ControlTrends is Taking the Smart Buildings Podcasting Network to the Next Level! The Power of the Spoken Word is Taking over Social Media’s Center Stage!
The power of the spoken word is taking over Social Media's center stage!
While traveling to Orlando, FL to scout out the location for the 2019 ControlTrends Awards event, Eric had the opportunity to attend the PODFEST EXPO 2019 and mix with some of the brightest podcasters and companies in the world.
The PODFEST EXPO is a community of people who are interested in and passionate about sharing their voice and message with the world through the powerful mediums of audio and video. We’re proud to unite as many people as possible to learn, get inspired, and grow better together.
Eric Stromquist: Eric Stromquist here with the man, the myth, the legend, Kenny Smyers. Kenny, we’re not in Kansas anymore. Tell our community where we are. We’re in Orlando, Florida. We’re sending in front of the BB King Blues Club and we have found ourselves a location for the 2018 ControlTrends Awards we have. And in case you don’t know that Sunday night is Super Bowl Sunday. So if you want to come to the biggest Super bowl party in Orlando, reach out to your sponsors and say, “hey, we want to be there with Ken and Eric ” We’ve got the BB King space booked and we will have The ControlTrends Awards starting about two hours earlier,. so after the Awards you can just chill out and watch the game with all your rowdy friends.
Ken Smyers: Here’s our favorite team and we go right there. So it’d be a lot more on that. And for our sponsors out there, Kenny not putting together a special discounted sponsorship package if you sponsor early.
Eric Stromquist: So if you need more information. reach out to me or Ken and check itt out. And Kenny, We’ have been working on the show this week. And also as you know, we’ve been working on the ControlTrends Podcast Network. And as such, I’ve been down here at PodFest 2019, learning from the best people in podcasting, all about how to create these networks? Had about make the podcast better about how to get more engagement. So we’re going to be able to offer that to our community. So listen to, I typically spend, the next little segment is me getting interviewed by Travis Albritton at Podfest. So take a listen to this.
Travis: Well Eric, wonderful to sit down with you here at PodFest 2019 and the buzz sprout recording studio. How’s it been so far?
Eric Stromquist: it’s an amazing, amazing program. I’ve learned so much here and have a, been a big believer in podcasts and all along, but there was so much that didn’t know that I didn’t know and now I’m even more convinced, Travis, that he got to have a podcast to connect to your audience.
Travis: Now tell me a little bit about how you first started in podcasting. Like how long ago was that? What was the original idea? And then, and then like what have you been producing over the last several years?
Eric Stromquist: Cool, great question. So it kind of goes back where we’re one of the Honeywell and Johnson controls largest distributors where master systems, systems integrator, HVC controls distributor with no about $3 million worth of inventory in our Atlanta a warehouse. And about the time that Seo kept coming up, I wouldn’t, you know, Google, and this goes back here about 10 or 15 years ago, I would type in Honeywell controls Atlanta. We would not show up anywhere in the search of man, this is not what’s going on inside. I asked, somebody said, you know this Internet thing, why aren’t we showing up? I said, well, you got to do SEO like a, what the heck is Seo?
Eric Stromquist: So and how do you get it? So they explained that a little bit and then he was kind of like, uh, I started a control, the control terms.com website. Okay. Which was became a blog and said, we got to start a blog. Well, I don’t like to write much. And then I started doing video casts and the not the podcasting sort of came out of that. I had a number of distributor buddy of mine who was an artist as well. And he and I got together and we created this show call control talk. Now the smart buildings videocast and podcasts, which we do every week. And from that we began to see the SEO. But more importantly I sorta realized just how critical this was. So you know, one thing for our audience out there, if you’re listening on control talk plan is that, you know, if you know me, you know, hadn’t been so lucky in love.
Eric Stromquist: So my wife, is younger and I noticed that she, if she was going to buy a product, she would never go to that website. She would always go to third party reviews, right? So in our industry it was pretty much if you buy a Honeywell control, you go to the Honeywell website, you buy Belimo you go to the website. But this younger generationt hat is coming in. They don’t want to do that. They want to of that third party verification. So we sort of filled that niche has sort of filled that out. So we do a lot of interviews with industry experts. We have all kinds of, training videos, product reviews and things like that. One of things we have learned Travis is that, you know, we, we did a video cast and we also did the product cost. It’s about 10 to one podcast consumers to video consumers.
Eric Stromquist: So if we get 200 views on, on a weekly show on the video side on youtube. Then , we would be getting about 2000 downloads. So, I’m on a mission now now, I think everybody in the HVAC and Smart Buildings industry should have a podcast. We have created what we call the ControlTrends Podcast Network and we’re going to offer a service to help companies in the HVAC and Smart Building Controls Space a way to start up and promote a podcast. And we will be working with your company, which we think has the perfect platform for helping us host it. We’ll actually produce the podcast. You get to do the easy part. You know, you record your audio, you send it to us, we’ll EQ the sound we’ll create a cool opener and outrro for your show and make sure it gets on all the relevant sites like IItunes Spreaker radio and Himalaya the whole nine yards.
