Smart Building & Workplace IoT with ICONICS

Many of you at home have your own home energy management system and know exactly how much energy you’re using. In larger buildings and facilities, however, it’s often like flying blind. Caretakers and facility managers do their best, but they frequently run into issues:
air conditioning systems running through the night, heating systems staying on during summer holidays – most of it only gets noticed when it’s already too late. In an earlier episode, we had a case of a water leak at an outdoor pool that was only discovered in winter – with damages running into the tens of thousands.
So, how can we solve these challenges with IoT technology? That’s exactly what we’re looking at today. We’ll explore real-world projects at Düsseldorf Airport, Koelnmesse, the Microsoft Campus, and Deloitte’s office spaces – all fascinating examples.
We’re interested in learning which use cases were actually implemented. Among other things, we’ll talk about how environmental regulations and CO₂reduction targets can be supported by IoT, how IoT solutions can be integrated into existing building technology, and whether AI can help analyze energy consumption data.
To talk about all this, I’ve invited two experts: André Lange, Managing Director DACH at Mitsubishi Electric Iconics Digital Solutions – or simply ICONICS. More on that in a moment. And Sebastian Creischer, Business Relationship Manager at the same company. Enjoy the episode! As always, you’ll find all the information about how these and other projects are implemented at iotusecase.com.
Let’s go.

Hi André, hi Sebastian!
André, how are you today? Where are you joining us from?

André

I’m doing great – I’m at our headquarters in Sankt Augustin.

Sankt Augustin – where exactly is that again? I’ll have to look it up on Google.

André

It’s near Bonn and Cologne, close to Cologne Airport – in the heart of Rhineland Carnival territory.

Sending greetings to everyone in the region – and of course to everyone else listening. Great to have you with us today, André. This is actually your first time on the podcast, right?

André

Yes, it’s my very first podcast. I’m excited!

Fantastic – same here.
And hello to you too, Sebastian. You’re already a seasoned podcast guest at this point. How are you doing and where are you today?

Sebastian

Thanks, I’m doing well. You’re reaching me as usual from my home office. I’m based in Cologne and have found a quiet spot today so we can record undisturbed.

Yes, sometimes it’s important to really focus on the topic.
I’m just thinking: You were in Episode 110 – that was with Continental or ContiTech – and then again in Episode 118 with Mitsubishi Electric, right?

Sebastian

Exactly. I don’t quite remember the exact episode numbers, but yes – ContiTech and Mitsubishi Electric, I’ve had the pleasure of joining those.

Very exciting – and definitely interesting projects. Feel free to check those out again; I’ll link them in the show notes.
But today, we’re focusing on a different topic. André, I’ll start with you again. You’re Managing Director DACH at ICONICS, you bring over 19 years of experience in the IoT industry, and you’ve worked on many Smart Factory and Smart Building projects. That gives you a great overview of the technologies driving digitalization in the industry.
To kick things off: What new challenges are you currently seeing among your customers –
especially when it comes to integrating IoT solutions, but maybe beyond that as well? You’ve seen a lot over the years – but are there any new developments? How do you see the market evolving?

André

The biggest challenges right now are mainly twofold: First, security – absolutely essential. And second, artificial intelligence. There’s hardly a customer conversation these days where we aren’t asked how we can support the use of AI. Those are, in my view, the two key topics at the moment.
That said, we shouldn’t forget that – especially in the Smart Building space, which we’re talking about today – many existing buildings still face much more basic challenges.
Before anything can be digitalized, it often needs to be electrified first. Cables need to be laid – and that’s often the very first step. These foundational requirements are still a major issue.

Interesting. I’d love to come back to the AI topic later. We’ve seen some cool projects, like figuring out whether elevators in unused buildings are still running – and if so, how. Or reducing load peaks in energy usage. There are some great use cases there that we can dive into later on.
Sebastian, great to have you here today. You’ve worked on lots of Smart Building and Smart Factory projects – especially when it comes to integration.
What I’d love to know is: Is there a particular project from the last two or three years that stands out to you? A favorite or highlight where you’d say: That was really something special? Or are all your projects exciting in their own way?

