How to Build a Unified Data Ecosystem

Commercial buildings track massive amounts of data including energy consumption, maintenance schedules, occupancy rates, and security logs. However, managing a building with various independent systems—HVAC, lighting, elevators, and more—can be overwhelming, especially when each system has its own controls and doesn’t “talk” with the others.

Many buildings have these siloed data systems, with each system operating separately, often from different manufacturers with their own software, or even just manual switches. This makes it challenging to quickly see what’s happening in a building, identify inefficiencies, or control everything from one place. Facility teams can spend hours toggling between dashboards to gather necessary information.

The issue is only going to accelerate with the explosion of connected smart devices.

“Just five years ago at my house, I didn’t have anything smart. Now I’ve got 10 things, and it’s going to continue to expand,” says Brad Stevens, vice president of IoT and platform sales at Wesco. “Can you imagine how much it’s going to expand if you’re managing a multi-building campus? You’re going to have thousands of different, unique systems.”

The Solution?

Smart building platforms powered by AI can solve this problem by pulling data from each system, regardless of brand or type, and bring it together into a single digital dashboard, which facility managers can access from a computer or smartphone. This helps facility teams increase operational efficiency, optimize space utilization, meet sustainability requirements, improve preventive maintenance, and enhance occupant comfort.

Technological upgrades in buildings—from smart lighting to sophisticated connectivity solutions—directly impact employee experiences. The COVID-19 pandemic and remote work accelerated trends toward making workspaces more personal, flexible, and technologically advanced, and that’s not slowing down.

“This is a train,” says Shana Longo, director of Strategic Initiatives, Intelligent Buildings at Legrand, a global specialist in electrical and digital building infrastructures. “It’s been going in this direction for some time. COVID sped it up, and that digitalization is at an exponential speed.”

Legrand launched the Wattstopper i3 Platform, built on the Kode Labs framework, which is an advanced lighting control system designed to integrate intelligent energy management, occupancy sensing, and flexible automation for commercial buildings. The platform supports retrofitting and ESG efforts, making buildings more cost-effective and environmentally friendly.

Step 1: How Integration Works

Smart building platforms connect to all devices and systems, either directly (if they’re already “smart” or digital) or through add-on devices (for older, non-digital systems).

Platforms collect data including room temperatures, lighting levels, energy use, and security alerts, from each source. The platform organizes this data so the team can see everything on one dashboard, showing the building’s status in real time, and allowing them to control systems remotely.

For example, if you have smart thermostats, connected light panels, and digital security cameras, the platform can link to each one, so you can adjust the temperature, turn off lights, or check cameras from one screen. For parts of a building with older (non-smart) systems, there are adapters or modules that can “translate” their signals so they can also be monitored or sometimes controlled.

Step 2: Evaluate Current Infrastructure

Facility managers must know what they already have and what they might need to upgrade. Make a list of building systems, noting which ones are digital and which are not. Identify the brands and models. Some platforms work better with certain brands, so check for compatibility. Also, check for existing controls: digital panels, apps, or only manual switches.

Step 3: Standardize Data Collection

Standardizing the format in which data is named, stored, and categorized ensures that it can be easily combined and compared.

“I’m big on tagging data,” says Stevens. Different systems can use different names for the same equipment. For example, one system might call it a “chiller” while another a “cooler.” Inconsistent naming creates communication barriers. Facility managers can use industry standards like Haystack to tag and normalize data.

“Then collect data from everybody and every device, not just traditional systems,” Stevens notes. Include sensors from cameras, access control, AV systems, and security systems, and involve multiple teams including IT, sustainability, energy, and security.

Step 4: Choose a Platform

Once the team knows what they have, they can start comparing platforms. Look for:

• Compatibility: Find smart solutions that work with existing equipment and wiring. Some platforms offer “gateways” or “controllers” to help bridge the gap.
• User interface: Is the dashboard easy to use and understand? Can you customize it for your team’s needs?
• Scalability: Can you start small (for example, with HVAC) and add more systems later?
• Support and training: Does the company offer help with installation, setup and ongoing support?
• Prioritize cybersecurity: What measures are in place to protect the building from cyberthreats or unauthorized access to sensitive systems? More devices on the network create more vulnerabilities. IT and OT teams must collaborate to ensure a solid cybersecurity framework.

Step 5: Make the Transition

Once connected, the smart platform collects data from all the sensors and devices, typically sending data to the cloud, which stores, processes, and analyzes it. Data can include room temperature and humidity, when and where lights are turned on/off, how much electricity and water is being used, and camera feeds or motion detection.

 The AI looks at the data from all the sensors, observing patterns. For example:

• Is a certain room always too hot compared to the rest of the building?
• Does electricity usage spike at certain times of day?
• Is a particular machine using more energy than usual?

A significant advantage of bringing data together is automation. The platform can be programmed to act based on certain situations. For example:

• If a room is too hot, the platform can automatically adjust the HVAC system or open windows.
• If an elevator gets stuck, the platform can alert maintenance staff immediately.

Charlie Derk, Legrand’s VP Strategy, Building Control Systems, says modern platforms aren’t just about collecting data but providing actionable insights that help facility managers understand and troubleshoot issues.

“When you look at platforms like KODE OS, it’s not only about the data, but what you do with it,” he explains. “How do you inform people? If I see a bunch of alarms going off, I need people on-site that know how to interpret the data and figure out what to do next.”

Smart platforms make sense of the data, providing actionable insights for facility managers, Derk adds.

Data and Automation are as Fundamental as Bricks and Mortar

Technology is rapidly changing how buildings are managed, explains Etrit Demaj, co-founder of KODE. While older buildings were primarily defined by physical elements, today they’re characterized by technological infrastructure.

“There are more sensors than windows and more network gear than doors,” Demaj notes. This significant shift means as buildings become increasingly digitized, they require new approaches to management including following new standards and adopting more integrated technological solutions.

“Digitization and AI are inevitable, and organizations have no choice but to adapt,” says Demaj.