If you’ve spent any time in building automation, you’ve probably heard it framed as a showdown. Cloud vs PLC. Digital platforms vs classical BMS. “Tech bros” vs. “hard-core engineers.”
But here’s the uncomfortable truth: buildings don’t care about ideology - they care about stability, comfort, and results.
At Intellify, we see this debate not as a fight, but as a misunderstanding. And judging by what we see across Europe’s building stock, it’s a misunderstanding that’s costing a lot of time, energy and money.
PLCs: The Quiet Heroes in the Basement
Let’s start with the classics.
PLC-based systems and traditional BMS have earned their reputation for a reason.
They are:
- extremely stable
- deterministic and fast
- perfectly suited for real-time HVAC control
- able to run happily without internet access
- built to survive decades, dust, and questionable basements
In factories and critical infrastructure, PLCs are non-negotiable - and rightly so. When milliseconds matter, cloud latency is not your friend. So no, PLCs are not “outdated”. They are foundational.
The Cloud: Not Magic - But Very Powerful
Now let’s talk about the cloud (without the hype).
Cloud platforms shine where PLCs naturally struggle:
- large-scale data storage
- advanced analytics and algorithms
- managing multiple buildings at once
- remote access and visibility
- turning raw data into insight
Cloud platforms make it possible to see patterns, not just react to alarms. They help operators understand why something happens - not only that it happened.
Used correctly, cloud technology doesn’t replace automation. It amplifies it.
Where Things Go Wrong: The Four Classic “Cloud Sins”
Over the years, the industry has made some… enthusiastic experiments. The presentation highlights four recurring mistakes that still appear far too often. So here are the Cloud Sins that we see in our industry”
.1. The “Cloud BMS” Shortcut
Promising huge installation savings by skipping proper automation and wiring sounds tempting.
In reality, it often leads to unstable control and higher long-term service costs.
Lesson: automation first, cloud second - always.
2. Building a Private Data Highway
Some vendors insist on their own communication infrastructure “to avoid integration issues”.
The result? Vendor lock-in, higher costs, and surprisingly fragile systems.
Lesson: use existing networks wisely. Add intelligence, not dependency.
3. Full AI Control (“Trust Us, You Don’t Need to Understand”)
Black-box algorithms that silently change setpoints may sound advanced - until no one can explain why energy bills went up.
Lesson: transparency beats mystery. Logs, KPIs, and measurable outcomes matter.
4. Our Hardware + Our Cloud = Perfection
Convenient, yes. Flexible and future-proof? Rarely.
Lesson: reliable industrial PLCs combined with open, cloud-based intelligence win in the long run.
The Real Answer is Hybrid, Open and Honest
The future of building automation is not cloud or PLC. It’s cloud and PLC, each doing what it does best.
- PLCs handle real-time control and safety
- Cloud platforms handle data, insight, and optimization
- Open protocols (BACnet, MQTT, OPC UA) keep systems flexible
- Humans stay in the loop, understanding what’s happening and why
This hybrid approach isn’t exciting in a buzzword sense - but it is incredibly effective. And effectiveness is what buildings actually need.
From Hype to Productivity
That’s exactly where the industry is right now.
Less noise.
More clarity.
Better questions.
At Intellify, our mission is simple: use cloud technologies to empower buildings - not to fight their existing systems, but to make them smarter, safer, and more efficient.
Because in the end, the best technology is the one that quietly works.
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