towards education and validation
- Different types of MSIs emerging (hardware, BMS, network focused)
- Need for standardization and ecosystem development in Smart Buildings
Action items:
- Educate the market on smart building technologies and processes
- Develop standards for smart building data to enable AI implementation
- Engage MSIs early in the design process, ideally at stage 2-3
- Implement benchmarking and pilot projects to demonstrate capabilities
- Ensure continuous engagement of MSI beyond practical completion
There is an AI-generated podcast summary of the panel discussion today our Executive Officer Justin Kirby has shared on LinkedIn you can listen to here. The panel is linked to our Role of the MSI project initiative and follows on from the Lessons learned: 6 common mistakes MSI contractors see in smart building projects article in Smart Buildings Magazine late last year written by John Clarke, Sam Norledge, Daniel Watson and fellow DBC member James Thomas at SES Engineering Services:

DBC members Dan Drogman at Smart Spaces®, Kevin Brownell at Nuxform, Tomás Mac Eoin at Hereworks and John Brough at Delta Controls Inc also spoke at the ISE Europe Smart Buildings Summit today. There are more forthcoming opportunities to meet and hear from DBC members as part of our event partnerships, including WorkTech’s Smart Technologies25 London in late March and Digital Construction Week at Excel London in early June. We hope to be announcing more soon. In the meantime, stay connected by following the DBC on LinkedIn for the latest updates, events and insights from the founding members and reach out to learn how to join our community and contribute to our mission.