What if you could build your ideal building management system as easily as snapping together Lego bricks? What if you could swap out a faulty analytics module or add a new digital twin capability without a massive, costly integration project?
This was the compelling vision at the heart of a recent Monday Live discussion, where the community dove deep into the concept of “decomposing to compose.” The conversation challenged the status quo and painted a picture of a more flexible, innovative, and owner-centric future.
Here are the key takeaways.
The Problem with Monoliths: Jigsaw Puzzles vs. Lego Bricks
Today, many of the systems we use—from Building Automation (BAS) to Computerized Maintenance Management (CMMS)—are monolithic. They are like pre-cut jigsaw puzzles: all the pieces are designed to fit together in one specific way to form a single picture.
“The monolithic system can really only do whatever the monolithic system can do. If it can’t do something, then it can’t do it. And you can’t just plug something in to make it do that other thing.”
The “decompose to compose” model proposes breaking these monoliths down into their fundamental, granular capabilities—the individual Lego bricks. Once you have these standardized bricks, you can compose them in endless combinations to meet the unique needs of any building or new use case.
The Power of Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs)
The goal isn’t to have owners become software architects. Instead, the industry should move towards Packaged Business Capabilities (PBCs). Each PBC is a discrete, vendor-agnostic software module that performs a specific function—like “preventative maintenance scheduling” or “asset registry.”
The magic lies in standardizing the API—the connector on each Lego brick. If every vendor designs their brick to connect via a common, open API, then best-of-breed solutions can seamlessly interoperate.
“You’re decomposing down monoliths down to capabilities that you can then standardize… then it’s always just about composing from those standard capabilities.”
From Walled Gardens to an Open Ecosystem
This approach dismantles “walled gardens” where owners are locked into a single vendor’s ecosystem. In this new model, the building owner is in control. They can select the best asset management brick from Vendor A, the best energy analytics brick from Vendor B, and the best space utilization brick from Vendor C, knowing they will all work together.
“The only one that’s controlling the platform is really the end customer.”
The Path Forward: Crawl, Walk, Run
While the fully-composed future is compelling, the group agreed on a practical path forward:
- Crawl: Demand Robust APIs. The essential first step is for all systems to have well-documented, functional APIs. This allows for initial data access and integration, even if the system isn’t fully decomposed.
- Walk: Standardize and Model. Industry consortia have a critical role in standardizing these APIs and data models, moving from one-off integrations to inherent interoperability.
- Run: Compose with Agility. With standardized capabilities, creating new applications and dashboards becomes rapid and agile. As one participant noted from a real-world project, once the data was decomposed and accessible, recomposing it into a new application took “within minutes.”
A Call for Examples
The discussion concluded with a call to action: the industry needs tangible, relatable examples to build momentum. The group plans to continue this conversation by applying the same “decomposing” lens to a Building Automation System (BAS) in a future session.
The message was clear: the technology to move towards a composable future is here. Now, it’s about shifting our mindset, collaborating on standards, and building the ecosystem that will make the Lego-block building a reality.
What are your thoughts? Is your organization ready to start decomposing to compose? Join the conversation and help shape the next chapter of our industry.
Watch the full Monday Live discussion and explore more resources at MondayLive.org.
