Siemens & Microsoft boost building IoT data with open standards

Siemens Smart Infrastructure has entered into a collaboration with Microsoft to develop interoperability solutions between Siemens' digital building platform, Building X, and Microsoft Azure IoT Operations, aiming to improve how enterprise customers access and utilise Internet of Things (IoT) data in building management.

The agreement will allow assets such as heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, valves, and actuators to automatically onboard and monitor datapoints, including temperature, pressure, and indoor air quality, via cloud integration. Large customers from sectors such as commercial property management, data centres, and higher education facilities will benefit from enhanced operational data, which is expected to contribute to greater sustainability and more efficient management processes.

Open standards focus

The joint effort leverages established open standards for interoperability, specifically World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Thing Descriptions for metadata and interface description, and Open Platform Communications Unified Architecture (OPC UA) PubSub for secure cloud communication. Both Siemens and Microsoft are active members of the W3C and OPC Foundation, organisations that establish and develop these industry standards with a focus on accessibility, interoperability, privacy, and security in IoT environments.

By basing the integration on open frameworks, the interoperability between Siemens' and Microsoft's solutions will allow customers to connect hardware and software across different vendor ecosystems, reducing dependency on proprietary systems and supporting easier data exchange. Customers will have the ability to design their own IoT architectures, meeting unique operational and sustainability requirements without being tied to a single supplier.

Customer benefits and reduced integration effort

The improved interoperability is expected to reduce integration efforts by up to 80 percent according to Siemens, potentially resulting in optimised building operations. Customers will be enabled to develop specific use cases, such as energy consumption monitoring or space optimisation, using the data now made readily accessible through the integration.

"This collaboration with Microsoft reflects our shared vision of enabling customers to harness the full potential of IoT through open standards and interoperability. 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."

Siemens noted that providing one-click device onboarding to the cloud further streamlines the process for portfolio managers and building operators, offering the flexibility to connect diverse hardware and software components.

"Siemens shares Microsoft's focus on interoperability and open IoT standards. This collaboration is a significant step forward in making IoT data more actionable. Microsoft's strategy underscores our commitment to partnering with industry leaders to empower customers with greater choice and control over their IoT solutions."

Interoperability between Siemens' Building X and Microsoft Azure IoT Operations is scheduled to become commercially available in the second half of 2025.

Broader industry context

Building X is described as a platform designed to help customers digitalise and optimise their building operations, forming part of Siemens Xcelerator, which aims to accelerate digital transformation at scale through open business ecosystems.

The collaboration marks one of the first integrations of IoT data based purely on open standards offered by different providers. Both Siemens and Microsoft suggest this represents meaningful progress for the digital building industry, particularly in advancing smart infrastructure initiatives and aligning with global goals to enhance building sustainability and efficiency through digitisation.