The commercial building sector is shifting toward unified edge gateways that consolidate previously siloed operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT) systems into single, vendor-agnostic platforms. On April 10, Milesight announced the EG71 Building IoT Gateway, designed to address smart building integration challenges. The product launch exemplifies a broader industry movement as gateway vendors, system integrators, and building operators seek to reduce total cost of ownership and resolve persistent interoperability gaps across diverse sensor networks, building management systems (BMS), and cloud platforms.
Background
Interoperability remains a critical barrier, as many buildings combine legacy systems with modern IoT components. Standards such as BACnet and open APIs enable cross-system integration, and middleware platforms play a key role in bridging these environments. Yet according to a 2024 Forrester-Johnson Controls study cited in prior industry reporting, only 13% of commercial real estate and retail leaders report fully integrated building systems.
The market context underscores the urgency. According to Grand View Research, the global smart building market was estimated at $141.79 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $554.02 billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 18.9%. The global edge computing market was estimated at $21.4 billion in 2025 and is expected to grow from $28.5 billion in 2026 to $263.8 billion by 2035, at a CAGR of 28%, according to Global Market Insights.
Details
The EG71 is an intelligent edge IoT gateway that unifies wired and wireless connectivity in a single device, simplifying data aggregation, protocol conversion, and local control for smart building integration across both new construction and retrofit projects. With built-in support for Node-RED, Python, and Docker, it enables real-time data processing and application deployment directly at the gateway, keeping sensitive data on-site while reducing reliance on cloud infrastructure. Milesight claims the EG71's plug-in terminal design cuts on-site wiring time by up to 70% compared to traditional screw-fixed installations.
Milesight is not alone in pursuing this approach. Lynxspring, founded in 2002, develops edge-to-cloud solutions and IP technology providing connectivity, control, integration, interoperability, data access, modeling, and visualization to help users achieve operational and business outcomes. At AHR Expo 2026 in Las Vegas, the company showcased its E2E OT Data Management platform and the new AI-ready JENEsys Edge 634 controller. Robustel's Edge2Cloud Pro middleware supports common industrial, building, and power protocols such as Modbus, OPC UA, and BACnet out of the box, which the company says significantly reduces software development costs and complexity.
Cybersecurity is a parallel concern as OT-IT convergence expands the attack surface. According to Nozomi Networks, 2025 marked a tipping point for OT cybersecurity in terms of risk consolidation under the CISO. A Fortinet survey found that more than half (52%) of organizations assigned CISO/CSO responsibility for OT in 2025, up from just 16% in 2022. Experts note that an industrial IoT edge gateway must feature a hardened OS, a robust firewall, comprehensive VPN support, and secure boot capabilities to meet the security demands of converged environments.
Outlook
According to MarketsandMarkets, the global IoT market is estimated at $547.06 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $865.20 billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 9.6%. As building operators face mounting pressure to justify ROI while complying with evolving cybersecurity and energy-efficiency mandates, the role of unified edge gateways as the convergence point between OT and IT networks is expected to grow. Successful implementation will require overcoming interoperability challenges, ensuring robust security, and embracing open standards and platforms.