Sebastian

I’d say we generally work on some great projects. Especially in the smart building space, we’ve developed a new perspective over the past few years. Alongside classic topics like building automation, management systems, and user interfaces, we believe there’s another layer that needs to be added.
We categorize all these traditional aspects as building-centric solutions. That includes IoT-connected devices, energy management, energy monitoring, and so on.
But from our point of view, what’s often missing is the people-centric perspective. After all, a building is a service – for its users, whether employees, residents, or visitors. So, the services should be aligned with the needs of those people.
That’s why we developed this additional layer – with an app-based solution. It goes beyond room booking or workplace management – we’re creating a holistic approach:
We connect devices and people to account for personal comfort preferences. For example: I prefer 22.5°C in the meeting room. The system should set that automatically before my appointment.
This is the space we’re now very active in. We’ve implemented several projects – and it’s just a lot of fun because we can now combine both perspectives.

André

These are the two core areas we cover: people-centric, as Sebastian described, and building-centric. The latter covers the absolute basics – heating in winter, cooling in summer, lights when it’s dark. These are the traditional tasks of building automation systems.
But our goal is to shift the focus more and more towards the people in the building. That’s why we developed a platform we call our Building Operating System. It’s called the Intelligent Building Software Stack, or IBSS for short. It’s a SaaS platform that we use to support workplace management and enhance the overall building experience.
It includes features like digital signage, room booking, desk booking, colleague finder – all in a single app.

Interesting. We’ll take a closer look at your solutions in just a moment.
But let’s stay with the use cases and real-world projects for a bit longer. You’ve already talked about workplace management and introduced these two categories – people-centric and building-centric.
From your perspective, what are typical use cases when you look at the building itself?
There’s a wide range – workplace reservation, space optimization, indoor climate, air quality analysis, even CO₂ reporting.
Which specific use cases would you include under the building-centric label?

André

When we talk about building-centric solutions, we mean the classic building automation tasks – things like heating, cooling, air quality, and lighting. That also includes energy management. Because, as Sebastian mentioned, a building is ultimately a service – for tenants, owners, and users.
This service should be delivered in the best possible way – ideally with the lowest possible energy costs. At the same time, there are legal requirements that must be met. Energy and CO₂ consumption needs to be minimized, recorded, documented, and reported.
To do that, you need IoT systems that collect, store, and analyze the data. In Germany, we have the Building Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, or GEG), which makes such systems mandatory.
One major challenge for many companies – especially in commercial real estate – is finding the right balance: Many employees now work in a hybrid setup – sometimes at the office, sometimes from home.
This often leads to a reduction in office space. A typical example: A company has 3,000 employees, but only 1,500 desks. That requires flexible office structures. Employees need to be able to book a desk or meeting room in the morning, quickly and easily.
Another important use case is around meeting rooms. Companies want to evaluate how often these rooms are used, how many people attend, and whether the room climate was always optimal. If I find out, as a tenant or property owner, that a conference room designed for 20 people is consistently used by just four, I can reconsider how that space is being used – maybe split it into two smaller rooms.

Exactly. You just mentioned service – and before I forget: We’ve got an upcoming episode planned with your customer WISAG. That one’s in the works, and I find it really exciting.
If you haven’t subscribed to the podcast yet, now’s a good time! WISAG is Germany’s largest service provider for real estate, industry, and airports. But we’ll save that discussion for another time.
Do you have any concrete projects we can look at together? I love getting practical. Can we dive into a few examples you’ve implemented in this area?

André

Over the years, ICONICS has equipped more than 50,000 buildings with our software. Some of them are flagship projects – like the Pentagon, for instance.
If we look at Europe, and especially Germany, we’re talking about the Kranhäuser in Cologne, several airports, trade fair venues, hospitals, universities, and exhibition centers.
So there’s a wide range of reference projects where our classic software is used to cover the typical building-centric tasks.

Great. If we zoom in on one or two specific customers – do you have examples of common challenges they faced? What kinds of problems are your clients typically looking to solve?
Let’s take Düsseldorf Airport or Messe Köln, for instance – can you share any insights on their concrete challenges or use cases?

