Siemens and Microsoft Partner to Simplify IoT for Smart Buildings with Open-Standard Platform

Siemens and Microsoft are integrating Siemens' Building X platform with Microsoft's Azure IoT Operations to simplify how building systems connect to the cloud and share data. This will allow large building owners to collect and use data from their facilities more easily, track energy use, and monitor air systems. The system supports open standards and one-click onboarding, giving users flexibility in building their IoT systems. The integrated system is expected to be available in the second half of 2025.

In a significant move towards streamlining building operations and enhancing sustainability, Siemens Smart Infrastructure has partnered with tech giant Microsoft to integrate Siemens’ digital building platform, Building X, with Microsoft Azure IoT Operations. This collaboration aims to simplify how building systems connect to the cloud and share data, providing large building owners with enhanced capabilities to collect and utilize data from their facilities more efficiently.

The integration between Building X and Azure IoT Operations will facilitate the automatic onboarding and monitoring of critical data points such as temperature, pressure, and indoor air quality. This data will be transferred to the cloud, enabling organizations to optimize operations and harness the potential of their IoT environments. The solution supports enterprise users in commercial buildings, data centers, and higher education facilities, allowing for the development of in-house use cases, including energy monitoring and space optimization.

One of the key benefits of this partnership is the use of open industry standards. Siemens and Microsoft are leveraging standards such as the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web of Things (WoT) and Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) to ensure interoperability. This approach allows for seamless integration of hardware and software components without relying on a single vendor ecosystem, providing users with greater flexibility in designing their IoT architecture.

Siemens Smart Infrastructure CEO Susanne Seitz highlighted the importance of this collaboration, stating, “The improved data access will provide portfolio managers with granular visibility into critical metrics such as energy efficiency and consumption. With IoT data often being siloed, this level of transparency is a game-changer for an industry seeking to optimize building operations and meet sustainability targets” [1].

The interoperability between Building X and Azure IoT Operations is expected to be available in the second half of 2025, marking a significant milestone in making IoT data more actionable for large enterprise customers. This initiative aligns with global sustainability efforts, as it enables building owners to track and reduce their energy use intensity (EUI), a critical metric for measuring energy efficiency [4].

Microsoft senior director and architect of corporate standards group Erich Barnstedt echoed the importance of this collaboration, stating, “Siemens shares Microsoft’s focus on interoperability and open IoT standards. This collaboration is a significant step forward in making IoT data more actionable” [1].

References:
[1] https://finance.yahoo.com/news/siemens-microsoft-join-forces-enhance-154602368.html
[2] https://www.engineering.com/siemens-microsoft-collaborate-on-building-iot-data-access/
[3] https://www.marketscreener.com/quote/stock/SAILPOINT-INC-182654032/news/SailPoint-Inc-Data-Access-Security-Achieves-FedRAMP-Authorization-Within-SailPoint-Identity-Securi-50458732/
[4] https://asuene.com/us/blog/what-is-energy-use-intensity-eui-understanding-its-importance-in-sustainability