Mr. Hofer, your company has made a name for itself as a specialist for large and challenging building automation projects. You handle these projects with a manageable amount of manpower. How do you achieve that?

From the very outset, our goal for the future was to automate planning operations to a far greater extent than our competitors. That means we have a high information density to draw on, right from the start of the project. In simplified terms, the process in Eplan is as follows: Instead of drawing, we select and link functions. This involves entering a number of parameters and quickly produces a data model, on a largely automated basis, from which we can extract the necessary documentation.

How do you achieve such a high level of automation?

It’s only possible if the right preliminary work has been done, because the functions and the associated links are then already stored in the system.

How did you come to use Eplan for your building automation planning?

We adopted a future-focused mindset – and Eplan helped us with that. Eplan is a great solution provider. As well as being happy to discuss things with us and listen to our wishes, it has the stated goal of expanding its presence in building automation. That was the starting point for a close working relationship that has enabled us to plan with the kind of speed and precision we now demonstrate on a daily basis.

Are those the two key advantages – speed and precision?

Speed is very important, simply because of the projects’ complexity. These are challenging building projects such as large industrial plants, hospitals and special applications – hydrogen parks, for instance. What’s more, there are far more brownfield projects than greenfield ones, which makes planning even more complex. Precision is equally important, though, because that’s what ensures planning certainty. All the functions and modules we use are tested. Nothing is simply copied and adopted as is. Instead, we add our required functions to the Eplan software ourselves.

Does that all happen automatically?

No, and nor is that our aim. We can’t automate the final 10 to 20 percent of planning work, and we don’t want to. It has to be done by a person, and this precision work forms part of our company’s expertise.

Can you give an example of how Eplan is being used on an end-to-end basis?

We use Eplan software to export the planning data we have compiled directly into the systems integrators’ controllers. We plan these program components and functions in their entirety in Eplan in advance, and they are taken over by the controller and logic elements. This example of digital continuity from hardware to software makes work easier. It also increases planning certainty and functional reliability for customers.

There is currently much discussion about digital twins in building planning. Are you benefiting from this as an Eplan user?

Definitely, although this concept has been on our radar for some time now. We have created digital twins and can also draw on planning experience based on the BACnet Standard. Highly effective mapping is possible using Eplan – a capability that extends beyond the development phase. The digital twin lives on for the entire duration of the project. That fits in perfectly with our basic principle – we plan in order to operate, not in order to build.