Travis: Now tell me a little bit more about your vision for this network because it is one thing to have your own podcast and to have that be successful, but then to replicate that success for other people.
Travis: Tell me a little bit about why this is so important to you from a personal standpoint and not just a professional standpoint.
Eric Stromquist: Well, it kind of dumb luck. I mean I fell into this at sort of the right time I was and I sort of had the first mover advantage. So right now in our industry, we are really one of the only third party independent resource. You can have a, we’re one of the biggest this niche. So it’s important to me because I really care about our industry. And obviously if Honeywell, for example, is one of my primary companies that I represent, so if they do better than I do, better cause it, people in buy those products to me. Same with Johnson controls, Belimo, Siemens, all the majors, none of them right now or in the, in the podcast arena. I know the power of it because I’ve seen what it’s done for our business and I know how people consume it.
Eric Stromquist: So, um, I think it’s good for the industry as a whole. And I, you know, I’m passionate about making sure that, uh, that the people in our industry get this. Now we have the platform because of first mover advantage. So not only can we produce the podcast and then we can promote it on the controltrends.com site, we can promote it. So we have the ability to not only produce them but to promote them and that is a winning formula.
Travis: Well, and what’s really cool, and I don’t even know if you kind of have picked up on this, but you know, everything that you were just talking about comes from an abundance business mindset of how do we just help all of us do better together, which is, it’s really important to have that. Cause I know a lot of business owners that are like, no, no, no, I’m just going to try and hoard everything that I can maintain my competitive advantage.
Travis: Try and, you know, push my competitors aside. But you’re really coming at this from another perspective, which is how do we all help each other? Right? You know, and how do we share our resources and our expertise to help you knowing that, you know, it’s just the right thing to do and it’s going to help our bottom line as well.
Eric Stromquist: What’s, what’s interesting and, we’ve shifted, I mean obviously when we talk about network and we talk about the Internet, we are now in the network economy and it’s a completely different set of rules than it was in the scarcity economy. It used to be when I first got in the business, it was if you had information, you hoarded that because that was your differentiator. Now with the Internet, there are no secrets, right? So in the network economy givers get right, so you’d be the one that is giving and the network economy, if you’re going to succeed, you have to think not about how we’re going to slice the pie are up, but how we’re going to make the pie bigger.
Eric Stromquist: Okay? Just a completely different mindset and is totally counterintuitive to people. My generation that grew up with who you know, your guardians, your secrets with your life. He kicked your competitors and then blah, Blah Blah and he did what it took. One of the terms that we talk a lot about on ControlTalk Now The Smart Buildings Video Cast and Podcast is something called Co competition and, that means that you and I might be competing today and we might be working together tomorrow and then we’re going to compete again. So sort of what you trade on now, it’s not so much your knowledge now you trade on your integrity because we’re going to work together on a project and you step out of bounds that I’m never going to work with you again. And bottom line, you can’t do this alone. You can’t be the 800 pound gorilla and be successful.
Eric Stromquist: You’re going to have to work with other people. It’s just a different set of rules and your integrity’s most important thing.
Travis: there’s not necessarily a direct correlation of you know, this person listen to my podcast and they reached out to my sales rep and then we close this contract. Like that’s not really what podcasting is for. And so it’s not necessarily a direct link to growing your business, but on a larger scale, getting more and more people into your ecosystem, aware of your brand, aware of what you offer, and then establishing a human connection with them so that when they are in a position that they do need what you have, you become the only thing that they consider. Have you, have you found that to be true for you guys?
Eric Stromquist: Well I think so. And what I would say to the business owners is, is it shifted a little bit cause you know, if you’re in business, you most likely, unless your retail store have outside salespeople that are going on and calling on people. Okay. And when I first got in the business and our particular niche, that was great because you had bloated maintenance staffs and they would much rather talk to a salesman. He’s playing a donuts and then work well that’s all changed. You know, the, the maintenance staffs of trimmed down so people don’t have time to talk anymore unless they have a problem.. Okay? So you have to be able to get their attention and you better not waste their time. So my biggest expense is my outside salespeople making cold calls, trying to find new business.. You have to have them.
Eric Stromquist: When we have a hot lead, we send them out. Okay. So what I would take your business owners is that you have to be able to be found that needs to be part of your marketing strategy. And podcasting is a great way to be found. Give you a quick example. In our business, you know, there’s a plant in Augusta, Georgia that we’d been trying for five years to get into, right? And you know the now, now that know there’s not a receptionist, they don’t tell you who you need to see this basically a guard if you don’t know who you need to see, he’s not going to tell you he needed to see. But yes, a big potential customer, we knew there was potential in there. So we spent years trying to figure this out. I get a call one Monday morning it is the plant engineer at this particular facility going, our corporate engineering in New Jersey watches your show every week. They saw you do a review on this particular product. They’ve already approved it, they want to buy it from you. Can you come over and tell us what we need? But that doesn’t happen much. Okay. This is like an $80,000 sale, right? Doesn’t happen often. But you know, I’m invested in an hour or two a week and doing this. So you, part of your strategy has to be, how can it be found? Podcasting is a great way to do that.
