Building Engines

The implementation process for Building Engines software typically follows a structured approach like general software implementation methodologies.

Project Kick-off: This initial phase involves gathering all stakeholders, including the tech team and end-users, to set clear objectives and achievable timelines. This collaborative effort ensures smooth execution.

Data Migration: This step involves transferring existing data to the new system, ensuring data integrity, and preventing discrepancies.

Configuration and Customization: The software is configured and customized to meet the specific needs of the business. This step is crucial as it adapts the software to unique business processes while maintaining compatibility with future updates.

System Integration: Ensuring that the new software integrates seamlessly with existing systems to enhance workflow continuity and reduce disruptions.

User Training: Tailored training sessions are conducted based on different user roles to accelerate adoption. Hands-on practice and real-life scenarios are emphasized to make training more impactful.

Testing and Quality Assurance: Rigorous testing, including User Acceptance Testing (UAT), is performed to ensure the software meets all requirements and is free from bugs. Feedback from UAT helps refine the system before final deployment.

Deployment and Go-live: The software is deployed, often using a phased roll-out approach to minimize disruptions. Continuous monitoring and support are provided to address any initial issues.

Building Engines software can indeed be customized to fit specific business needs.

Tenant Service Modules: Users can access a secure client-branded portal, select issue types from a list of building-specific issues, add free text details, and create custom fields upon request.

Work Order Manager: Management features include the ability to submit issues across multiple buildings, assign and reassign issues, create escalation protocols, and bulk update options for preventive maintenance tasks.

Vendor Portal: Management can create detailed vendor records, enter contract information, track upcoming contract expirations, and auto-notify vendors of new or updated requests. Vendors can also add free text details to work orders and upload documentation such as invoices.

Inspections: Users can create ad-hoc or scheduled inspections using a simple drag-and-drop builder, choose from various question styles, and collect data using mobile apps.

Building Engines offers personalized quotes based on property type, use case, and specific business needs, with costs varying significantly depending on the implementation scope. The company does not provide a free trial or plan, and pricing is determined by the size of the business and required features. Reviews suggest that Building Engines can be expensive, with each feature potentially adding to the overall cost, potentially leading to additional charges for advanced features or modules.

Building Engines offers comprehensive training and support services to help users effectively utilize their software. They provide role-based training sessions for different user roles, such as engineers, designers, and UX professionals, to help users understand how to build accessible features. The support center includes training guides and FAQs for each module within the platform. Building Engines also provides a 24/7 accessible support center, migration services, and guided onboarding for new users. They also offer ongoing support, including self-service support, live expert assistance, and account management, to ensure continuous success with the software.

To protect sensitive data, it is essential to implement robust access controls, data classification, encryption, physical security, network security, vulnerability management, and incident response. Access controls, such as role-based access, multi-factor authentication, and regular audits, are crucial for preventing unauthorized access. Data classification based on sensitivity levels helps prevent misuse or unauthorized access. Encryption, both at rest and in transit, is a standard practice. Physical security involves securing access to facilities, servers, and data centers through measures like video surveillance and disposal of old hardware. Network security involves firewalls, segmentation, and continuous monitoring for suspicious activities. Regular vulnerability scanning, security patches, and penetration testing help identify and mitigate potential security risks. A well-defined incident response plan and dedicated security teams are crucial for minimizing potential breaches.

Building Engines releases updates regularly to address bug fixes, security patches, and new features. The process involves identifying, testing, deploying, and installing software patches, including synchronization, scanning, testing, deployment, and monitoring. The company communicates updates, release notes, and required actions to customers through various channels, such as email notifications, in-app messages, or customer portals. They also provide support resources to assist customers during the update process. Automated deployment tools are used to ensure efficiency and minimize manual intervention, resulting in faster response times and improved security. Building Engines communicates these updates to customers through various channels, including email notifications, in-app messages, and customer portals.

Data Ownership: Building Engines emphasizes that your data is always your data. This means that the customer retains ownership of their data even when it is stored on the Building Engines' platform. The Software License Agreement (SLA) should address data ownership rights, ensuring that customers have control over their data.

Data Portability: In the event that a customer decides to part ways with Building Engines, there should be a pre-defined data separation timeline. This ensures that customers can retrieve their data and transition smoothly to another platform. Building Engines may retain a copy of the data for their records, but the primary ownership and control remain with the customer.

Data Security: Building Engines employs several security measures to protect data, including encryption during upload, download, and storage in the cloud. They also use SAML Single Sign-On for secure authentication and authorization, allowing customers to manage system users and define permissions efficiently.

Building Engines' terms of service provide flexibility for scaling up or down as organizational needs change:

Service Adjustments: Customers can scale their use of Building Engines' services based on their changing needs. This includes adjusting the number of users, features, or modules as required by the organization.

Order Forms and Agreements: Any changes to the scope of services, such as scaling up or down, are typically managed through order forms or statements of work that reference the main agreement. This ensures that both parties are clear on the terms and any associated costs.

No Obligation to Maintain Data: Building Engines states that they have no obligation to maintain or provide any customer data unless legally required. This implies that customers should ensure they have appropriate data backup and retrieval processes in place when scaling down or terminating services.

Building Engines contracts typically renew automatically for successive terms equal to the immediately preceding term, unless either party provides notification of intent not to renew. This notification must be given no later than 30 days before the expiration of the current term. Customers can terminate their contract at any time via the User Portal under conditions such as material breach, negative impact, abuse or harassment, or other causes stated in the agreement. Building Engines may terminate the agreement prior to the end of the term under these conditions.

Upon termination, Building Engines will provide a prorated refund of any unused fees paid annually in advance for services beyond the date of termination, adjusted for any discounts rendered void due to termination and any other amounts owed by the customer. Building Engines has no obligation to maintain or provide any customer data after termination unless legally required, and customers are responsible for maintaining offline backups of their data.

Building Engines software meets several compliance standards to ensure data security and regulatory adherence:

Data Security: Building Engines employs robust security measures, including encryption during data upload, download, and storage in the cloud. They also use SAML Single Sign-On for secure authentication and authorization.

Privacy Policies: Building Engines has privacy and security policies that are regularly updated and can be viewed on their software platform. These policies ensure compliance with data protection regulations and industry standards.

Real-Time Analysis and Reporting: The platform provides real-time analysis and reporting of security and compliance through every point of building operations. This helps organizations automate day-to-day operations and pinpoint critical improvement areas, ensuring ongoing compliance with relevant standards.

Insurance and Risk Management: Building Engines includes modules for managing insurance and third-party risk, ensuring compliance with COI (Certificate of Insurance) requirements and other regulatory obligations.