If you were told that 96% of a precious resource was being wasted, you’d call it a crisis. In the building industry, that’s precisely our reality. A shocking 96% of the data created during design and construction goes entirely unused in operations.
This startling statistic, from a report by FMI Corporation, set the stage for a recent Monday Live discussion, but this isn’t a story of doom and gloom. It’s a story of a massive, untapped opportunity and the clear, collective path we’re forging to capture it.
Monday for October is focusing on Specifying Data Here are the key insights from the conversation, highlighting how our industry is navigating this complexity.
1. The “Hollywood BIM” Problem: Beautiful Models, Empty Data
The discussion opened with a powerful analogy: the “Hollywood BIM.” This is a Building Information Model that looks stunningly complex and realistic in renders, but when you “open the book,” the pages are blank of the structured, actionable data needed for operations.
“The paradox,” one participant explained, “is that these fantastic models exist, but unless you can get to the data in a format that doesn’t require you to be an expert in that particular app, you can’t even check it.”
- The Consequence: Owners are often “marrying” a building with beautiful documentation that contains zero usable operational data. This leads to inefficient operations, higher costs, and an inability to optimize building performance.
- The Opportunity: The push is now for open connectivity to the data inside these proprietary models, allowing for validation during construction, not after it’s too late.
2. The Central Nervous System: Introducing the Coalition for Smarter Buildings (C4SB)
So, how do we create this open connectivity? This is where the conversation turned to a pivotal initiative. The group highlighted the Coalition for Smarter Buildings Foundation (C4SB), describing it as the organizing body for the industry’s collective effort to solve these data challenges.
One contributor stated, “C4SB is trying to organize different working groups—people that are the most expert or the most interested in these different challenges—to come together, solve some problems, document it, and then let everybody leverage off of the work that’s been done.”
C4SB isn’t a single standard, but a foundation hosting multiple, focused working groups tackling specific parts of the digital transformation puzzle, from semantics and ontology to grid integration. Learn more about these working groups and how to get involved at https://www.c4sb.org/.
3. The Innovation Engine: T1L, AI, and Data-Driven Construction
The panel then highlighted the specific technologies and processes that are turning this vision into reality.
- The Connectivity Revolution (T1L): The group identified 10BASE-T1L (Single-Pair Ethernet) as a fundamental innovation. Unlike traditional Ethernet, which is limited to 100 meters, T1L can run at high speeds for up to 1 kilometer over a single twisted pair, often utilizing existing building wire. More importantly, it can carry multiple modern protocols (such as BACnet/IP and MQTT) simultaneously, ultimately breaking down the silos at the network level.
- The Intelligence Layer (Multi-AI): The conversation pointed to a future not of one monolithic AI, but a “multi-pronged AI architecture.” With data accessible in the cloud, we can connect it to specialized AIs for RTU optimization, predictive maintenance, and occupant experience—all working in concert. One voice added, “I think it’s going to be shocking to see how crystal clear owners can be about what their new expectation is.”
- The Process Innovation (Data-Driven Construction): A perspective from the development side explained the use of BIM for quantity surveying—a bottom-up cost estimation method standard in the UK but rare in the U.S. By extracting precise material quantities from the model, developers can derisk projects, lock in supply chains, and create accurate budgets. This demonstrates that utilizing data from the outset creates value at every stage of the building’s lifecycle.
Conclusion: A Call for Collaborative Navigation
The resounding theme was that no single company or technology can solve the 96% problem on its own. It requires a coalition.
As the discussion concluded, one member summarized the mission: “We need to create a map to the weeds… Our function is to try and pull this together and give the folks that know what they’re talking about a direct voice.”
The Coalition for Smarter Buildings Foundation provides the map and the working groups. Technologies like T1L and AI provide the tools. And a new, data-driven mindset provides the direction.
The complexity of our industry is escalating, but so is the opportunity. By connecting our systems, our data, and our expertise, we are not just building smarter buildings—we’re building a smarter future.
Join the conversation every Monday at 3 p.m. Eastern on MondayLive.org.