Travis: And how is that, uh, just thinking about how when you first started trying to get you discovered, I need to be found, I need to be available, people need to be able to come and find me. So I’m not knocking down every single cold call that I can. Um, what have you noticed is the difference between the blog that you started initially and podcasting, whether that’s, you know, impact to your bottom line or even just you personally enjoying the process?
Eric Stromquist: While I do love the process and anybody that knows me knows that I like to talk, I mean, you’re probably getting there. It’s a good problem to have as a podcast here.
Eric Stromquist: It’s a good problem to have as a podcaster, I think it’s changed. Again, I think that we’re not, none of us are getting more, more time, right? So if you can have a message that’s easy to concern, um, we’ll put, can listen to it. Podcasting tends to work because they can listen to the podcast when that, when that, when they’re working out, they can listen to it by the riding to work and so on and so forth. So sort of embedded in that question, which would it be along the lines of, I have a podcast guest come on, like let’s say somebody from one of the vendors are represented by the product and say, look, here’s the formula. Don’t talk about the product right away and don’t push, don’t be, don’t be pushy. Like you’re trying to sell something. This, identify the problem that people are having and we can talk about the problem of why it’s a problem and then you can talk about how, you know, one of your solutions, this is how we would do it.
Eric Stromquist: And then it’s up to me as the podcast. So it was to go, no, that makes a lot of sense. So, um, that creates value all the way around because people want to understand the problem. If you just start talking about a product man, hook off, let’s go, let’s go listen to Joe Rogan and stat. Right, right.
Travis: And have you, uh, been strategic in the people that you bring on, either reaching out to people that you want to establish a connection with business wise and say, Hey, I’d love to have you on my podcast knowing that we’re going to have a nice conversation at the end of it. We’re going to have a working relationship potentially. Like have you, have you used any of those kinds of strategies are not fine?
Eric Stromquist: Not yet. That’s part of what I’ve learned here. I mean, getting guest, you know, oddly enough, I had one guy come in as a part of my premises.
Eric Stromquist: I don’t handle all the product lines. Okay. But, but the premise of controltrends.com is if you’re in the industry and have something positive to contribute and say you get equal airtime with somebody that I actually get paid by. Okay. So I had a, uh, you know, a, a competitor come in and this guy sat down, we did an interview, he got 108 leads from one 30 minute interview. Right? It didn’t help me at all. It was great for him. But here’s what’s odd and this is again, maybe it’s a function of the fact that a lot of the people in my industry are kind of older is it’s like pulling teeth to get anybody to come on the show and it’s difficult to get the guest. And again, we’re missing out. And again that’s why I’m getting back to the ControlTrends Podcasting Network.
Eric Stromquist: But it’s difficult for me to even get guests within our industry to come on on a regular basis. And I get that everbodies busy, but, if they knew the payoff, they should be lining up well.
Travis: And the more that success that you do have and the more success that you can say, look at these people that came on and this is what they thought of their experience and how it helped them. You know it, it is a process. You know it, it’s not something that you just turn a switch and then all of a sudden you have people knocking down your door trying to come on your podcast.
Eric Stromquist: you can on your schedule, listen and get informed because if you’re not informed me not to be able to take advantage of the changes that are coming. Absolutely. Now when we were chatting before this, this, we started doing this interview, you mentioned a second podcast. Tell me a little bit about that one. So the second one is a friend of mine, he’s actually a trainer, a martial artist and he’s made them work with over the years named Paul Lewis and the second podcast, it’s called the Zen brothers podcast. And, uh, what we do is we’re basically interview as we call them everyday and talk conversations with everyday masters. And sort of the theory with that is that yeah, I’m a, I’m a big podcast listener. I can all listen to, I’ll listen to Joe Rogan, I’ll listen to Tony Robbins, I listen to all those Tim Ferris and all those guys and they’re great, but they’re not necessarily where label, you know, I kinda sometimes come away going, yeah, it’s easy for Tony to do that cause he’s got a staff and that’s all he does full time.
Eric Stromquist: But you know, I got three, you two small kids or wife a business and all this other stuff. But whoops, what did discover with everyday master Travis? Is it, uh, we all have something we’re good at, we’re masters at. And so for me it’s, that is totally a labor of love. And what I love about that is, you know, we’ll start off, but you know, it’s kind of a longer format. And I know we’ve done our job right is if at the end of the podcast where we’re all kind of going, oh my gosh, we learned something together that none of us knew. Just through the dialogue and the conversation will, and it’s so cool to, to learn from other people’s experiences. Like that’s one of the reasons I really love reading books is somebody is lived out in experience or gained wisdom or knowledge and they put it in a form that I can consume in a few hours and essentially steal years of experience from them.
