How Schneider and Samsung Are Solving the Smart Building Gap

Schneider Electric and Samsung partner to connect fragmented building systems

Schneider Electric and Samsung have announced a partnership that addresses one of the most persistent problems in commercial property management: buildings full of systems that cannot talk to each other. The collaboration brings together Schneider’s EcoStruxure Building platform with Samsung’s SmartThings ecosystem. The aim is to make energy management more practical and scalable across both residential and commercial properties.

For many UK businesses operating from older premises, this matters. Buildings often contain a patchwork of HVAC controllers, lighting systems, and monitoring equipment installed at different times by different contractors. These systems rarely share data. Consequently, building managers struggle to get a complete picture of energy use, let alone control it efficiently.

The new partnership tries to solve this through interoperability rather than replacement. Instead of ripping out existing infrastructure, the approach connects disparate systems through a shared platform layer. This makes unified control possible without the capital expense of wholesale refits.

Meanwhile, pressure is building on UK businesses to improve building performance. Net zero commitments, rising energy costs, and increasingly stringent compliance requirements all point in the same direction. Buildings need to become more efficient, and quickly. However, the cost of upgrading ageing stock remains a significant barrier for most SMEs.

Why building systems remain disconnected in 2025

Most commercial buildings were not designed with integrated control in mind. Over time, different systems get added as needs arise or budgets allow. A new heating system goes in one year. LED lighting gets retrofitted the next. Perhaps a landlord installs occupancy sensors to comply with updated regulations. Each system works, but none of them communicate.

This fragmentation creates practical problems. Energy waste becomes difficult to identify because no single system tracks consumption across the whole building. Maintenance teams cannot prioritize interventions effectively. Building managers lack the data needed to demonstrate compliance with environmental standards or tender requirements.

Schneider Electric has built its EcoStruxure Building platform specifically to address this. The system uses an open IoT architecture that connects hardware, software, and services over an Ethernet IP backbone. Essentially, it acts as a translation layer between different proprietary systems, allowing them to share data and respond to centralized control instructions.

Samsung’s involvement extends this approach into a broader ecosystem. SmartThings has grown beyond consumer smart home applications into building management. The company has established partnerships with other building technology providers, including ABB, to expand SmartThings integration into commercial properties. The stated goal is more economical and energy-efficient monitoring and control.

The partnership between Schneider and Samsung builds on this logic. By combining their respective platforms, they create a route to interoperability that does not depend on a single vendor controlling every component. This matters because it offers building owners a path to improved performance that works with what they already have.

Interoperability makes energy management more achievable for existing buildings

The business case for integrated building systems rests on three related benefits: reduced energy consumption, lower operating costs, and better compliance with environmental standards. All three depend on being able to measure, monitor, and control building systems in a coordinated way.

For example, an integrated system can adjust heating based on occupancy patterns detected by lighting sensors. It can reduce ventilation rates in unoccupied zones while maintaining comfort in active areas. It can identify equipment running inefficiently and flag it for maintenance before it fails. None of this works if the heating, lighting, and monitoring systems cannot communicate.

This is particularly important for UK SMEs facing pressure to demonstrate environmental performance. Public sector contracts increasingly require suppliers to show how they are reducing carbon emissions. Many larger corporate clients now ask the same questions of their supply chains. Buildings represent a significant portion of most businesses’ carbon footprint, so being able to measure and report on building energy use has become commercially necessary.

Additionally, the cost of energy remains a pressing concern. Even with recent price stabilization, energy bills are substantially higher than they were three years ago. Any reduction in consumption translates directly into lower costs. However, achieving those reductions requires visibility of where and how energy is being used. Fragmented systems make this visibility difficult to obtain.

Schneider and Samsung are not alone in recognizing this opportunity. Schneider previously partnered with Planon, a facilities management software provider, with similar aims around breaking down silos in building operations. The consistent theme is reducing complexity in the building supply chain while improving sustainability outcomes. These partnerships acknowledge that no single vendor can solve the fragmentation problem alone.

The approach also aligns with broader market trends. Building owners and operators are increasingly looking for solutions that work with existing infrastructure rather than requiring wholesale replacement. Capital budgets are tight, and the payback period for complete building refits can be prohibitively long. Therefore, platforms that enable incremental improvement become more attractive.