André

We can talk about almost anything – we just can’t always name our customers explicitly.
That’s due to data protection and confidentiality requirements.
A typical technical challenge with large, long-established properties is the heterogeneity of systems. Especially in existing buildings, you often find different systems and vendors that were added over the years. These systems need to be connected and integrated.
In the building sector, BACnet has now established itself as the communication standard – today in the BACnet SC version, i.e. Secure Communication, to provide additional security for communication.
These are the kinds of challenges we specialize in.

We offer a communication platform that allows us to harmonize all these systems and bring them onto a common level.

Got it. So it’s about technical integration: combining different building automation systems and managing heterogeneous infrastructure. That’s definitely a key challenge.

André

Exactly. In many cases, there are data silos and various isolated systems. One major goal is to enable smarter control in the future.
Take external weather data, for example. It can be retrieved from online services and integrated into the system. This way, setpoints can be adjusted in advance.
Heating and cooling systems have certain lead times – and when you know them, you can operate much more efficiently.

Why would that be relevant for something like a trade fair or exhibition center? What’s the value of integrating weather data there?

André

That’s actually crucial. Whether a hall needs to be heated or cooled depends heavily on the outside temperature – there’s a big difference between 5 and 25 degrees Celsius.
But it’s not just the temperature: the event itself has to be active. People are entering the hall – and from a control engineering perspective, people are considered disturbance variables. Doors are constantly opening and closing, and every person emits around 80 watts of body heat.
All of that has to be taken into account in the control model. It makes a big difference whether there’s an ongoing event or the hall is empty. If the space is unused, energy requirements are significantly lower.

[14:30] Challenges, potentials and status quo – This is what the use case looks like in practice

Do you have customers who actually define a clear business case – who say: “If we hit specific KPIs or goals, then this project was successful”? Do you have examples of that from your past projects?

Sebastian

Yes, absolutely – we work with very different types of customers, and each of them approaches the topic from their own perspective.
When it comes to traditional building-centric solutions, the situation is often a bit different. Due to the German Building Energy Act (GEG), these systems are now partially mandatory. At the same time, they offer very tangible potential for saving energy costs – not just in the short term, but over months and years.
Some of our customers, especially operators of large properties, have achieved energy savings in the millions over the past ten years using our software. And that’s just through increased visibility, visualization, and background automation.
One example: devices are switched off when not in use. Or the classic scenario – a meeting room is set to a comfortable 21°C, but both the heating and the AC are running at the same time. Our systems detect this and automatically turn one off to conserve resources. These small efficiencies add up over time. That’s one side of the story.
On the other hand, we have the people-centric approach, where completely different factors come into play.
Of course, energy savings are still a concern here – but efficiency becomes much more important. Because for most companies, energy costs aren’t the biggest factor – it’s their employees: their salaries and productivity.
One of our customers, for example, implemented our app and later evaluated it based on actual usage data. They found that they were able to cut costs in the millions – just by enabling employees to work more efficiently. Thanks to the app, they could use their access cards to find rooms faster, book desk types more easily, and navigate the workspace more efficiently. Search times went down, and overall operations improved. It may sound simple, but the impact was huge.
Another customer is located in a major city where rental costs are extremely high. They made a conscious decision to reduce office space – without sacrificing productivity.
Using our SaaS platform IBSS, they were able to utilize the available space much more efficiently – supporting the same number of employees in a smaller area. Just by reducing the amount of rented space, they saved significant costs.

Would you consider classic use cases like lighting or access control to be part of the people-centric category as well? Where does “people-centric” begin and end in your view?
After all, we’re talking about human users interacting with various manual processes. You already mentioned a few examples – but how exactly do you draw the line between these use cases?

Sebastian

I’d say there’s a fluid transition. The classic control of lighting, air conditioning and heating – for us, this is part of the building-centric area. But even in people-centric solutions, I want the room to adjust to my personal needs. And that’s where our strength lies: we operate in both domains and can connect them seamlessly.
That’s what makes our solution so unique. Not only can I configure my own comfort settings through the app, but thanks to BLE technology, the system also recognizes my location.
When I enter a hallway, the lights turn on automatically. And when no one is left in the area, they turn off again.