Travis: Yeah. And so, but typically you only think about like quote unquote experts, people that are widely recognized or are well known or famous as being worthy of learning from. But it’s so true that all of us have our own unique experiences that have made us the people that we are and really contributed to who he developed into. And by being able to uncover those diamonds in the rough. Yeah, really being able to, to not only just display the expertise that your guests have, but also to instill confidence in the people that are listening. Right. That if that person has an expertise in something they can offer, maybe I do too. Yeah. Awesome. Well, tell me about you. How did you get into podcasting? So I got into podcasting because I was really experimenting with different ways of sharing a message I was passionate about. So I was trying to do, develop an online, uh, Christian teaching ministry.
Travis: Um, and I was just trying to find different ways to connect with people that I had never met before. Right. Cause you have your inner circle of friends, you know, the people that are kind of loosely affiliated with you, your Facebook friends list or whatever. Um, but, but I was really, uh, trying to figure out how can I make this freely available to anyone who would want to listen. And I looked at starting video and doing a youtube channel or something like that. But it’s a lot to get invested in, like getting all the gear that you need and learning all the skills. Like editing a video is times harder than editing a podcast. Oh yeah. Because you have to be concerned with lighting. Like, I have to actually comb my hair in the morning. Like, you know, I can’t, I can’t just roll out of bed in my pj’s and then flip a microphone on.
Travis: And so for me, cause I was also still working a nine to five job. I had a family, you know, I had other things that I was, I was invested in and hobbies and things that I was doing. And so I didn’t have 20, 30 hours to devote to creating content. So I needed something I could be efficient at, but that would still be able to allow me to have the impact that I wanted to have. And so that’s, that’s kind of how I fell into podcasting, how I discovered podcasting in a sense. And so, and so I actually tried one kind of podcast. It was very ambitious. Uh, you know, I think I was definitely biting off more than I could chew, uh, first off, but I learned a lot of lessons. And then, uh, the second podcast and the third podcast both did better.
Travis: Um, and so what I really love about the podcasting and though is because when you first start, nobody listens. You can make all the mistakes that you want and learn and, and you’re not as self conscious about it. Right? Right. And nobody’s going to remember those podcast anyway. Right, right. And so, so I loved that. I loved that I could kind of learn on the fly, but still continue to, to put out those episodes knowing that I was going to get better over time. And I just fell in love with it. I fell in love with the, the interaction I would have with people that listened, people riding in, emailing me, sending me messages, telling me the impact that my podcasts was having on them personally. And these are people I’ve never met before, eyes. And so to know that I would create an episode offering some kind of wisdom or insight, and then someone on the other side of the country, on the other side of the world, their life is made better because of that.
Travis: And its, there’s, there’s no, there’s no friction. There’s no, there’s no sales in between. It’s absolutely free. Just get to, to develop a relationship. Like that is so, so cool. So completely agree. Well, listen to your podcast. So, so my main podcast, my personal podcast is called the practical Christian podcast tonight. And so I will interview, uh, people that have an expertise that maybe I don’t, um, to be able to share practical tips to help people just become more effective and in living out their faith on a daily basis. And then I’ll also do short strategy episodes, so like six to 10 minutes. Like, here’s one thing you can implement very quickly, very easily to work on your own, uh, you know, kind of effectiveness.
Eric Stromquist: That’s awesome. Well, listen, we’d love to have you come on, the zen brothers podcasts and, I think you’d be a great guest on that. And, and part of, you know, is kind of like an, Oh, Paul’s lived and the, you know, the, uh, the far east for a long time. So he’s very martial arts paste and stuff like that. So it’s Kinda like, you know, part of it is east versus West principles. So Christianity definitely fits into that. And, you know, and the people have different ways, but at the end of the day, it’s about coming away with like you say, a couple of nuggets where you go, oh, I can think about this or I could try this or I could do this. It’s giving people more possibilities.
Travis: Yeah, it does. So, so podcasting has been really a passion for me for the last two years has just continued to grow. And then last year I had an opportunity to start working for Buzzsprout, which is a, you know, a podcast hosting company. We help podcasters all over the world who snob Nabo official podcasting host to control trend podcast network, which we’re very excited about that. Um, and, but I was able to come on and essentially teach other podcasts, use the skills that I had learned through my own experience. And so, so in a way, become like an everyday expert and say, okay, these are the things that I tried that didn’t work. These were the things that I tried that did work. Um, and really just dive into, you know, really without any kind of expectation or trying to get people to sign up or anything.
Travis: Just give freely all the information, all of my best wisdom that I’ve acquired just to help people, just to help people be successful. Because, you know, a rising seat lifts all ships, right? Well, I mean I can say the word, the network economy and the number one principle, the network economy was givers get go first. So, uh, so I just got to ask them. So if we brought the dead that, uh, cause I know again, I’m trying to get my community to start their own podcast. Uh, uh, what would you say to somebody that hasn’t done a podcast is maybe thinking about it and what do you see some mistakes people make they give for when you first get started? So I think the number one mistake that people make when they first get started is they think it has to be this massive success for it to be worth it.
