Why are we Still Using 30-Year-Old Tech to Run Our Buildings?

If you’ve been in the smart buildings industry for a while, you’ve seen every buzzword under the sun. “IoT-enabled.” “AI-powered.” “Smart monitoring.”

But here's the question no one's asking:

Why do most buildings still run on tech designed decades ago?

It's not cost. Solutions like BrainBox AIor facil.aior our own 75Fhave proven that AI-driven energy savings are real, delivering measurable results in hundreds of buildings now.

It's not complexity. Wireless, plug-and-play systems mean that installing advanced controls is easier than ever—without ripping out walls or overhauling legacy infrastructure.

It's not data access. Cloud dashboards, real-time insights, and APIs are standard. The data is there.

So what is it?

It’s a mindset. The belief that slapping a new sensor or dashboard onto an old system is "good enough." That “upgrading” means adding risks, when in well planned and executed projects it most often means removing them.

But underneath the fancy dashboards and cloud overlays, most systems are still running on the same old infrastructure.

Seriously — walk into a commercial building today, and odds are, you'll find the same hardwired control panels, local servers, and clunky interfaces that have been around since the ‘90s. Sure, they’ve been updated. Maybe there’s a fancy new dashboard. Maybe an IoT sensor got slapped on top. But underneath? It's the same old system.

You know what else is almost 30 year old tech? Flip phones.

Most buildings work about as well as a 1G phone: Durable and completely adequate for the analog world they were designed for 30 years ago but not connected, flexible, or easy to upgradeto the capabilities of a modern iPhone.

The building automation industry has been stuck in a cycle of patching old systems like flip phones instead of upgrading to a platform capable of delivering performance.

I was talking to a frustrated facilities manager at a large office building recently, and he summed it up perfectly:

"I feel like I'm running a building from 1995. We spend hours every week just fighting with our BMS—and even when it ‘works,’ we still don’t have real-time control."

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone.

Here's the truth:

• Most “smart” building tech today is just an add-on to outdated BMS systems.

• True optimization—where the system actually makes smart decisions in real-time—is still rare.

• Upgrades are expensive, integrations are painful, and most systems are still stuck in the past.

It’s time for a real generational shift in building automation.

But first, I want to summarize where we’ve been, where we are, and where it's clear we’re headed using the loose framework of "generations"to help understand what makes building automation different and what trade-offs might be.

The 5 Generations of Building Automation

Just like AI, fighter jets, or cell phones, each generation of building automation has brought big shifts in capability.

And just like those other technologies, the costs and complexity of a generational upgrade vs jumping ahead with a multi-generational upgrade can be very similar.

It’s like trying to modernize my Motorola flip phone from the mid 90's—first by adding a camera, then hardwiring a touchscreen, then adding on internet access. Each addition costs more and adds complexity. But just switching to a modern smartphone gives you all the features, better performance, and none of the costs or hassle.

So what are the generations of a building?

Walk with me.

Gen 0: No HVAC Controls (The "Fan and Window" Era)

• In most emerging economies like my native India and far too many light commercial buildings here at home in the US, the upgrade from fans to uncontrolled HVAC systems is still the first upgrade.

• Low complexity and high efficiency. Comfort is left to chance.

Gen 1: Pneumatic & Mechanical Controls (The "Set it and Forget it" Era)

• Basic manual control over temperature and ventilation.

• No automation, no remote access, no optimization.

• If a space gets too hot or cold, someone has to physically adjust it.

• Like using a 1G flip phone in a 5G era, but totally adequate if you keep up with maintenance and don't need any features (energy savings, air quality, alerting etc).

Gen 2: Early Digital Controls (The "Vendor Lock-In" Era)

• Direct Digital Controls (DDC) allow for programming and automation.

• First step toward centralized building management.

• Each manufacturer had their own proprietary system—no interoperability.

• Upgrades were expensive, and facilities teams were locked into single-vendor ecosystems.

• Like upgrading to digital SMS texting, plus sending pictures, emojis etc still beloved today.

Gen 3: Proprietary Open Standard (The "Half Open, Half Broken" Era)

• BACnet, Modbus, and LonWorks introduced some interoperability but locked customers into a specific service provider.

• Buildings could now mix and match different vendors' devices.

• Still required onsite servers, local IT, and complex infrastructure.

• Updates were manual—firmware had to be pushed on-site.

• Remote access was limited, and optimization was still minimal.

• Like an old BlackBerry—useful, but closed off and expensive to maintain.

Gen 4: IoT Overlays & Cloud Supervisors (The "Almost There, But Not Really" Era)

• Cloud dashboards, IoT sensors, and analytics improve monitoring.

• Remote access becomes easier, and AI-powered insights start emerging.

• These are still just “bolt-ons” to legacy BMS systems.

• True real-time control and optimization are still missing.

• Many of these solutions still rely on old, hardwired infrastructure.

• Adding a touchscreen on a Blackberry with some scheduled cloud sync.

Gen 5: Native IoT BMS (This is How it Should Work)

This is the real breakthrough. A true IoT BMS isn’t just a cloud dashboard sitting on top of an old system—it’s a completely new way to control buildings.

• Fully wireless: No expensive cabling, easy installs.

• AI-driven comfort & energy optimization—not just monitoring.

• Over-the-air updates: No manual firmware headaches.

• Independent data layer: Open API integration with any system.

• Scalable across portfolios: Works for small offices and enterprise campuses alike.

This isn’t a concept—it’s what 75F is delivering today.

We’ve designed a system that is:

• Easier to install.

• Smarter at optimizing energy and IAQ in real time.

• More cost-effective than traditional BMS setups.

And the results speak for themselves — companies like Google, McDonald’s, and Hilton are already using the Native IoT BMS to future-proof their buildings.

Gen 6: The Frictionless BMS (And Why it's Closer Than You Think)

Imagine a world where building controls just work—without complex setups, expensive integrations, or frustrating limitations.

That’s where we’re headed.

• Voice-activated control: “Hey BMS, reduce energy use by 10% without affecting comfort in a noticable way.”

• Neurosymbolic AI: Instantly normalize any data set—no more messy naming conventions.

• Open-source sequences: A global library of best practices, shared between building managers. Think GitHub for buildings.

• Full integration: Security, elevators, access control, and water management—all running on any of a number of competing and fully seamless platforms.

This isn’t science fiction. I think it’s the next step.

When I held my first Motorola it seemed like the next thing to get small was going to be my fax machine.

Holding my iPhone, its easier to see that the Gen 6 of phones will involve powerful chipsets capable of new edge AI to enhance performance and improve user experience.

And at 75F, we are joining a number of vendors and OEMs and are hard at work building the foundation of similar Gen 6 in buildings.

Are You Still Running an Outdated BMS?

So let's return to the first question.

If your building is running on Gen 3 or Gen 4 tech, you're paying too much for installs and maintenance, missing out on real-time energy savings, and getting stuck with outdated, inflexible systems.

Why wait?

At 75F, I believe we've built the next generation of BMS—one that's wireless, cloud-native, and AI-driven. But I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Because eventually we all need to bid our trusty 30 year old phones goodbye.

Whether you ultimately choose 75F for your new 5G system or not, I bet you'll wonder the same thing I do: Why didn't I do this sooner?