Plenty of interaction between IE and GA during network meeting

The first network meeting Interaction between Branches, held on June 12 at FHI in Leusden, delved into the theme Internet of Things (IoT). FHI members from the Building Automation and Industrial Electronics branches were involved.

The initiative for a cross-pollination between the two branches originated from the board. By sharing knowledge between GA and IE members, companies can strengthen their position in a turbulent technological world. And by choosing a format in which discussions were chosen instead of lectures, a dynamic afternoon was created.

By creating small groups at the network meeting, each participant was given the opportunity to provide input. The lively discussions provided new insights into emerging technology such as IoT. But also the topics of data, cyber security, connectivity and conceptual thinking in the development of a new building were discussed.

Find connection

The introductory conversation already addressed the issue of connecting the customer's wishes with the end user's wishes. In addition, a picture emerged of a software-dominated market, in which hardware will play a subordinate role.

As more libraries and public knowledge become available, it becomes easier to get started with software for IoT issues. In addition, attendees noted the trend that software services are increasingly available as a service, instead of separate packages that are purchased once.

There is a problem with proprietary software. These closed solutions can be a brake on the rapid development of new products and services. Another problem is vendor lock-in: data is not freely available, which means that a party is tied to a specific customer. Legacy products also have a disruptive effect. Standardized software and gateways can solve that problem, it was said.

Owner of data

With the rise of IoT technology, the question of who owns certain types of data arises. Privacy issues and GDPR legislation in particular complicate the matter. The Facebook scandal served as an almost self-evident current example.

In a number of parallel sessions, sub-themes were discussed. For example, in the 'data' session it emerged that IoT was seen by the members as a disruptor is seen, especially for companies active in the SME sector. Amazon, with a successful cloud platform, served as an example.

Another question that arises is whether a provider stores data locally on its own server or with a cloud service. The proposal was also made to establish guidelines within the sectors for the collection and storage of data.

Multidisciplinary teams

The conceptual thinking session provided additional and interesting insights. The market is still leading in developing new concepts based on IoT technology. In order to accelerate the development of smart buildings, the members advocate setting up multidisciplinary teams more often with at least one experienced IT person on board.

The members also discussed the great importance of cybersecurity. It was emphasized that members should not only look at the price and should also ask themselves whether start-ups can provide reliable services in the long term. Security should also be part of Breaam certification.

Many conclusions

In conclusion, visitors stated that the networking event was a useful way to share knowledge and insights on complex and cross-industry topics such as IoT.

The general opinion was that the members want to be closer to the end customer and that further cooperation within the chain is a must. This also needs to be broader: more consultation can take place with branches in the chain column, such as installers and engineers. The idea also arose to organize a day at the Provincial House as a branch.

FHI will organize more networking events in the near future to increase the interaction between the different sectors. We will keep you informed.