IBCON 2025: The Tech That Stood Out

Building Automation & Edge-to-Cloud Architecture

A core focus was the evolution from legacy control systems to IP-first, edge-and-cloud integrated building automation platforms. Sessions addressed topics like decentralized HVAC and lighting control leveraging cloud-backup, with reduced on-site hardware dependency.

A standout session—“BMS Edge With Cloud Architecture: The Last Frontier”—examined the balancing act of onsite processing and cloud analytics to enable scalability and resilience

AI & Digital Twins: The New Smart Backbone

AI integration was a hot topic throughout the conference—from strategy to deployment. The BuildingsAI Symposium and AI-focused sessions unpacked generative AI, agentic AI, and digital twins in CRE settings.
BrainBox AI’s ARIA platform demonstrated “agentic AI” in HVAC fault diagnosis: what typically takes 30–40 minutes was reduced to 5 seconds—helping facilities managers quickly identify comfort issues and optimize system performance.
Two standout sessions: “Smart Buildings, AI and Automation” and “From Bricks to Autonomous Buildings” explored how digital twins, remote diagnostics, and proactive energy management are now viable at scale.

Cloud Services & Multi-Cloud/Edge Strategies

Hybrid cloud models took center stage. As enterprises move to multi-cloud environments, discussions emphasized resilience—backup/failover, latency reduction, and IoT scalability.
Acuity and Distech’s booth was one of a few showing off their Atrius hybrid solution using ECY controllers paired to a cloud based system that can allow for site design, analytics and management.
A few companies were showcasing third party cloud options that can stretch integration into other sections of CRE’s business allowing for a single experience across more systems.
There were even some pre-conference boot camps and keynotes offered that covered cloud budgeting, forecasting, and enterprise application integration, alongside optimizing edge-to-cloud data flow in BAS and EMS systems.

Further supported by external research, cloud security is evolving significantly through AI for automated threat detection and edge analytics for real-time intrusion monitoring.

Cybersecurity: From OT to AI Enhanced Defense

Cybersecurity was extensively covered, especially concerning OT networks in office/security systems. The CRE Cybersecurity Forum tackled OT threats, CISA SCUBA, purple/red team tabletop exercises, and real-world breach case studies.

Tosibox also had a group on hand at their both to showcase secure data routing from OT to cloud platforms including Niagara, Kode Labs, and SkySpark, enabling remote facility management and tighter undercover protection.

DC power: The future of Commercial buildings?

Another topic popping up with more coverage this year was DC power in commercial buildings. HITT construction and Sinclair Hotels both dug into the challenges they faced and solutions they used when constructing key properties to use DC power.

The Sinclair Hotel in Fort Worth uses DC power and POE for lighting, heating and cooling while HITT’s new headquarters is using various methods in the building including Solar and DC power though POE to be net-zero energy and to hit net-zero carbon goals.
Progress in DC voltage technology can now allow smaller gauge wire to carry higher wattage over longer distances to power devices while technology improvements to DC to DC converters allows them to be up to 95% efficient.

IBCON 2025 made it clear—commercial real estate and building automation are rapidly evolving. From edge-to-cloud strategies and agentic AI to secure, scalable cloud solutions and DC-powered infrastructure, the industry is shifting toward smarter, more connected environments.

As these technologies mature, integrators, facility managers, and decision-makers alike have an opportunity to lead the charge in creating resilient, efficient, and future-ready buildings. The future isn't coming—it's already being built.