Candi opts for Google Cloud Platform to join up smart buildings

Candi and Google team up on solution to help companies develop smart building products and services faster.

Smart buildings connectivity specialist Candi is deploying a new solution on Google Cloud Platform to help connect smart building devices and data with apps.

The solution integrates Google Pub/Sub, which ingests data streams, with Candi’s PowerTools software, which building managers can use to access and manage legacy and IoT devices. This, in turn, should enable IoT developers and service providers to more easily connect to edge data and link directly into Google’s Cloud Platform Toolset.

According to Candi executives, the Candi/Google solution offers “out-of-the-box support” for smart buildings, as it includes reference designs and sensor kits for energy and HVAC systems, as well as other equipment, using Intel BMP gateways.

Different protocols

The company said that, by normalising edge data across different devices and protocols, and delivering that data through Google Pub/Sub’s central access point, the Candi/Google solution could reduce the cost and workload for providers of third-party software and services to compete in the IoT marketplace.

It added that companies that specialise in business intelligence, analytics, operations, and systems management could also deploy scalable products faster, without having to tackle the challenges of device-level communications or edge-to-cloud connectivity, which is managed by Candi’s software.

This is initially targeted at smart buildings, where data from equipment and sensors can improve operating efficiency. Legacy equipment and next-generation devices using BACnet, ZigBee, Modbus, IP/Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, powerline, and other protocols are all supported. End-to-end reference designs include sensor kits based on use cases such as energy monitoring, submetering, BMS and HVAC equipment monitoring, and thermostat and lighting control.

Gateways and analytics

At the edge, Candi-powered gateways – by Advantech, Logic Supply, Systech and others – will use PowerTools software to manage devices and normalise data. The gateways link to Google Cloud Platform, where Google Pub/Sub acts as the central access point for any IoT app or service to authenticate and connect to the devices and data. Google Cloud and software partners such as Leverege and Altair, for example, provide analytics, data visualisation, and business intelligence software to help facilities professionals, for example, monitor and manage building performance.

“We’re accelerating IoT market growth through our collaboration with Google Cloud by simplifying complex connections to devices and data,” said Steve Raschke, CEO of Candi. “Google Cloud Platform gives our customers a more secure, centralised channel for effortless access to their data, a pre-integrated suite of world-class analytics tools, and the solid foundation of Google’s global infrastructure.”