UX/UI Design · Building Operations
2026
Building Nexus
Connecting building monitoring and operations.
Connecting building monitoring and operations.
Connected building operations.
UX/UI Design · Building Operations
2026
Building Nexus
Connecting building monitoring and operations.
Connected building operations.
Brief
Building Nexus is an internal platform that brings building operations into one place for an estimated 400–500 staff. Facilities, security and management teams can monitor conditions, review alarms and coordinate work from a shared view. The platform is currently in testing.
TOOLS & TECHNOLOGIES
Lanhu & Figma · Interface design references
Frontend · 3D building views, dashboards and alarm review
Backend integration · Sensor and equipment data, alarm records and system connections
TOOLS & TECHNOLOGIES
Lanhu & Figma · Interface design references
Frontend · 3D building views, dashboards and alarm review
Backend integration · Sensor and equipment data, alarm records and system connections
Brief
Building Nexus is an internal platform that brings building operations into one place for an estimated 400–500 staff. Facilities, security and management teams can monitor conditions, review alarms and coordinate work from a shared view. The platform is currently in testing.
TOOLS & TECHNOLOGIES
Lanhu & Figma · Interface design references
Frontend · 3D building views, dashboards and alarm review
Backend integration · Sensor and equipment data, alarm records and system connections
Role
UX/UI design · Monitoring interfaces
Timeline
May–September 2026
Team
Approx. 20–30 collaborators
Platform
Web management platform · Large-screen monitoring dashboard
Role
UX/UI design · Monitoring interfaces
Timeline
May–September 2026
Team
Approx. 20–30 collaborators
Platform
Web management platform · Large-screen monitoring dashboard
One building, many systems
One building, many systems
BACKGROUND · PROJECT CONTEXT
BACKGROUND · PROJECT CONTEXT
At an existing campus in Tianjin, energy monitoring, equipment diagnosis and management decisions needed a shared context. Building Nexus explores a building-based view linking conditions and alerts to their location and the next action.
At an existing campus in Tianjin, energy monitoring, equipment diagnosis and management decisions needed a shared context. Building Nexus explores a building-based view linking conditions and alerts to their location and the next action.
One building, many systems
BACKGROUND · PROJECT CONTEXT
At an existing campus in Tianjin, energy monitoring, equipment diagnosis and management decisions needed a shared context. Building Nexus explores a building-based view linking conditions and alerts to their location and the next action.
Illustrative scope map, summarised from the project requirements.
A working building as a testbed
PILOT SETTING
The pilot brief combines existing equipment with additional sensing and system connections.
Environment & comfort
Temperature, humidity, air quality and coordinated HVAC and lighting controls.
Safety & access
Video, fire and security alerts, and people and vehicle access.
Energy & equipment
Electricity and water use, equipment condition and maintenance records.
A working building as a testbed
A working building as a testbed
PILOT SETTING
PILOT SETTING
The pilot brief combines existing equipment with additional sensing and system connections.
The pilot brief combines existing equipment with additional sensing and system connections.
A working building as a testbed
PILOT SETTING
The pilot brief combines existing equipment with additional sensing and system connections.
Illustrative scope map, summarised from the project requirements.
Illustrative scope map, summarised from the project requirements.
What needs to be brought together?
What needs to be brought together?
OPERATIONAL SCOPE
OPERATIONAL SCOPE
What needs to be brought together?
OPERATIONAL SCOPE
Environment & comfort
Environment & comfort
Temperature, humidity, air quality and coordinated HVAC and lighting controls.
Temperature, humidity, air quality and coordinated HVAC and lighting controls.
Environment & comfort
Temperature, humidity, air quality and coordinated HVAC and lighting controls.
Safety & access
Safety & access
Video, fire and security alerts, and people and vehicle access.
Video, fire and security alerts, and people and vehicle access.
Safety & access
Video, fire and security alerts, and people and vehicle access.
Energy & equipment
Energy & equipment
Electricity and water use, equipment condition and maintenance records.
Electricity and water use, equipment condition and maintenance records.
Energy & equipment
Electricity and water use, equipment condition and maintenance records.
Different responsibilities, a shared context
Different responsibilities, a shared context
INTENDED USERS
INTENDED USERS
Different responsibilities, a shared context
INTENDED USERS
Facilities teams
Facilities teams
Check conditions and equipment, review records and coordinate maintenance.