Travis: Right? And they measure success in, in terms that aren’t really realistic, whether that’s millions of people downloading your episodes or quitting your nine to five job after a month of podcasting. Like you kind of create these false senses of what success looks like. But so what I really try and stress with people that are first getting started is that’s a lot of pressure to put on yourself. That’s not necessary, right? Right. And if you’re just starting out on your own and you’re not paying a staff of people to edit each of your episodes and paying for promotion and things like that, you don’t have to make money for it to be a successful podcast, right? That if you can create a podcast about something that you already love, that you would already talk about for free, and now have an opportunity to have that conversation with other people.
Travis: And that’s just a win, win all around. And so I really try and reorient people that are first starting out to not think about the money aspect of it, to not think about the number of people that listen, but really to focus on the depth of the impact. So for a business, it’s doesn’t have a podcast, what, why should they do it? And we’ll, we’ll sort of outdated some of the head ones, dumb, which with some of these people, but from your perspective, what have you heard from businesses when you guys should do a podcast? So I think the, the businesses that really need to focus on podcasting or content creation in general is those that are in a commodity market, right? Where it’s what, what flavor of toothpaste do you sell, right? It’s you go to the shelf and it’s, you make a decision based on the packaging, right?
Travis: And so if you’re in a commodity market where you don’t have a huge differentiation between you and your competitors, brand is what sets you apart. Yeah. Right. Creating going that extra mile. Well and having that human connection, but, but, but to me your brand becomes your personality almost, right? Because you, again, all things being equal in a commodity market, they go, oh yeah, I’ll listen to Travis as podcast, I’ll pay a few more cents for this. Right? So your brand really becomes your personality. I think companies have to have a phase that, that people can resonate with. And what it does is it protects you from the race to the bottom, right? So down in the rock here. So if you’re in a commodities business and you’re just trying to undercut your competitor by 1% 2% and then they come back and undercut you 1% 2% then everyone loses, right?
Travis: But if you can position yourself as a quality product that meets a very specific need or customers that recognize their need and you also have a brand so they feel like they have a connection to you right then, then the price no longer is a part of the equation. Is, is the differentiator. You know?
Eric Stromquist: And, and really and truly, I mean, you know, the business books I’ve read about now is, is like for example, some when these major corporations to the number one guy there, they’re hiring masters of fine art because you can’t make some of this stuff less expensively. You’ve, you, you know, if you don’t have a great product to competitively priced or not even in the conversation, hugs the true across all businesses. If you don’t have great tech support, you’re not even in the business or what is the differentiator? And that’s why, you know, GE, people like this or higher masters to fine arts or poets to try to get that sort of vibe like an iPhone has or something.
Eric Stromquist: Right? And, and I think individual businesses have the opportunity to do that through social media. But you know, what I’ve learnt here at Travis is most people were dismissing it. They’re doing it wrong. So, uh, so we’re, we’re, what I’m coming back to, the number one pushback I get is, yeah, you know, it has to be perfect. No, your first three or four podcasts or Ghana sock are, but nobody’s going to go back and listen to episode one or two or three. And then sometimes I’d go back and like go, holy smokes, what were we thinking? Right. But uh, but the, but the other thing is, you know, it’s like, unless you just got to get started, you’ll get better as time goes on. But to not have a podcast as part of your social media program I think is, is, is a big error.
Travis: Yeah. And I just want to say one more thing just kind of on this, this topic of creating a brand and developing a relationship with people that haven’t even become your customers yet. Uh, specifically when it comes to pricing, right? That all at pricing is as a story. It’s a story of what you’re communicating value eyes and a story that the customer is coming into, right? That the reason people spend more on a Mac book versus a windows computer, that that costs less than has the same specs is the story. Not just the story from Macintosh apple where they’re telling you about, you know, how it’s going to set you apart, make you, you know, unique. But then the story you tell yourself that I identify with apple as a brand and I want to communicate that with my purchases. And even though it’s a little bit more, even though it costs a bit more for maybe the same kind of computer, the story that I’m telling myself makes me feel better. And so when you can have that kind of a story, branded relationship with your customers, they don’t mind paying more for your product because they believe in the value that you’re offering. And then you don’t have to worry about the price. Travis, you are not going to get a bumper sticker because I think we need to write a book together. It’s called people will buy products, they buy stories.
Speaker 3: Um, great stuff. Tell them to our community, cause I’m putting this up. This is the first I you to say, well welcome to control talk now the smart buildings podcast because this is it this week cause I’m in Orlando. Yup. And then tell people how they get hold of you.
Travis: So the best way to get ahold of me is with my work emailTravis@buzzsprout.com if you have any questions about podcasting, hosting, microphones, anything like that, I’d love to help you out for free.
Eric Stromquist: Yeah, and Travis Travis nine now we’re, we’re new best friends. So, uh, for all the people in the smart building controls network or if you want to start a podcast and being involved in the controlled trends podcasting network, we’ve got a team because it doesn’t mind they take a village, but it does take a buzz in a sprout and a couple of guys that want to make it happen. Absolutely. Thanks for having me on Eric. Hey, well thanks for having me on. I think I’m on your show or maybe this is the way it works in a new podcasting network economy. I mean, we’re both guest on each other’s shows simultaneously. How cool is that? Very cool.