André

The transition happens exactly when I, as a user of a conference room, walk in and find the environment already set to my preferences – temperature, air quality, everything is just right.
I book the room, arrive at the scheduled time, and the blinds are already set to 50%, the temperature is a comfortable 21°C – just how I like it. That ensures my personal well-being for the meeting.
To add to the earlier point, I’d like to share a figure from the World Green Building Council:
90% of a company’s operational costs go toward personnel, 9% toward rent, and only 1% toward energy.
So where is the biggest potential for optimization? Clearly in the 90% – by creating an optimal environment that supports employee performance.
This way, we’re not only saving energy or reducing rental costs, but also improving productivity – because people feel more comfortable and can work more effectively.

Are there any best practices for improving productivity in older buildings too?
How can other customers benefit from that? In manufacturing, we often talk about greenfield projects – but with buildings, as you’ve said, things are often heterogeneous.
Do you have any examples of customers who said, “I have an older building, but I want to make it smarter and improve productivity”? What are some best practices here?

André

We see these kinds of challenges all the time – in fact, most of our deployments happen in existing buildings. Of course, it’s easier to implement in new constructions, but the real potential often lies in older properties.
One extreme example – not in the people-centric category, but still fascinating – is the museum of Pompeii. It’s the oldest building we’ve ever equipped with our technology.
There, you’re not allowed to open walls or install wiring. So we used sensors that were mounted with adhesive and transmit data via Bluetooth. The goal was to monitor humidity levels in order to prevent damage to the building structure or its environment.
Looking at today’s real-world examples: A major German PLC manufacturer outfitted its campus with our systems. We’re talking about several existing buildings, with over 1,000 employees working in office environments.
We were able to retroactively install sensors to monitor air quality and presence – wirelessly, and without major intervention.
That’s something modern sensor technology makes relatively simple and often completely non-invasive.

That’s a great example. I think many listeners are familiar with the challenge of heterogeneous infrastructure. You can’t just tear everything down and start from scratch.

[22:42] Solutions, offerings and services – A look at the technologies used

So how can IoT-based solutions be effectively integrated into existing industrial infrastructure – without disrupting ongoing operations?
Are there specific tools or approaches you’d recommend to extend legacy systems?
What does the process typically look like if a customer comes to you and says,
“This is my current infrastructure – here are my requirements”?
How do you approach data acquisition and sensor integration – for example, in a project like the Pompeii museum?

Sebastian

In principle, we see ourselves as an integration platform – and that’s a crucial point.
Our goal is to integrate into existing infrastructures, not to completely rebuild or overhaul them.
That’s why we developed our universal connectivity approach a few years ago.
This means we support a wide range of standardized protocols, which are available as connectors within our platform.
In the building domain, this often includes BACnet systems. We’re certified for this – including the newer, secure version BACnet SC, which André mentioned earlier.
We also support protocols like Modbus, OPC technologies, MQTT for IoT sensors, and IT-based interfaces such as REST APIs, web services, and database connections. Even cloud connectors are possible.
The idea is to access all relevant data sources, bring them into our platform, normalize them – since they usually come in different formats – and then make them available for various applications.
That could be energy management, operations, facility management, or – one level up – people-centric applications like room booking or room control.

Just to clarify: on the hardware side, you’re basically agnostic. So the customer could use adhesive sensors, classic BACnet systems, or other technologies – and you’d still integrate all of it into your system?
And is that done through the Genesis64 system you use? That’s your product, right – like a modular software platform that allows your customers to integrate exactly this kind of data? Is that right?

André

We actually use different systems. Genesis or Genesis64 is definitely the solution we use for the building-centric side. It lets us manage and control sensors, heating, cooling, and ventilation in the traditional way.
For the people-centric side, we use something different – our Intelligent Building Software Stack, or IBSS.
When it comes to connectivity, the approach is similar – but IBSS is a SaaS solution. That means it’s a ready-made, out-of-the-box product, comparable to an online banking portal.
When you log in, you see the same interface as other users – but customized to your company’s branding.
IBSS is an app-based solution that allows employees to move around the building, book rooms, or access services.
To make that work, we conduct an initial onboarding phase. That includes things like integrating floor plans and adjusting the app to match the customer’s corporate design. After that, we roll it out to the users.

