Hardware Podcasts

Why the Smart Building Market Needs Disruption | Kontakt.io's Robert Kowalik

IoT For All Podcast · 19 Apr 2022 · 25m

What this episode covers

Robert Kowalik, VP of Enterprise Sales at Kontakt.io, explains why the smart building market needs disruption, citing that up to 70% of office space is often empty despite tenant complaints. He details Kontakt.io's '3 layers of space intelligence': spatial awareness (occupancy), environmental awareness (health/air quality), and object awareness (asset tracking). Kowalik argues that the shift from proprietary systems to open BLE standards allows for rapid, low-cost deployment without professional services, enabling companies to optimize space utilization and improve the human experience in post-pandemic workplaces.

Most relevant to

companies scaling up

Topics

Mentioned

Companies
Kontakt.io, CBRE, Microsoft, Honeywell, Cisco, Maraki
Also
BLE, UWB, Zigbee, LoRa

Related episodes from other shows

Other shows on the same ground, closest first.

  • Over the Air · 24m

    Smart Buildings, Global Impact with Arie Barendrecht, Founder of WiredScore

    Arie Barendrecht, Founder and CEO of WiredScore, explains how his company defines and certifies 'smart buildings' through its Smart Score framework, addressing the lack of industry standards for connected infrastructure. He discusses the challenges of selling IoT solutions to the slow-moving commercial real estate sector, emphasizing the need to demonstrate clear ROI to diverse stakeholders like property managers and asset managers. Barendrecht highlights WiredScore's role in creating a common language for building technology, citing partnerships with cities like New York and London to drive adoption and credibility.

    Connected products & IoTRetail, wholesale & distribution
    6 chapters

  • Over the Air · 34m

    The Human-Centric Tech Revolution: Reimagining Indoor Environments With Bubblynet

    Fabio Zanaboni, founder and chief vision officer at BubblyNet, explains how the company evolved from controlling LED lighting on luxury yachts to building an IoT platform for intelligent indoor environments using Bluetooth Mesh. He details the hardware architecture, which includes small cylindrical sensors with Nordic chips, and the software stack that processes data at the edge and gateway levels to optimize building performance. Zanaboni discusses the critical role of open standards like Bluetooth Mesh versus proprietary protocols, highlighting interoperability challenges with legacy systems like BACnet. The conversation covers specific applications in hospitality, education, and offices, focusing on how environmental factors like CO2 levels and lighting spectra impact human well-being, productivity, and energy sustainability.

    Wireless & RFConnected products & IoT
    8 chapters

  • Over the Air · 38m

    The Biotech Revolution: How Technology is Transforming Smart Buildings with Vijay Sankaran, Chief Technology Officer at Johnson Controls

    Vijay Sankaran, Chief Technology Officer at Johnson Controls, discusses the company's transformation from an industrial equipment manufacturer to a digital industrial company focused on smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings. He details the integration of secure intelligent edge hardware, digital twins, and AI to decarbonize buildings, citing acquisitions of Foghorn and Tempero Networks. Sankaran explains how Johnson Controls uses AI for predictive maintenance and space optimization, aiming to make smart building technology accessible to schools and small hospitals, not just large corporations.

    Connected products & IoTAI & machine learning
    8 chapters

  • Over the Air · 39m

    Making Smart Buildings a Reality with AI Computing with Stefan Schwab of Enlighted

    Stefan Schwab, CEO of Enlighted (a Siemens company formed by merging Enlighted and Comfy), discusses the evolution of smart buildings from simple energy-saving devices to people-centric, AI-driven ecosystems. He explains how combining sensor data with Siemens' HVAC systems enables productivity and CO2 reduction, while highlighting the shift toward edge computing to address data privacy concerns. Schwab also explores the challenges of hybrid work, noting that hardware innovation suffers without in-person collaboration, and mentions partners like Brightly and Mendix.

    AI & machine learningSensors & measurement in products
    9 chapters

  • Over the Air · 31m

    Breaking IoT Connectivity Barriers with Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect

    Chris Baird, CEO of OptConnect, discusses the evolution of IoT connectivity from early copper lines and Wi-Fi to modern cellular solutions for unattended devices like vending machines and kiosks. He details OptConnect's strategic pivot to private networks following the Heartbleed vulnerability and their current focus on 'Max Aware,' a hardware platform that enables edge instrumentation and anomaly detection for customers deploying at scale. Baird also highlights the growing IoT ecosystem in Utah, citing companies like Traeger and Monit as examples of successful connected product innovation.

    Connected products & IoTScaling production
    8 chapters

The summary, chapters and topics are generated from the episode’s audio by this directory, not written by IoT For All Podcast. The episode itself belongs to its publisher.