Bob French
75F | Chief Evangelist
Speaker
Track G: Energy Data, Tracking, and Analysis
Session G1: Advancing Intelligence: Technical Frontiers in AI
September 17, 2025 | 2:00 pm - 2:30 pm
Beyond Legacy: Rethinking Building Automation for a Smarter, More Sustainable Future
| For decades, commercial buildings have been managed using legacy control systems that were designed for a different era—an era before cloud computing, AI, and the Internet of Things (IoT). While technology has transformed industries from finance to healthcare, the built environment remains largely reliant on rigid, hardware-intensive building management systems that require manual oversight and struggle to keep up with evolving demands.This session challenges the industry to reconsider the status quo. Why do we continue to accept high capital expenditures, fragmented systems, and inefficient operations when more intelligent, adaptable solutions exist?
With increasing regulatory pressure, rising energy costs, and shifting occupant expectations, the need for smarter, more dynamic building management has never been greater. Yet the transition to modern, AI-driven automation is often hindered by concerns around cost, complexity, and interoperability. How do we bridge this gap? What role should open data standards play in ensuring seamless integration? And how can industry leaders collaborate to accelerate the adoption of scalable, future-ready solutions? |
Speaker Bio
Bob French is 75F’s Chief Evangelist and one of the company's earliest employees after joining in 2014. His mission in business for decades has been to solve big problems with technology. At 75F, Bob leads the business development team for the Americas and has deep technical knowledge of the HVAC industry.