Eric Stromquist: Well there you go, man. That’s another episode of Control Talk. Now you’re Smart Buildings video cast and podcast again, remember mark your calendar now, for super bowl Sunday. If you want to be at the coolest party ever, you want to be at the ControlTrends Awards. They’ll start early and we’ll be partying afterwards. We got everything worked out February 2nd groundhog day is also super bowl Sunday, but it’s going to be at The Control Trends Awards 2019 Extravaganza. We are going to combine the best elements of the ControlTrends Awards with the Superbowl party. Yeah, and I got a gato tell yo the venue. we got is, fantastic. We’ll check. We’ll be able to get 300 people on there and I’ll be the first 300 people. So you want a party get with one of our sponsors and say, I want to go to the ControlTrends Awards and if you want to be a sponsor with us again, we have some special rates that, if you register early and sign up now , you get a special rate. All right with that, remember be bold, stay in control and have a super bowl party.
Published in Linkedin on September 27, 2018. Commercial real estate operators and building owners are adapting to the change in building automation technology that is occurring in the industry. Innovation has reshaped how we manage, operate and interact with our buildings and facilities. Connected systems, data and analytics is broadening our conversation in the world of smart buildings — engaging not only facility operators in the discussion, but the C-Suite as well.
Today, most have embraced the fact that technology is the game changer and is the cornerstone of operating buildings as an economic model. As the technology surrounding engineering design and energy management systems have evolved, so has the dialogue around smart buildings. Driven by digital transformation and a change in value propositions; changes in the role of facilities are shifting to create healthy, safe and productive environments.
A few years ago, the dialogue focused on energy, efficiency and lower operating costs.
So, what about now? What is the dialogue and conversations that are making their presence felt within our buildings and workplaces? How has it changed?
The following is a then vs. now comparison outlining how the dialogue has changed. While I am sure additional items may be added, this presents some of the important evolution that has occurred in the industry. Click here to see complete list!
As the landscape for smart buildings has evolved, so has the speak.
The dialogue today is no longer about the potential — rather it is about the reality of economics through driving operational value and business outcomes. The business of smart commercial buildings and facilities is moving beyond fear of the unknown and into a new era of empowerment.
Elon Musk on AI and the Future: How will this Change Smart Buildings?
In a rare podcast interview Elon Musk, joins Joe Rogan (one of my favs) among other things they discuss the future of AI and how it will effect everything and everyone (yes, Ken Sinclair, even Smart Buildings).
This is intriguing, scary, thought-provoking, and controversial. This is when Elon Musk allegedly smokes pot during the interview and sends Tesla stock tumbling.
Caution: please beware there is lot of bad language and behavior in this video, but it’s worth it in my humble opinion.
Episode 279: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending August 19, 2018 delivers a host of industry news and updates, featuring another FlashBack Friday: What Scotland and Smart Buildings Have in Common. Lots new at EASYIO Americas; Lynxspring brings on two new business development partners; Tridium Technical Bulletin: Cybersecurity advisory; and Belimo Distributor Zone Valve Webinar.
EasyIO Americas — Lots New! New Customer Solution System, Product Spotlight – The MIG-FE Gateway, Case Study and More. To better serve our partners, we have implemented a new tool for support requests. This will enable us to utilize our global team to provide 24/7 service, ensure that no request is overlooked, measure our effectiveness, and identify recurring problems. For all non-partner requests, we will notify your support department. Support Ticket.
Lynxspring Announces two New Business Development Managers Join Their Technology Solutions Partner Team. LEE’S SUMMIT, MO – August 14, 2018 – Lynxspring, Inc. (www.lynxspring.com), a premier developer and provider of open, IP-control solutions for building automation, energy management, and edge-to-enterprise integration, announced today that two new business development managers have joined their Technology Solutions Partner team. Joining Lynxspring are Guerry Matthews, who will be responsible for business development in the US eastern region, and Danny Kelsey, who will be responsible for business development in the southwest region of the US.
Tridium Technical Bulletin: Cybersecurity Advisory affecting Niagara AX- and Niagara 4-based Systems. Dear valued partner, in June of 2018, Tridium incorporated a number of fixes to security vulnerabilities in Niagara AX and Niagara 4 through security update releases. Click to read the technical bulletin. Two of these vulnerabilities, which are affecting Niagara systems on Microsoft Windows platforms, were reported to the National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center (NCCIC). An Industrial Control Systems (ICS) Advisory has been issued.
FlashBack Friday: What Scotland and Smart Buildings Have in Common? As we prepared for the EASY IO Global Event in Manchester, England in 2017, we made a stop in Edinburgh, the home of the Scottish Enlightenment. We believe we are in a Smart Buildings Controls Renaissance and explain the parallels as we explore Edinburgh, and explain what is relevant to what is happening in Smart Building Controls.
Belimo Distributor Zone Valve Webinar — Tue, Aug 21, 2018 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT. In this 30 minute webinar, you will learn how the Belimo ZoneTight Zone Valves are designed for maximum efficiency in tight spaces for both pressure dependent and pressure independent zoning applications. The features and benefits from installers perceptive, competitor analysis, inventory, along with the promotional items available to you. A Q&A session will follow. This webinar is available only to Belimo Distributors.
