Buyers Tower

Explore the best in smart building solutions

Welcome to the new Buyers Tower! With thousands of companies selling to the smart building industry, it can be overwhelming and confusing to find the right fit. Here you’ll find the industry’s top technology vendors and service providers, vetted by Nexus Labs. Take a look around and check back as we add more partners and publish category deep dives.

Show Me Around

Market Transformers

HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Market transformation partners are working on permanently changing the business cycle by aligning incentives. These partners focus on policy development, R&D, education, outreach, financial incentives, technical assistance, and network-building.

Venture Capital

Know a company that would be a good fit here? Let us know.
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Institutional venture capital firms raise funds from investors and deploy them into startups that create innovative new technologies. Our VC partners are dedicated to the smart buildings space and are invested (literally) in getting across the chasm.

Workforce Builders

Workforce Builders
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Talent and labor shortages will prevent the industry’s transition to decarbonized and digitized buildings–unless the workforce builders have something to say about it.

Certifications & Rating Systems

Know a company that would be a good fit here? Let us know.
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Buyers use standardized certifications and rating systems to assess and score buildings on their intelligence, sustainability, and occupant experience. Then, buyers can track progress over time, compare buildings to each other, and prioritize investments when funds are limited.

Grid & Market Connectors

HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Buildings will interact with the electric grid and third-party markets to capture the value of their demand flexibility and carbon emissions reductions. The sellers in this category are the aggregators, virtual power plants, and marketplaces that facilitate these transactions.

The Vital Roles

CX Agent
Network Manager
Smart Building CT
MSI
Decarb Consultant
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

We talk a lot about the flashy new technology required for smart buildings. But we must always remember that when we're changing how things are done, people make it happen. Buyers recognize the importance of specialist roles—either on their staff or outsourced as members of their team of service providers. The Vital Roles are the service providers that buyers can’t do without.

Application Layer

FDD
FDD
Asset Management
Carbon Accounting
Supervisory Control
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

Applications sit on top of the data layer and provide outcomes to users through mobile apps, web apps, or process-based applications. Buyers need persona-specific, contextually integrated applications that are designed around digitizing and automating human workflows.

Data Layer

Independent Data Layer
Independent Data Layer
Independent Data Layer
Ontology
Data Layer, coupled with Applications
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

The data layer sits on top of the device and network layers as the data infrastructure for any smart building software application. The applications need an ontology to understand all the data they're consuming, including all the underlying devices and how they fit together into a system of systems.

Network Layer

HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

To enable smart building technology, we need to allow remote access for administration, get data to the cloud, allow communication from the cloud to the device layer, and allow communication from device to device. The network layer should be converged, monitored, maintained, and have redundancy.

Device Layer

HVAC
Lighting
Access
Occupancy
IAQ
HVAC
IAQ
CX Agent
MSI

The Device Layer is where the digital meets the physical world. It’s where the digital device controllers live—each with their own unique inputs, outputs, and life safety functions. Our devices have immense teamwork potential, but they often sit in silos.

Want to join as a partner?

Apply for a spot and get in at the ground floor
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Watch our latest Buyer's Guide webinar

Browse the industry's latest happenings

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
ā­ļø Pro Article
3
min read

Jamestown’s Approach to the Innovative Building

Natalie Patton

Carrie Denning Jackson gives the Nexus Pro Community a candid run-down of all her efforts across the forward-thinking organization.

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
ā­ļø Pro Article
4
min read

August 2023 Member Digest [Nexus Pro]

James Dice

Welcome to the Nexus Pro member digest… a collection of recent highlights you shouldn’t miss. These digests are designed to save you time and allow you to catch up on the whole month. Then you can dive deeper wherever you’d like.

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
ā­ļø Pro Article
3
min read

The IoT Sensor Debate: Should Sensors Have Recurring Fees?

Natalie Patton

The August Pro member gathering doubled as Nexus Labs' second debate. See how Liam Bates, Tom Balme and David Sciarrino argued for and against recurring fees for IoT sensors.

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
ā­ļø Pro Article
15
min read

SME Workshop: The ROI of a Smart Building Solution

ā€œThe most effective form of return on investment (ROI) that is tangible and measurable is operational expenditure (Opex) savingsā€

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
151
ā­ļø Pro Article
27
min read

šŸŽ§ #151: What we do @ Nexus Labs

Episode 151 dives into what James and Rosy do at Nexus Labs beyond the podcast. From the pro membership community, to the courses platform, partnerships, and the marketplace, this episode brings you up to speed on all things Nexus Labs.

šŸŽ§
šŸ“£
ā­ļø Pro Article
10
min read

SME Workshop: Edge Cloud (Fog) Computing in Buildings

Danielle Radden

Edge cloud has the promise of both the benefits of full cloud, and all the benefits of staying on-premise. This is the middle ground—that Goldilocks sweet spot of not too big, not too small. Not too flat, not too on-prem.Ā ā€

Get the renowned Nexus Newsletter

Access the Nexus Community

Head over to Nexus Connect and see what’s new in the community. Don’t forget to check out the latest member-only events.

Go to Nexus Connect

Upgrade to Nexus Pro

Join Nexus Pro and get full access including invite-only member gatherings, access to the community chatroom Nexus Connect, networking opportunities, and deep dive essays.

Sign Up