Check conditions and equipment, review records and coordinate maintenance.
Facilities teams
Check conditions and equipment, review records and coordinate maintenance.
Security staff
Security staff
Locate an alert and inspect related camera views before responding.
Locate an alert and inspect related camera views before responding.
Security staff
Locate an alert and inspect related camera views before responding.
Managers
Managers
Review operating information and demonstrate the platform’s integrated capabilities.
Review operating information and demonstrate the platform’s integrated capabilities.
Managers
Review operating information and demonstrate the platform’s integrated capabilities.
An alert needs context
An alert needs context
DESIGN FOCUS
DESIGN FOCUS
Keep a condition or alert alongside its location, equipment status and related evidence, with the controls needed to respond.
Keep a condition or alert alongside its location, equipment status and related evidence, with the controls needed to respond.
An alert needs context
DESIGN FOCUS
Keep a condition or alert alongside its location, equipment status and related evidence, with the controls needed to respond.
Building / Floor / Space
Building / Floor / Space
Condition & connected equipment
Condition & connected equipment
Related camera views
Related camera views
Available controls
Available controls
Proposed information grouping
Proposed information grouping
Building / Floor / Space
Condition & connected equipment
Related camera views
Available controls
Proposed information grouping
Context and intended tasks summarised from the product specification and technical brief.
Context and intended tasks summarised from the product specification and technical brief.
Context and intended tasks summarised from the product specification and technical brief.
Two views, one building
DESIGN CHALLENGE · INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The platform brings spatial monitoring and system management together. The design challenge is to show what needs attention at building scale, while keeping detailed records and controls easy to reach.
Spatial context, system detail
Spatial monitoring · Daytime presentation study
Locate a floor or device, read its status, and review related alerts and camera views. The building provides a shared spatial reference.
Original system demo · Power dashboard; some charts await live data
Open a specific system to inspect trends, records and settings. The workspace supports closer examination and everyday management.
Two routes into equipment detail
Information architecture
Spatial navigation and subsystem navigation lead into a consistent equipment view, keeping location, operating state and related information connected.
Schematic · locating a device within a floor
By location
Building
Floor
Room / zone
By system
Subsystem
Monitoring / records
Equipment list
Equipment context
Location, current state, related information and available controls
Two navigation paths, one shared equipment context
Keep the overview selective
At a glance
Location
Building, floor and room
Status
Current operating state
Exceptions
Alerts and related camera views
On demand
History
Trends and past records
Configuration
System and device settings
Controls
Available equipment actions
Two views, one building
DESIGN CHALLENGE · INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The platform brings spatial monitoring and system management together. The design challenge is to show what needs attention at building scale, while keeping detailed records and controls easy to reach.
Spatial context, system detail
Spatial monitoring · Daytime presentation study
Locate a floor or device, read its status, and review related alerts and camera views. The building provides a shared spatial reference.
Original system demo · Power dashboard; some charts await live data
Open a specific system to inspect trends, records and settings. The workspace supports closer examination and everyday management.
Two routes into equipment detail
Information architecture
Spatial navigation and subsystem navigation lead into a consistent equipment view, keeping location, operating state and related information connected.
Schematic · locating a device within a floor
By location
Building
Floor
Room / zone
By system
Subsystem
Monitoring / records
Equipment list
Equipment context
Location, current state, related information and available controls
Two navigation paths, one shared equipment context
Keep the overview selective
At a glance
Location
Building, floor and room
Status
Current operating state
Exceptions
Alerts and related camera views
On demand
History
Trends and past records
Configuration
System and device settings
Controls
Available equipment actions
Two views, one building
DESIGN CHALLENGE · INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE
The platform brings spatial monitoring and system management together. The design challenge is to show what needs attention at building scale, while keeping detailed records and controls easy to reach.
Spatial context, system detail
Spatial monitoring · Daytime presentation study
Locate a floor or device, read its status, and review related alerts and camera views. The building provides a shared spatial reference.
Original system demo · Power dashboard; some charts await live data
Open a specific system to inspect trends, records and settings. The workspace supports closer examination and everyday management.
Two routes into equipment detail
Information architecture
Spatial navigation and subsystem navigation lead into a consistent equipment view, keeping location, operating state and related information connected.