Great.
For everyone listening who’s facing similar use cases or challenges – I’ll link André and Sebastian’s contact info in the show notes. Feel free to connect if you’re interested in the topic.
I’ll also include some info on Genesis64 and IBSS. IBSS stands for Intelligent Building Software Stack. Many customers are already using these solutions – so definitely check them out.
One follow-up question: You already mentioned the apps. That means I, as a customer, have the option to use these two products as an IoT platform – or, in other words, as middleware for IT/OT integration.
Based on that, I can also run the app. So what exactly do you offer on the software side to implement the use cases we’ve been talking about? What’s behind it?

Sebastian

On one side, we offer the app, which serves as an interface to the building and creates what we call the building experience.
Different modules can be integrated into it – for example, an Outlook integration, or connections to access control systems and security networks.
You can also integrate various IoT solutions – both from third parties and our own IoT components.
There are additional modules that extend the app.
One example is digital room signage, which shows when a room is booked or available. You can even make ad hoc bookings directly on the device.
Inside meeting rooms, you’ll often find a tablet or control panel, which can also be equipped with our solution.
We also offer so-called steles – interactive displays that are placed in the lobby or on floors, for example. They help with wayfinding and can also show social announcements that are synced with the app.
All of this is complemented by a fully web-based platform.
Through this platform, you can run various types of analysis.
For instance: When are rooms being booked? Which desks are the most in demand – the quiet ones in the back or the window seats?

Very cool. Is there something like an app store or a central overview where I can explore all of these features? It sounds like you have an entire ecosystem of ready-to-use solutions. Where can people read up on what’s available?

Sebastian

Yes, there’s definitely a lot of information available on our website. But you can also just reach out to us directly – we’re happy to explain everything in person.
The app itself is available in both the App Store and the Google Play Store.

[29:40] Transferability, scaling and next steps – Here’s how you can use this use case

As I mentioned at the beginning: Artificial intelligence is a major trend right now.
Are you already using anything concrete? Or are you currently developing AI functionalities that are already working in practice? I’d be especially interested in what’s already proven itself in real-world applications.

André

Yes, we have a very concrete roadmap in this area.
We receive strong support from our Mitsubishi Electric Research Lab in Cambridge, near Boston. Our highly skilled colleagues there are working intensively on AI algorithms – and some of them have already been developed.
These algorithms are gradually being integrated into our software products.
One of the first application areas is time-series analysis. That includes historical data processing, anomaly detection, and root cause analysis.
We’re also working on prediction features – forecasting future trends based on historical data. For example: how will energy consumption develop over the next one to five days, taking weather data into account?
These are very exciting developments that will soon be available.
Our roadmap also includes non-AI-related enhancements – such as integrating new locker systems or access control solutions.
A particularly interesting use case is the ability to “find colleagues” in open office environments. In modern workplaces, not everyone sits in the same spot every day – so the challenge is to find where someone is located.
It sounds simple, but technically it’s quite complex. We use technologies like Bluetooth or triangulation methods to determine a person’s location.
Another example: Employees have packages delivered to the office, but the delivery person doesn’t know where the recipient is sitting. That’s another small use case we plan to support in the future.

Super interesting.
Sebastian, anything to add – or would you say that already reflects your vision for the future?

Sebastian

I think André summed it up very well. I don’t really have anything to add.
A major topic going forward will certainly be anomaly detection – there’s a lot coming.
But also the user experience will continue to evolve – not just in terms of using our products, but the overall experience employees will have with their building.

Exciting – that already sounds like a follow-up episode in the making.
But first, we have the upcoming episode with WISAG, which I’m really looking forward to.
Thank you both for giving such practical insights today – not just about your Digital Workplace Solutions and smart building applications, but also about your customers’ real challenges.
This really gave a great overview of the breadth of your ecosystem, the kinds of clients you work with, and the solutions you provide.
I can only encourage listeners: definitely take a look – truly fascinating projects. And if you’re interested, feel free to reach out directly to Sebastian or André.
From my side: Thank you so much for being here today. I still have plenty more questions – but I’ll save them for next time.
The final word is yours, feel free to close us out.

André

Thanks so much, Madeleine, for the invitation and your time. It was a lot of fun. For more information, feel free to reach out directly to us.

Sebastian

Same from my side – thank you. It was a great exchange, and I’m looking forward to diving deeper into the topic with some of the listeners in the future.

Great. Wishing you a great rest of the week. Take care – bye!

Sebastian

Bye!

André

Bye!