In our latest Spotlight Interview we spoke to Jonas Schmid, Co-CEO & VP Sales at akenza.io. Jonas sheds light on how akenza aids the process of locating and managing assets, making use of modern technology like digital twins and integrating into legacy systems and assets in older buildings. “The Smart Building market is highly fragmented, and companies often struggle with proprietary vertical solutions and complex integrations; we allow for a much more agnostic ecosystem approach based on different off-the-shelf technologies. By simplifying the data collection, akenza enables real estate firms to build smarter, more efficient, and sustainable buildings with ease.”

Q1- What inspired the development of Akenza’s IOT solution and what are some of the common challenges real estate companies face that Akenza’s platform is designed to solve?

We provide an enterprise-grade, low-code platform that serves a robust IoT technical foundation for many different smart building use cases. The Smart Building market is highly fragmented, and companies often struggle with proprietary vertical solutions and complex integrations; we allow for a much more agnostic ecosystem approach based on different off-the-shelf technologies. By simplifying the data collection, akenza enables real estate firms to build smarter, more efficient, and sustainable buildings with ease.

Q2- How does Akenza help in reducing the time and cost associated with locating and managing assets across large or multiple properties?

Akenza simplifies asset management across multiple properties by providing a centralized platform that allows for building data management at scale. Through its rule engine and notification services, building operators can automate monitoring and receive real-time updates, ensuring they remain closely connected to their facilities.

Q3- Can you briefly tell us how Akenza is integrating modern technologies such as Digital Twins into their IOT solutions and a few advantages of IOT driven digital twins?

Our 3D floorplan component brings new interaction possibilities with building data, transforming static numbers into dynamic 3D representations directly within the customer’s dashboard. With these 3D floorplans, customers can navigate their IoT data directly in their building twin. Various visualizations are supported: desk and room occupancy, indoor air quality heatmaps, real-time and historical sensor values, and more.

Q4 -How does Akenza support the integration of your IoT platform with legacy systems and assets in older buildings?

Our IoT platform follows a technology-agnostic approach. We continuously add new integrations and input connectors to ensure compatibility with a wide range of technologies. For existing BMS systems, akenza uses a Niagara Connector that facilitates communication via various protocols such as KNX, CAN, BACnet, M-BUS, LonWorks, and Modbus.

Q5- Looking ahead, as Akenza continues to grow, how is the platform positioned to address the changing real estate market and its needs?

We remain committed to enhancing our technology-agnostic approach, allowing us to seamlessly integrate with both emerging and legacy systems. Our focus on scalability and flexibility ensures that as the market demands more advanced smart building solutions, akenza can support the increasing complexity and scale of IoT deployments.

By continuously updating our platform with the latest technologies and integrations, akenza is well-equipped to help real estate companies navigate the challenges of a dynamic market, enabling them to build smarter, more sustainable, and more efficient buildings for the future.