Schematic · locating a device within a floor
By location
Building
Floor
Room / zone
By system
Subsystem
Monitoring / records
Equipment list
Equipment context
Location, current state, related information and available controls
Two navigation paths, one shared equipment context
Keep the overview selective
At a glance
Location
Status
Exceptions
On demand
History
Configuration
Controls
The model as a spatial interface
SPATIAL ORGANISATION · NAVIGATION · STATE
The building model links floors, rooms and device locations to their system data.
01 · Begin with the building overview
Home overview · Daylight presentation study based on the original UI
Use the left menu to narrow the floor within the active page. Top tabs change the subsystem scene; the matching icons connect each tab to its destination.
Left-hand floor selector
Select 2F in Home
The floor belongs to the active page.
Top tabs → Corresponding scene
Smart power
Switchgear room
HVAC
2.5D → floor controls
Lighting
Building cutaway
02 · Choose a floor within the active view
The left menu sets the floor within each page. Home reveals rooms and sensors; HVAC shows that floor’s circuits and controls. The examples below begin in different pages.
Home · Rooms & sensors
Home is active
Select 2F in the left menu
Home · 2F design with a sensor information popup
Inspect a sensor in context
Room geometry, sensor markers and the open temperature/humidity panel share the same view. Environmental readings and trends sit beside the model.
HVAC · Floor circuits
First: open HVAC → 2.5D
Then: select 4F in the left menu
HVAC · Original 4F / 2.5D design
Read the selected floor’s HVAC circuit
Selecting 4F highlights its circuit and device points. Air-conditioning panels, valve settings and a temperature chart remain beside the diagram.
03 · Switch the monitored system from the top tabs
Smart power and Lighting open different subsystem scenes. The outlined top tab in each image identifies the selected system; these are not floor changes.
Smart power · Switchgear room
Spatial reference
Low-voltage room · Switchgear cabinets
Operating context
Transformer load · Demand · Branch electricity use
The cabinet arrangement gives spatial context; the surrounding panels show load, demand and electricity-use breakdowns.
Lighting · Building view
A building view for lighting
The cutaway relates lighting to the building, while the surrounding panels show online, working and alarm states, occupancy and lighting energy.
Explore the original UI
The model links location and operating context; the system workspace supports detailed management. Interactive controls use sample data.
The model as a spatial interface
SPATIAL ORGANISATION · NAVIGATION · STATE
The building model links floors, rooms and device locations to their system data.
01 · Begin with the building overview
Home overview · Daylight presentation study based on the original UI
Use the left menu to narrow the floor within the active page. Top tabs change the subsystem scene; the matching icons connect each tab to its destination.
Left-hand floor selector
Select 2F in Home
The floor belongs to the active page.
Top tabs → Corresponding scene
Smart power
Switchgear room
HVAC
2.5D → floor controls
Lighting
Building cutaway
02 · Choose a floor within the active view
The left menu sets the floor within each page. Home reveals rooms and sensors; HVAC shows that floor’s circuits and controls. The examples below begin in different pages.
Home · Rooms & sensors
Home is active
Select 2F in the left menu
Home · 2F design with a sensor information popup
Inspect a sensor in context
Room geometry, sensor markers and the open temperature/humidity panel share the same view. Environmental readings and trends sit beside the model.
HVAC · Floor circuits
First: open HVAC → 2.5D
Then: select 4F in the left menu
HVAC · Original 4F / 2.5D design
Read the selected floor’s HVAC circuit
Selecting 4F highlights its circuit and device points. Air-conditioning panels, valve settings and a temperature chart remain beside the diagram.
03 · Switch the monitored system from the top tabs
Smart power and Lighting open different subsystem scenes. The outlined top tab in each image identifies the selected system; these are not floor changes.
Smart power · Switchgear room
Spatial reference
Low-voltage room · Switchgear cabinets
Operating context
Transformer load · Demand · Branch electricity use
The cabinet arrangement gives spatial context; the surrounding panels show load, demand and electricity-use breakdowns.
Lighting · Building view
A building view for lighting
The cutaway relates lighting to the building, while the surrounding panels show online, working and alarm states, occupancy and lighting energy.
Explore the original UI
The model links location and operating context; the system workspace supports detailed management. Interactive controls use sample data.
The model as a spatial interface
SPATIAL ORGANISATION · NAVIGATION · STATE
The building model links floors, rooms and device locations to their system data.
