Building managers advised to start thinking about cyber security

Your smart building may not be so cybersmart.

As data becomes more and more prevalent throughout the buildings where we live and work, so does the need to protect that data, say Johnson Controls.

“It’s no longer enough for a building to be smart – it must now be cybersmart,” warn the company in a new whitepaper published jointly with Booz Allen Hamilton. This whitepaper provides a roadmap for building managers, building owners, contractors and others to act to protect their information.

Image: Johnson Controls

Proper use of building automation systems can greatly reduce energy consumption, lower operating costs and create countless other data-driven solutions. But today’s smart buildings must be secure, as well.

“Research clearly demonstrates that cyber security is a critical need at a critical hour for buildings around the world,” adds Bill Jackson, president, Johnson Controls Global Products. “As building technology and data converge, we must be increasingly vigilant.”

This collaboration illustrates the great progress being made in raising awareness of the need for cybersecure smart buildings, coined “cybersmart buildings” in the publication.

“Securing smart buildings and building systems more generally is a shared responsibility requiring focus and commitment from the manufacturer, integrator, and customer,” said Jason Rosselot, director of Johnson Controls’ global product security. “Just as two industry leading companies were able to collaborate to create this whitepaper, so too can smart building stakeholders partner to follow these recommendations and create cybersmart buildings.”

Download the full whitepaper