Episode 269: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings Videocast and PodCast for week ending June 3, 2018, features a review of the 2018 Realcomm|IBcon Conference in Las Vegas; updates on Johnson Controls’ Verasys Plug-and-Play Control System for Light Commercial Buildings; Project Haystack Connections Magazine Spring 2018 Issue: “Tagging the World of Data;” WHVACR 15th Annual Conference Registration; and IntesisBox Gateways offer easy-to-use and reliable solutions for system integration and control of Smart Buildings.
Johnson Controls’ Verasys® Plug-and-Play Control System for Light Commercial Buildings. Reduce Your Total Cost of Ownership: Easy-to-use controls maximize energy savings and extend equipment life—reducing operating costs. Gain Maximum Efficiency Up Front: Plug-and-play controls system cuts installation time and complexity. Simple interface delivers vital building data for immediate control of your environment. Secure remote access makes it easy to manage your building from anywhere.
Project Haystack Connections Magazine Spring 2018 Issue: “Tagging the World of Data”. The Spring 2018 issue, which is our fourth issue, of the Project Haystack Connections Magazine is published! It is growing in readership as the industry comes to understand the mission of the Project Haystack Organization and the importance of making it easy to work with the data produced by smart, connected devices and equipment systems.
WHVACR 15th Annual Conference September 19th-21st, Denver’s Brown Palace Hotel. JOIN US AS WE DEFY GRAVITY IN Denver, Colorado! RESERVE YOUR SPOT TODAY! Register before Aug. 1st and save $25 off of you registration cost. Register Now! Don’t miss the Women in HVACR 15th Annual Conference as we explore: “Defying Gravity” Join us for this exciting event as you reconnect with old friends and network with other women leaders in the HVACR industry.
IntesisBox Gateways Easy-to-Use and Reliable Solutions for System Integration and Control of Smart Buildings. IntesisBox offers a wide range of products to facilitate communication between different protocols. Based on the most used standard protocols, such as BACnet, EnOcean, KNX, LonWorks, Modbus, DALI, MBUS and many more, IntesisBox helps you integrate most of the devices currently in the market related with Home and Building automation.
IntesisBox offers a wide range of products to facilitate communication between different protocols. Based on the most used standard protocols, such as BACnet, EnOcean, KNX, LonWorks, Modbus, DALI, MBUS and many more, IntesisBox helps you integrate most of the devices currently in the market related with Home and Building automation.
Multi-protocol integration may be required in many different scenarios. From very large installations, to small projects the variety of nowadays technologies require multiprotocol integrations at all scales. Thanks to multi-protocol converters, different devices can coexist in a single management system, such as SCADA, BMS or Central Controller solutions.
Protocols are not identical, its features and design make each stand out in some applications or scenarios. For example, KNX may be clear option for homes, hotels and offices, while on the other hand BACnet or Modbus are more related to public buildings such as hospitals, airports.
IntesisBox is one of the most specialized multi-protocol gateways manufacturer. It offers a wide range of products to combine protocols for complex, functional and accurate installations. IntesisBox works and combines the following protocols: ASCII, BACnet, DALI, EnOcean, FIDELIO, KNX, LonWorks, Modbus and WiFi.
All these systems need to talk to the central controller (BMS or SCADA) which is usually only capable of talking one single protocol, while the other elements talk its own one (even if it standard).
Smart homes: Multi-protocol solutions are not just located in large facilities. A residential project, like a smart home may require a multi-protocol solution. Think of any window contact, blind actuator, light control, climate control… Again, all these devices usually use their own proprietary protocol or a standard one and in order to get them all together in your control system, you will need a multi-protocol converter to match all of them.
Learn about the new PowerScout HD!
Stop by the DENT booth #310 to see the new PowerScout HD Multi-Circuit Energy Submeters. Download your FREE EXPO PASS!
If you’ve considered adding the PowerScout meter to your toolkit, do not miss the opportunity to see us at the show. We’ll have expert staff on-hand to answer your in-depth product questions. Learn how the PowerScout can help you achieve your energy management goals in 2018 and beyond.
We’re looking forward to seeing you in Boston!
Please Join us on Tuesday 24th October 17:00 CEST for our 10th FREE Webinar in the 2017 Smart Buildings Series, Kindly Sponsored by Project Haystack.
Indoor Mapping… The Foundation of Building Intelligence Memoori Talks to Ankit Agarwal, CEO of Silicon Valley Tech Company, Micello about how Indoor Mapping will become the Foundation for Building Intelligence.
Also Don’t Forget you can now Subscribe to ALL our Content on Soundcloud and iTunes!
* How Indoor Mapping could become the foundational layer for smart buildings. Think Google Maps inside Buildings!
* How Indoor Mapping will spur on App Developers to Create Services that will Transform the way Users Interact with Buildings.