01 · Begin with the building overview
Home overview · Daylight presentation study based on the original UI
Use the left menu to narrow the floor within the active page. Top tabs change the subsystem scene; the matching icons connect each tab to its destination.
Left-hand floor selector
Select 2F in Home
The floor belongs to the active page.
Top tabs → Corresponding scene
Smart power
Switchgear room
HVAC
2.5D → floor controls
Lighting
Building cutaway
02 · Choose a floor within the active view
The left menu sets the floor within each page. Home reveals rooms and sensors; HVAC shows that floor’s circuits and controls. The examples below begin in different pages.
Home · Rooms & sensors
Home is active
Select 2F in the left menu
Home · 2F design with a sensor information popup
Inspect a sensor in context
Room geometry, sensor markers and the open temperature/humidity panel share the same view. Environmental readings and trends sit beside the model.
HVAC · Floor circuits
First: open HVAC → 2.5D
Then: select 4F in the left menu
HVAC · Original 4F / 2.5D design
Read the selected floor’s HVAC circuit
Selecting 4F highlights its circuit and device points. Air-conditioning panels, valve settings and a temperature chart remain beside the diagram.
03 · Switch the monitored system from the top tabs
Smart power and Lighting open different subsystem scenes. The outlined top tab in each image identifies the selected system; these are not floor changes.
Smart power · Switchgear room
Spatial reference
Low-voltage room · Switchgear cabinets
Operating context
Transformer load · Demand · Branch electricity use
The cabinet arrangement gives spatial context; the surrounding panels show load, demand and electricity-use breakdowns.
Lighting · Building view
A building view for lighting
The cutaway relates lighting to the building, while the surrounding panels show online, working and alarm states, occupancy and lighting energy.
Explore the original UI
The model links location and operating context; the system workspace supports detailed management. Interactive controls use sample data.
From readings to action
BY SYSTEM · CONNECTED WORKFLOWS
Start with an overview, investigate a reading, choose a control and review the result. These examples share a task pattern; each subsystem has its own navigation path.
A shared task path
01 · Read
System overview
02 · Analyse
Scope & compare
03 · Control
Choose a mode
04 · Review
Task & record
Reading order across selected examples. Each entry path below names the relevant subsystem.
Read the system overview
01 · READ / SMART POWER
Smart power brings readings and trends together. Its sidebar provides the next step into controls and records.
Smart power · Complete original dashboard
1
Current condition
Key readings establish the current operating state.
2
Change over time
Trends and breakdowns put individual readings in context.
3
Choose a task
The sidebar opens a focused query, control or history view.
Continue within Smart power
Overview
Sidebar · Demand management
Automatic / Manual tabs
Sidebar · Control history
Investigate a reading
02 · ANALYSE / ENERGY
Energy offers two analytical routes: compare a period in Data query, or choose equipment in Load query. Both retain their filters beside the result.
Compare a period
Energy → Data query
Choose a subject and period, then compare curves and change indicators.
Focus on equipment
Energy → Power quality → Load query
Choose an object in the tree to compare its electrical curves.
Choose a control mode
03 · CONTROL / SMART POWER
From the Smart power sidebar, Demand management opens two mode tabs. Both keep the target demand and operation timeline in view.
Smart power → Sidebar: Demand management → Mode tabs
Automatic · Rules
Set thresholds, priority and equipment actions in a rule table.
Manual · Direct adjustment
Adjust equipment settings, then apply the selected mode.
After an operation, use Demand control history in the sidebar to review earlier actions.
A parallel control path: lighting
03 · CONTROL / LIGHTING
The same mode-selection pattern appears in Lighting. Manual acts on devices; Timetable defines when a schedule applies. Linked mode is another alternative.
Lighting → Sidebar: Circuit management → Mode tabs
Manual · Device controls
Select an area, find a device and use its on/off control.
Timetable · Effective dates
Select areas or circuits, then assign dates and weekday schedules.
Follow a task into its record
04 · REVIEW / EQUIPMENT
Equipment inspection shows the review pattern: find a task record, choose Browse and inspect the point-level result.
Equipment → Inspection records → Browse → Point-level detail
Task records
Progress and status help locate a task. Browse opens its detailed record.
Point-level detail
The task summary stays above the point list; select a point to inspect its evidence.
Further examples
Selected original Lanhu artboards; values and dates are prototype examples. Open a screen to view the complete original.