“Without intelligent valves, there are no smart building services”
The trends towards greater digitalisation and sustainability are rapidly changing building services. This is also transforming the role of valves: From purely functional components, they are becoming intelligent nodes in networked systems that record and analyse data and automatically adapt their operating behaviour. In an interview with “Stream of Stories”, Daniel Manß, product manager for building services valves, explains how KSB is driving this development.
Stream of Stories: In which building services applications are KSB valves used?
Daniel Manß: As a full-range supplier, KSB provides solutions for almost all building services requirements. Our valves are used in a wide variety of building types – from residential buildings, in particular in two-family and multi-dwelling buildings, to non-residential buildings such as offices and public buildings through to data centres and industrial plants.
Our product portfolio includes globe valves, butterfly valves, strainers, swing check valves, and other valve types. KSB also offers comprehensive solutions for hydraulic balancing, including static balancing valves, differential pressure regulators and pressure-independent control valves. These are complemented by automation solutions such as measuring systems for monitoring heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) and intelligent control valves for automated balancing of hydraulic systems.
What requirements do valves have to fulfil in building services today?
Legal regulations such as the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the German Buildings Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz , GEG) which is derived from this, the EU taxonomy and ESG criteria are continuously increasing the requirements for building services. Their objective is to achieve climate-neutral or even energy-positive operation of buildings.
There is thus a growing focus on aspects such as recyclability and carbon footprints. The components used are also being increasingly scrutinised. Aspects such as the product carbon footprint (PCF), life cycle analyses (LCA) and environmental product declarations (EPD) are becoming more and more important. In addition, investors and operators are attaching greater importance to a holistic view of operating costs, i.e. total cost of ownership (TCO).
Networked intelligent systems are crucial for optimising energy consumption and the long-term costs of buildings. Valves play an important role in this. Without smart valves, there are no smart building services – valves are no longer just flow regulators, but networked interfaces that can be controlled remotely by centralised process control systems. Through seamless integration into IoT environments, they serve as intelligent controllers in heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems.
What are the specific challenges in building services?
Buildings are among the largest energy consumers in Europe: They are responsible for around 30 to 40 % of the total energy requirement. Non-residential buildings such as offices, production facilities or public institutions consume a particularly high percentage of this energy. Although they only account for around 9 % of the building stock in Germany, they are responsible for around 36 % of building-related energy consumption. This discrepancy makes them the target of current and future legal requirements which are aimed at significantly reducing energy consumption. From the end of 2026, residential buildings will also be increasingly affected by stricter regulations.
This poses wide-ranging challenges for both operators and manufacturers of pumps and valves. The ability to precisely monitor heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems (HVAC) is key, as you can only optimise what you can measure. Future systems must also be able to adapt automatically to changing operating conditions and independently carry out hydraulic balancing.
One answer to this is intelligent control solutions such as the BOA-Systronic ePIC all-in-one valve. It combines monitoring, control and optimisation in a single control valve. The integrated control functions and intuitive app control make commissioning particularly user-friendly. Thanks to the standardised face-to-face length to EN 558-1, the valve can also be easily retrofitted in existing systems without requiring any major work.
What role does digitalisation play here?
Directly integrated monitoring functions in pumps and valves enable real-time operating status analysis. Smart automation solutions can then dynamically adapt the system to changing operating conditions – for example in the event of fluctuating use of buildings, the conversion or repurposing of office spaces or in hybrid building concepts. Continuous monitoring of relevant operating parameters reduces energy costs, creates transparency, increases operating reliability and enables predictive maintenance.
What aspects of the German Buildings Energy Act do you have to take into account in your products?
The energy efficiency requirements for building services systems are continually increasing, in particular due to legal requirements such as the German Buildings Energy Act (Gebäudeenergiegesetz, GEG). One of the key requirements is the systematic minimisation of the total primary energy needed in new buildings and refurbishments. The main ways of achieving this goal are hydraulic balancing, integrated monitoring systems and a high degree of system automation.
The integration of renewable energy sources and the use of waste heat – for example as part of decentralised energy supply concepts such as local or district heating or cooling – are also becoming increasingly mandatory. There is also a greater focus on the sustainability of the products used, particularly with regard to their carbon footprint.
How can building services contribute to the conservation of resources and sustainability?
The building sector accounts for around 30 to 40 % of the total energy demand – 70 % of which is for heating rooms and hot water alone. Building services therefore offer a variety of levers for reducing energy consumption, emissions and material usage.
A key starting point is the optimisation of heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems. For example, hydraulic balancing ensures even heat distribution, avoids oversupply and reduces unnecessary energy consumption. In addition, digital monitoring solutions create transparency regarding energy and water consumption. The data obtained enables targeted optimisation of operating parameters and helps to identify inefficiencies at an early stage.
The integration of renewable energies – such as solar thermal energy, heat pumps or geothermal energy – also plays an important role in reducing the carbon footprint. However, this also increases the complexity of such HVAC systems and local and district heating networks, making smart and interconnected control solutions indispensable for ensuring efficient and cost-effective operation.
This not only goes for the operation of buildings, but also increasingly applies to the manufacture of the components used. In addition to energy efficiency, the conservation of resources over the entire product life cycle is becoming ever-more important. Low-maintenance systems with a long service life reduce material input and minimise the environmental impact because they need replacing less often and require less maintenance.
What is building information modelling and why is it important for building services planning?
As part of the progressive digitalisation of the construction industry, building information modelling (BIM) has established itself as the new standard in the planning of building services systems. The model-based, collaborative work method ensures precise and consistent planning across all project phases – from the initial idea through to operation. KSB supports consultants with comprehensive BIM data and digital tools that enable smooth integration of the products into modern planning processes.