This is a really great FREE opportunity to hear an expert share their experience and knowledge in developing Indoor Mapping API’s for the Smart Building Industry.
Episode 232: ControlTalk NOW — Smart Buildings VideoCast|PodCast for week ending July 16, 2017, features our interview Smart Building Industry expert Matthew Schwartz, P.E., CEM, CBCP, Senior Associate, with Altura Associates. Make sure to take advantage of the ControlTrends Community’s special offer for Mark Jewell’s on-line Four-Day Energy-focused Boot Camp. Register for Greenbuild ABX 2017 and Belimo’s Fire & Smoke,Codes and Standards Webinar; Bueno Systems and Rycom live from RealComm|IBcon 2017; DOE releases Building America update; Meet Mexico City’s leading MSI, MRSolutiones; and ProLon’s new Flex Controllers.
GREENBUILD ABX 2017: EVERYONE, EVERY PROJECT, EVERYWHERE, WE ARE ALL IN. Boston Nov 8th-10th Register Now! Greenbuild is the world’s largest conference and expo dedicated to green building. The ideals and passion of the green building community come alive at Greenbuild. The buzz is contagious. Greenbuild brings together industry leaders, experts and frontline professionals dedicated to sustainable building in their everyday work, and a unique energy is sparked. Participants are invigorated. Inspired. They find themselves equipped to return to their jobs with a renewed passion and purpose. Register here!
Mark Jewell update! Don’t miss Mark’s Four-day Energy-focused Sales Boot Camp — Available ONLINE — Discount Code Available to ControlTrends Community. Special offer from Wall Street Journal best-selling author and award-winning sales trainer, Mark Jewell. More than a thousand professionals have taken Mark’s four-day energy-focused Sales Boot Camp over the last five years. More than 10,000 people have taken one- or two-day versions of this training. This month, for the first time time in five years, Mark is making his award-winning four-day sales training available ONLINE, both a virtual remote version of the actual 7/24-7/27/17 San Diego event, and afterwards online/on-demand for anyone who can’t make those four days in July. As a special accommodation for us, he’s making this training available to the ControlTrends Community for a reduced rate of $920.00. Sign up here and enter the discount code ControlTrends when registering to receive this special rate.
2017 RealComm/IBcon Highlight: Using data analytics to monitor elevators? And bringing the data through your single pane of glass frontend? Why not? In this RealComm|IBcon interview, hear how Leon Wurfel from Bueno Systems & Casey Witkowicz from Rycom are using analytics to transform smart building operations. BUENO is the Australian leader in data and information driven operational property services, offering a new approach to operations, maintenance and sustainability. Rycom Corporation is more than just a technology company. Rycom could be your biggest competitive advantage.
ControlTalk NOW’s featured guest is Matthew Schwartz, P.E., CEM, CBCP, Altura Associates, a mechanical engineer with diverse energy management experience encompassing new construction commissioning, building automation and controls, energy modeling, retro-commissioning, and energy auditing. Leveraging a background as a design-build contractor, Mike is skilled at achieving energy conservation using innovative technologies in the built environment in ways that recognize the importance of human capital.
DOE’s Building America: Bringing Building Innovations to Market. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Building America Program has been a source of innovations in residential building energy performance, durability, quality, affordability, and comfort for 20 years. This world-class research program partners with industry (including many of the top U.S. home builders) to bring cutting-edge innovations and resources to market.
Mexico City’s Premier Master Systems Integrator at 2017 IBcon. We had a chance to catch up with Mexico’s premier smart buildings controls system integrators, MRSoluciones out of Mexico City, our amigos Alfredo Melnik and Carlos Roman, at the 2017 IBcon product showcase. Alfredo and Carlos give us the 411 on what customers are looking for in the Smart Buildings and Building Automation Controls Market in Mexico and their thoughts on the 2017 Realcomm/IBcon show. MRSoluciones was a finalist for the 2016 ControlTrends Master Systems Integrator of the Year Award, and Alfredo and Carlos have been contributors on ControlTalk Now and are valued members of the global ControlTrends Community.
CGNA Web Institute Training Webinar Introduces ProLon’s New FlexIO Controllers. CGNA Web Institute Training Webinar Introduces ProLon’s New FlexIO Controllers, presented by ProLon’s Daniel Kerwin, Business Development Manager. The new FlexIO controllers are available from your nearby CGNA Distributor and will enable ProLon contractors to integrate new many new options/sequences (i.e., Chiller Start/Stop; control multiple exhaust fans; enable lighting based on system occupancy; monitor humidity levels; etc) to our existing products and really expand the capabilities of ProLon.
Our global network of more than 150 local dealers plays a vital role in making sure you and your people get the most from your building control system. Our clients appreciate knowing there is someone there to help throughout planning, installation and beyond.
• Offer a top-to-bottom native BACnet® system.
As part of Honeywell International Inc.’s Automation and Controls group, Alerton retains its entrepreneurial and pioneering spirit while gaining the additional financial and technological resources of a multinational Fortune 100 corporation. Our business excellence starts with superb local dealer and factory support backed by the power of Honeywell.