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Building energy management systems (BEMSs) are increasing their foothold in the smart building marketplace. According to the Navigant Research Leaderboard Report: Building Energy Management Systems, “The role of buildings in driving long-term strategies around operating cost reduction and reducing carbon emissions has grown in past years due to major advances in energy management technology…[And] with the surge in demand for energy management technology, hundreds of companies have entered the BEMS market.”
As facility managers (fms) jump into the fray, they could find themselves overwhelmed by their choices. Should they look for vendors with a good reputation in terms of software offerings? Or do they select a provider based on value added services and products that optimize their buildings? Finding a suitable provider that can adapt its software and services to the needs of fms and their buildings is no simple task.
The following checklist, which is based on the evaluation criteria of the Navigant Research Leadership Report, provides a list of questions for fms to ask when shopping for the right BEMS fit for their facilities.
- Vision: Does the vendor have clearly stated goals in terms of providing a software platform with appropriate energy management solutions? Does that vision address the needs of both traditional markets and enterprise-level aspirations?
- Go-to-Market Strategy: What kind of strategy does the vendor have in terms of providing support to specific target markets? Does the vendor have a distinct vision that sets it apart from the rest? If so, what is it? (Don’t be afraid to ask for specifics!)
- Partnership Strategy: Is there a broad array of supporting partners to fill in any technology gaps that may exist either now or in the future? Has the vendor been proactive or reactive in terms of important acquisitions and partnerships?
- Technology & Solution Portfolio: How well integrated are the vendor’s hardware offerings? Can the vendor support value-added services like providing recommendations that produce tangible results?
- Geographic Coverage: Is the vendor prepared to support not just a multi-site enterprise, but could it handle the needs of the fm’s organization on a global scale?
To see how vendors compare, click this link to access the full report: Navigant Research Leaderboard Report: Building Energy Management Systems-Assessment of Strategy and Execution for 14 Building Energy Management System Vendors.