Digital Transformation at ISE 2025
Nu Xform SMaRT Building Consultants joined fellow subject experts at the Smart Building Summit at ISE 2025 in Barcelona. As a hub for innovation, thought leadership, and progress in the smart building sector, the event reported on the integration of IT and operational technologies and covered topics such as the impact of sustainability and climate.
Kevin Brownell, director of Nu Xform, joined Dan Drogman Founder & CEO of Smart Spaces, Tomas Mac Eoin CEO of Hereworks and Conor Cleary of NDY Ireland for a panel discussion on 'How to Operationalise Smart Buildings: Lessons Learned & Best Practices'.
Breaking Down Silos in Smart Building Projects
During the panel, Kevin discussed one of the most pressing challenges in the smart building sector. Explaining the irony of working on technology that’s designed to break down silos, while often dealing with clients and stakeholders who are operating within siloed frameworks themselves.
Kevin also highlighted how critical early engagement is for project success. “The people who will ultimately run the building need to be involved right from the start. Involving everyone early to optimise the process is important to avoid situations where a team arrives at a building they don’t know how to manage,” he shared. “It’s not just about the tech, but about relationships. At Nu Xform, we often find ourselves playing the role of “relationship managers.” Our work as consultants is about bringing project teams and future building managers together on the same page.
Re-thinking Project Completion
Kevin also emphasised that the work doesn’t stop on completion of a building or workspace.
When the keys are handed over, that’s not the finish line. It’s really just the beginning. RIBA Stage 7 (in-use operations) is where the magic starts for SMaRT buildings to truly thrive. Ongoing optimisation and support are essential in ensuring the systems aren’t just functional, but optimised for long-term success and ROI.
Redefining The Role of the Master Systems Integrator (MSI)
NuXform consultant Aleksandra Dasala, also participated in the Summit, joining fellow members of the Digital Building Council for a panel discussion titled ‘Redefining Master Systems Integration’.
Speakers included John Clarke Operations Director of One Sightsolutions, Sam Norledge Head of Smart Buildings at LMG, Daniel Watson UK Director of Hereworks, and Sam Farrant Smart Workplace Director of Smart Spaces.
They debated the evolving role of Master System Integrators (MSIs) and shared common challenges, such as the potential for overlapping specialisms to create confusion and scope for clearer definition of roles and a more collaborative approach to project delivery.
Several key actions arose in the discussion. These included a need to educate the market on SMaRT building technologies and processes. The development of standards for SMaRT building data to enable AI implementation. Engagement of MSIs as early as possible in the design process. Implementation of benchmarking and pilot projects to demonstrate capabilities. And the value of continuous engagement of the MSI beyond practical completion.
A summary of the panel discussion by Justin Kirby, Executive Officer of the Digital Building Council can also be found here on LinkedIn.
Collaboration
At NuXform, we believe events like ISE aren’t just about sharing expertise. They’re about building relationships and sparking change in the way we plan, build, and operate the spaces around us. We’re honored to be part of this forward-thinking community and we’ll continue to get involved in conversation and debate.
Were you at ISE 2025? We’d love to hear your thoughts on some of the topics covered in this year’s Smart Building Summit and to chat about the discussions that caught your attention. Perhaps you’re looking to progress a smart building project? It would be great to hear from you.
Contact hello@nuxform.com