The Future of Building Automation Starts with a Conversation
Could subscription-based services become the next major evolution in building automation? Stromquist is asking HVAC controls professionals to share their perspective.
Building automation has traditionally followed a familiar model: a system is designed, purchased, installed, and then supported through ongoing service and maintenance. As buildings become more connected, however, the industry is beginning to explore a different approach—System as a Service, or SYaaS.
Subscription-based services have transformed the software and IT industries. Now, building owners, contractors, system integrators, manufacturers, and service providers are beginning to ask whether a similar model could provide value in HVAC controls and building automation.
System as a Service could bring software, connectivity, monitoring, security, and lifecycle support together as one ongoing offering.
Why Is This Conversation Happening Now?
Today's building automation systems are expected to do much more than control equipment. Customers increasingly value remote access, cloud connectivity, actionable analytics, dependable backups, cybersecurity, mobile visibility, and software that continues to improve over time.
Those expectations raise an important question: should these capabilities be purchased and managed individually, or could they be delivered more effectively through an ongoing subscription or managed-service relationship?
System as a Service is an emerging model in which a customer subscribes to an ongoing building automation service rather than treating the BAS only as a one-time capital purchase.
What Could a SaaS Offering Include?
There is not yet one universal definition. Depending on the provider, platform, and customer, an offering could include some combination of the following:
Software Licensing
Access to current software, features, and platform improvements.
Cybersecurity
Security updates, monitoring, and support as risks continue to evolve.
Remote Connectivity
Secure access for service, troubleshooting, and customer visibility.
Analytics and Monitoring
Insights that help identify issues, trends, and optimization opportunities.
Backups and Updates
Routine backups and continuous software maintenance over the system's life.
Hardware Lifecycle Management
Planning for replacements, upgrades, compatibility, and long-term reliability.
The Opportunities—and the Questions
A service-based model may create meaningful benefits, but it also introduces concerns that the industry will need to address. Understanding both sides is essential before deciding where SYaaS fits.
Potential Advantages
- Lower or more predictable upfront costs.
- Consistent access to updates and support.
- Stronger cybersecurity practices over time.
- Improved remote service and troubleshooting.
- Better visibility into system health and performance.
- More proactive planning for hardware and software lifecycles.
Questions to Consider
- Will customers accept an ongoing subscription cost?
- How should data ownership and privacy be handled?
- Could the model create vendor or platform lock-in?
- How dependent would the service be on internet connectivity?
- Which capabilities create enough value to justify the cost?
- How would the model affect contractors, technicians, and sales teams?
Your Perspective Matters
The people designing, selling, installing, supporting, and maintaining building automation systems will play an important role in determining whether this model gains traction. They also hear firsthand what building owners value—and what may make customers hesitant.
Stromquist created a brief industry survey to better understand how HVAC controls professionals view System as a Service. We want to learn which services matter most, what concerns need to be addressed, how this approach could affect day-to-day roles, and whether professionals would feel comfortable recommending the model to customers.
There are no right or wrong answers. Whether you are enthusiastic about the idea, skeptical of it, or somewhere in between, your experience can help make the conversation more practical and useful.
Help Shape the Future of Building Automation
The survey takes approximately 3–5 minutes. Your feedback will help inform manufacturers, distributors, contractors, and service providers as they evaluate the future of subscription-based building automation.
Take the Survey75 Years of Helping Customers Navigate Change
Since 1951, Stromquist has helped customers move through every major evolution in building automation—from pneumatic controls and early DDC systems to BACnet, intelligent buildings, and cloud-connected platforms.
We do not claim to have every answer about System as a Service. We do believe that asking the right questions—and listening to the people doing the work—is an important first step toward understanding what comes next.