A Building Management System (BMS) or Building Automation and Control System (BACS) is a system that manages and monitors all building systems, including the electrical system, HVAC system, renewable energy production, and electricity and gas meters.
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Learn moreA Building Management System (BMS) or Building Automation and Control System (BACS) is a system that manages and monitors all building systems, including the electrical system, HVAC system, renewable energy production, and electricity and gas meters.
More recently, integrated building management systems (iBMS) have emerged. Like a BMS, they centralise all building systems, but extend this integration to the entire building environment. Therefore, they also include access control, video surveillance and fire prevention systems, among others.
By centralising all systems, both a BMS and an iBMS create a single point of control for the entire building. Most new commercial buildings now include a building automation and control system (BACS) as standard, and from 2025 onwards it became mandatory across the European Union under the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive.
By 2025, BACS systems will become mandatory throughout the European Union. In the UK it is currently no requirement, although the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government recommends them for buildings whose effective output is over 290 kW.
Typically, integrated building management systems (iBMS) or building automation systems (BAS) break down into 5 components that interact with each other and form the "system".
The first component is the information collection points. These can be sensors that measure the humidity, temperature, light, and occupancy of the room; fire or carbon monoxide detectors; or energy meters.
This information is transmitted to the "controllers" - the brains of the operation. Depending on the information they receive, they send commands to all the systems that are connected, such as the HVAC system, lamps, air purifiers, etc. Then the "output devices"; carry out the commands.
Communication between components uses specific protocols such as BACnet. A central dashboard then gives operators and managers real-time access to system data, allowing manual adjustments and performance monitoring without leaving their desk.
HVAC. Thanks to IoT sensors, HVAC settings can be automatically adjusted to save energy and provide maximum comfort.
Lighting control. The system automates lighting based on occupancy and daylight levels, reducing electricity use without affecting occupant comfort.
Air purification. The system controls ventilation based on measurements, which is more efficient than human control.
The correct use of a BMS reduces energy consumption by up to 30%, according to the "Building Management System Market Forecast". Beyond energy efficiency gains, building automation cuts preventive maintenance costs significantly. While the upfront cost remains high, the investment is recouped in just 3-8 years.
However, reducing energy consumption and expenditure are not the only benefits of using a building management system. Building management technology also allows for an increase in occupant comfort, lower carbon footprint, and increased technical efficiency.
Energy savings: A building without a building management system uses 10-30% more energy than a similar building with a BMS.
Improved comfort: Building management automation allows better control of room temperature and other air quality indicators in real time.
Facilities management: Centralising all information allows assets to be better managed and monitored, which reduces reactive maintenance.
Environmental impact: Smart buildings are more sustainable and more efficient than conventional buildings. This reduces your company's environmental impact.
Energy monitoring: Real-time energy monitoring dashboards allow managers to identify consumption spikes, benchmark performance across sites, and target waste reduction at the source.
A BMS allows facility managers to understand where and how they are wasting energy. A BMS helps extend the life of assets, which improves ROI for owners. For highly complex buildings, such as hospitals or refineries, a BMS promotes optimal working conditions and offers improved safety.
The terms "Building Management System" and "Building Management Software" are often used interchangeably, but they are not exactly the same thing. A building management system is, as we saw, a computer-based control system installed in buildings that manages and monitors various building systems such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and security systems.
On the other hand, building management software is the software component of the BMS that provides the user interface for monitoring and controlling the building systems. BMS software typically includes features such as data visualisation, reporting, scheduling, and alarms.
Therefore, the BMS is the entire system that includes the hardware and software components, while the BMS software is only a part of the BMS that provides the user interface for managing and controlling the building systems. So, they are not the same, but they are related to each other.
📝 You may also like: 10 best building maintenance software
The technical aspects of building management include:
Fire systems
Electronics
Lifts
Heating
HVACs
IoT sensors
Motion sensors and security
Other machinery and equipment
IoT-enabled devices feed data into building management software, supporting condition monitoring, fault detection, and reactive maintenance scheduling from a single interface.