What this means for UK businesses managing property portfolios

If you operate from commercial premises, particularly older buildings with multiple legacy systems, this partnership points to a practical route forward. The technology exists to connect disparate building systems without replacing everything at once. This makes energy management more achievable for businesses that cannot afford major capital projects.

However, implementation still requires careful planning. You need to understand what systems you currently have, how they communicate, and what data they can provide. An audit of existing building infrastructure is typically the first step. This establishes a baseline and identifies which systems can be integrated easily and which might need updates or replacement.

You also need to be clear about your objectives. Are you primarily trying to reduce energy costs? Demonstrate compliance with environmental reporting requirements? Improve tenant comfort? Different goals require different approaches to system integration. For example, carbon reporting demands accurate metering and data logging, while cost reduction might prioritize automated control of heating and lighting.

It is worth noting that interoperability platforms are only as good as the data they receive. If your existing sensors are poorly calibrated or your meters are inaccurate, the platform cannot compensate. Consequently, some hardware upgrades may still be necessary even with an integration-focused approach. Nevertheless, these upgrades can be targeted and incremental rather than comprehensive.

Businesses with multiple sites face an additional consideration. Standardizing building management across a portfolio becomes easier with a shared platform, but it requires coordination during rollout. You need consistent approaches to system configuration, staff training, and data management. This is where working with experienced advisors can help ensure implementations deliver the expected benefits.

Essential facts about the Schneider and Samsung collaboration

• Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure Building platform uses an open IoT architecture designed to connect different building systems over a common network.
• Samsung SmartThings has expanded beyond consumer applications into commercial building management through partnerships with companies including ABB.
• The partnership aims to enable interoperability between building systems without requiring complete replacement of existing infrastructure.
• Fragmented building systems prevent effective energy management because they cannot share data or respond to coordinated control.
• Rising energy costs and environmental compliance requirements are increasing demand for integrated building management solutions.
• The approach supports incremental improvement of building performance rather than requiring large capital expenditure on wholesale refits.

Planning for improved building performance without complete refits

The partnership between Schneider and Samsung reflects a wider shift in how building performance improvements are approached. The focus is moving away from complete system replacement toward integration of what already exists. This changes the economics of building upgrades significantly.

For UK SMEs, this shift matters because it makes energy management more financially accessible. You do not necessarily need to wait until you can afford a comprehensive refit. Instead, you can take a phased approach that starts with integration and data visibility, then addresses specific inefficiencies as budget allows.

Our experience working with businesses on carbon reporting and net zero compliance shows that data is often the limiting factor. Many businesses know they need to reduce emissions but lack accurate information about where those emissions come from. Building energy use is typically one of the largest sources, yet it is often one of the least well understood. Integrated building systems address this by providing the data needed for informed decision-making.

This is particularly relevant for businesses pursuing PPN 06/21 compliance or responding to supply chain sustainability requirements. You cannot credibly report on emissions reduction without measuring consumption accurately. Similarly, you cannot identify cost-saving opportunities without visibility of energy use patterns. The technology partnerships announced by Schneider and Samsung make this visibility more achievable for a wider range of buildings.

Training your facilities team to use integrated systems effectively is another important consideration. New platforms change how building management tasks are performed. Staff need to understand how to interpret the data, respond to alerts, and adjust control parameters appropriately. The training and support you put in place during implementation often determines whether the technology delivers its potential benefits.

Looking ahead, interoperability is likely to become a standard expectation rather than a differentiating feature. As more buildings adopt connected systems, the ability to integrate with other platforms will become a basic requirement for building equipment suppliers. This should gradually reduce the fragmentation problem, making it easier for building owners to achieve coordinated control regardless of which hardware they choose.

Where to find detailed guidance on building systems and energy reporting

The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero provides policy information and guidance on building energy performance standards. Their publications cover current regulations and upcoming changes that may affect your reporting requirements.

For practical guidance on building management systems and energy monitoring, the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers publishes technical standards and guidance documents. These resources offer detailed information on system design, installation, and commissioning.

The Building Services Research and Information Association provides research and guidance on building performance, including reports on smart building technologies and interoperability standards. Their publications can help you understand the technical aspects of system integration.

If you are specifically looking at carbon reporting requirements for public sector supply chains, the guidance on PPN 06/21 and carbon reduction plans explains what information you need to provide and how building energy data contributes to your overall carbon footprint.

For businesses managing compliance alongside operational improvement, our ESG compliance and carbon reporting services help translate regulatory requirements into practical actions that also reduce costs and improve building performance.