Smart Building Software Development

Five dashboards for one building isn't smart building management

HVAC lives in the BMS vendor's app. Access control is in the security system's portal. Occupancy data is in a sensor manufacturer's cloud dashboard. Energy consumption is in the utility supplier's portal. The people managing the building spend their time logging into different systems and mentally assembling a picture that should be in one place. Smart building software doesn't mean replacing all the hardware, it means building the integration layer that connects what's already installed, normalizes the data formats across manufacturers, and presents the operational picture your building management team actually needs.

  • Unified IoT data layer connecting HVAC, lighting, access control, and occupancy sensors

  • Real-time energy monitoring with anomaly detection and automated setpoint adjustment

  • Occupancy analytics by floor and zone with space utilization and capacity planning reports

  • Tenant experience app covering desk booking, room reservation, visitor management, and issue reporting

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See our work

The problem

Sound familiar?

  • Building management systems that can't talk to each other so energy and occupancy data lives in five different dashboards?

  • Tenants with no digital touchpoint to book facilities, raise issues, or see building information?

Short answer

Smart building software connects IoT devices, building management systems, and access control hardware to a unified operations platform, covering energy monitoring, occupancy analytics, predictive maintenance, and tenant experience apps. RaftLabs builds custom smart building software for commercial property operators and proptech companies that need IoT data from HVAC, lighting, access control, and occupancy sensors integrated into a single dashboard, with tenant-facing mobile apps for desk booking, room reservation, and issue reporting.

Key takeaways

  • A normalisation layer translates BACnet, Modbus, MQTT, and REST device protocols into one consistent schema, with high-frequency telemetry retained at full resolution for 30 days and downsampled beyond that.
  • Automated setpoint rules shift HVAC and lighting based on live occupancy data, with anomaly detection catching equipment faults before they show up on the utility bill.
  • Sensor-triggered predictive maintenance flags equipment deviating from normal operating ranges, generating an alert and contractor dispatch before failure.
  • New building systems and sensor types can be added to the integration layer without rebuilding the platform, keeping multi-building portfolios on one architecture.

Trusted by

Vodafone logo
Aldi logo
Nike logo
Microsoft logo
Heineken logo
Cisco logo
Calorgas logo
Energia Rewards logo

Smart building delivery, by the numbers

products shipped
100+
industries served
24+
cost delivery
Fixed
week delivery cycles
12-14

Five dashboards for one building isn't smart building management

Smart building software connects what's already installed, normalizes the data formats across manufacturers, and presents the operational picture your building management team actually needs, while giving tenants a digital touchpoint of their own.

Capabilities

What we build

  • 01
    IoT data integration

    Protocol normalisation across HVAC, lighting, access control, and meters, with high-frequency telemetry into a time-series store.

    Built with
    BACnet · Modbus · MQTT
  • 02
    Energy monitoring and optimization

    Baseline consumption profiling with anomaly detection and automated setpoint rules driven by occupancy data.

  • 03
    Occupancy analytics

    Space utilisation and peak-hour reporting by floor and zone, feeding capacity planning and lease negotiation decisions.

  • 04
    Tenant experience app

    White-labelled desk and room booking, visitor management, and issue reporting with status tracking.

    Built with
    React Native
  • 05
    Predictive maintenance

    Sensor-triggered alerts on equipment deviation, with automated contractor dispatch and compliance tracking.

  • 06
    Building management dashboard

    Portfolio-level alerts, building health scores, and ESG reporting output for GRESB or BREEAM.

How we work

From scope to live smart building platform

  1. Week 1
    01

    Portfolio and hardware scoping

    We map your building portfolio, the hardware already installed, and what the current operations process looks like. You leave week 1 with a written scope document and a fixed-price quote.

  2. Weeks 2-4
    02

    Integration layer design

    Protocol mapping, data normalisation, and tenant app feature scope designed against your actual hardware inventory.

  3. Weeks 5-11
    03

    Build and integrate

    IoT integration, energy monitoring, and occupancy analytics built in parallel, tested against real building data.

  4. Final 2-3 weeks
    04

    Launch and team rollout

    Building managers and tenants onboarded to the new dashboard and app before full rollout.

Why us

Why property operators choose RaftLabs

  • 01
    Senior engineers build what they scope

    The engineers who assess your hardware inventory also build the solution. No bait-and-switch, no offshore handoff after the contract is signed.

  • 02
    Fixed price before development starts

    We scope the work, calculate the cost, and lock it in writing before any development starts.

  • 03
    9 years and 100+ products shipped

    Clients include Vodafone, T-Mobile, Aldi, Nike, Cisco, and Lockheed Martin. Track record building IoT and proptech platforms.

  • 04
    We integrate what you have, not what we'd prefer to sell

    Existing hardware stays in place; the platform is the connective layer, not a hardware replacement.

  • 05
    Built to scale across a portfolio

    New sensor types and buildings extend the same architecture without a rebuild.

Have a smart building software project?

Tell us about your building portfolio, the hardware already installed, and what the current operations process looks like. We'll scope the integration and application layer that makes it work.

Talk about your smart building project

Related services

Smart Building Software Development, scoped in one call.

Tell us what's broken. Within one business day you get a straight take on cost, timeline, and the right first step. No deck, no pressure.

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Frequently asked questions

The integration and application layer that connects HVAC, lighting, access control, occupancy sensors, and smart meters to a unified operations platform, giving building managers one view instead of logging into each system separately, and giving tenants a digital interface for booking spaces and raising issues.

We integrate with BACnet and Modbus-based HVAC and BMS controllers, access control from Lenel, Honeywell, Genetec, and Paxton, smart meters via MQTT or utility APIs, occupancy sensors from Density, Verkada, and Cisco Meraki, and lighting control from Lutron and DALI-based platforms.

Yes, native iOS/Android or React Native depending on update frequency and performance needs, white-labelled with your building or brand identity, covering desk booking, visitor pre-registration, issue reporting, and push notifications.

We build a baseline consumption model from historical data by hour, day of week, and occupancy level, then compare live consumption continuously and alert on deviation beyond a threshold. Automated rules can adjust HVAC setpoints or lighting zones where the BMS supports bidirectional API control.

Work with us

Tell us what you need. We'll tell you what it would take.

We scope Smart Building Software Development in 30 minutes. You walk away with a clear cost, timeline, and approach. No commitment required.

  • Scope and cost agreed before work starts. No surprises. No obligation.
  • Working prototype within 3 weeks of kickoff.
  • Pay by milestone. You see progress before each invoice.
  • 60-day post-launch warranty. Bug fixes, UI tweaks, and deployment support. No retainer.
  • All conversations are NDA-protected.

Go deeper

Browse our case studies

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