Specifically, predictive and preventive maintenance requires timely data, which next-gen building management software delivers. We can categorise these functions as “hard facility management.”
Then, we have “soft facility management,” which combines elements of the building’s ‘front end’, like landscaping, cleaning, etc.
It’s a lot to consider – which is why holistic platforms like Infraspeak combine all aspects of building management into a single collaborative platform.
Building Management System is designed to automate and streamline maintenance, energy usage, security, and asset management.
Implementing BMS improves the overall efficiency and effectiveness of buildings and their assets.
For example, Fernando Martins Ltd. used the Infraspeak platform to streamline operations across 7000 assets and 674 buildings, unlocking a competitive edge which helped them forge better client relationships.
Meeting high demands for safety requires centralised management. For high-risk facilities such as hospitals, refineries, and manufacturing plants, a BMS integrates fire safety systems, access control, and surveillance into a single platform. Maintaining activity logs is a legal requirement in many sectors. Building managers can respond to emergencies faster, with real-time alerts from fire detectors, access readers, and security systems feeding directly into the management dashboard.
Energy reduction in the commercial buildings sector is a top priority. Building Management Software reduces energy usage and costs by automating control of HVACs, lights, etc.
Analyse your data from centralised dashboards and make informed decisions to improve efficiency.
Automation is an effective method of improving energy efficiency. For instance, by automating control of assets like HVACs, BMS helps cut energy consumption by 10 to 30%.
Building Management Software enables the creation of accurate and detailed reports on your facility's operations.
Automating administrative tasks saves a lot of time – Infraspeak client AvacPiquet saved 8 hours of maintenance and asset management admin a week after implementing our solutions.
By tracking and analysing data, managers can identify areas for improvement and make informed decisions about their facility's maintenance and operations.
Maintenance automation is central to the building management process.
For instance, predictive maintenance is proven to reduce maintenance costs by 18 to 25% and extends asset lifetime by some 20%. BMS reduces reactive maintenance and enables modern predictive and preventive maintenance scheduling.
There are various types of building management software, each designed for specific tasks or operations. Some of the most common types are:
A CMMS is designed to manage and schedule maintenance activities, track inventory, and monitor work orders.
It’s focused on centralising maintenance data across physical equipment, machinery, communications, infrastructures, and other technical assets.
Smart buildings rely on intelligent systems to anticipate maintenance needs. Our guide on how intelligent buildings are changing facility management explains the broader shift toward connected, proactive building operations.
A BAS is a software and hardware system that monitors a building's mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems. It comprises energy metres, IoT sensors, fire alarms, and carbon monoxide detectors. Sensors feed real-time data to a centralised dashboard, where operators can analyse conditions and issue control commands.
An EMS manages and optimises a building's energy usage by tracking consumption, identifying wastage, and automating energy-saving measures.
For example, the software could shut off lights, HVAC units and heaters when no one is present in a room or building to save energy.
Building and facilities management has become increasingly complex, ushering forth holistic tools that handle multiple challenges from one centralised platform. Disjointed systems won't survive, and today's facilities operations must be collaborative.
To keep up with today’s demands, facilies managers need a system that breaks down silos and connects every process, asset and person — from internal teams to contractors to building users — enabling their entire operation working as one.
Infraspeak is built with the future of building maintenance in mind, going beyond compartmentalised software systems to offer the all-in-one solution building managers need.
Our facilities management software differentiates from the competition by combining the practical functions of a BMS with intelligent insights and analysis. Intuitive dashboards enable managers to view their data with minimal friction or hassle.
We're ready for the future of building management and maintenance. Facility managers looking to close the gap between a traditional BMS and a modern, collaborative maintenance platform can schedule a free product tour with one of our specialists today.
For teams evaluating dedicated building maintenance software alongside a BMS, our roundup of the 10 best building maintenance software covers the leading platforms.
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