Modernization of Legacy Building Management Systems to Meet Future Requirements in Industrial Companies

Abstract:
The modernization of legacy Building Management Systems (BMS) is essential for industrial companies facing rising cybersecurity risks and operational costs. This study identifies the challenges facility management teams encounter when running, maintaining and upgrading outdated proprietary systems to ensure uninterrupted production, reduce energy con-sumption, and meet sustainability goals. A comprehensive analysis of 20 BMS providers was conducted, and a GAP analysis was applied to 11 of these providers. This GAP analysis revealed significant deficiencies in the range of fulfil-ment of verified norms and standards, interface permissions, interaction with external systems, and cloud-based, AI-driven analytics capabilities. The analysis, incorporating input from industry experts, expertise and experience from fa-cility management staff, led to the development of adaptation proposals aimed at bridging the gap between current BMS functionalities and future requirements. Key recommendations include enhancing integration capabilities for third-party modules by adopting a manufacturer-independent T-Bone architecture to enable a flexible implementation, changeability and reusability of non-proprietary function modules. In order to address the challenge of closing security gaps, various systems security measures have been considered and explained. These include the adaptation, clustering, and encapsula-tion of field devices such as sensors and programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Additionally, the isolation of connections between the individual functional modules of the field technology and the BMS and between the functional modules themselves is being examined. These measures aim to appropriately limit access rights and data transfer, while isolating potential compromises. To implement these strategies, containerization and virtualization using VM are utilized. Further-more, the transition from hardware devices to software applications, such as software PLCs and visual PLCs, represents another measure to enhance flexibility and longevity. The T-Bone architecture facilitates the seamless integration of diverse functional modules through standardized APIs, while containerization and virtual machines reinforce security against potential threats. The transition to soft PLCs promises further adaptability and efficiency. Ultimately, this modernization approach is crucial for strengthening the company's competitive position for the enterprises that implement the BMS as well as for those that develop and market it.