Smart Building Expo 2025: innovative solutions and specialised training in the era of the twin transition
From today at Fiera Milano, technological integration takes centre stage: 162 exhibitors and key professional events are ready to shape the sector’s future
Milan, 19 November 2025 – SMART BUILDING EXPO 2025 opens its doors today. The international exhibition, organised by Fiera Milano in collaboration with Pentastudio, runs until 21 November 2025 at Fiera Milano and is dedicated to technological integration in the built environment. The event offers a unique opportunity for designers, engineers, and installers to experience concrete solutions firsthand and gain a comprehensive understanding of the twin transition currently transforming the world of construction.
Thanks to the presence of numerous international key players, SBE offers innovative solutions and practical guidance to navigate the evolving landscape of building automation and the transformation of buildings and cities, with a dual focus on energy transition and digital transition.
The exhibition features 162 exhibitors, of which 26% are international, representing 17 countries, with Germany, France, Turkey, Switzerland, and the USA among the most represented. The exhibition space has increased by 20% compared to the previous edition. Complementing the offering, a rich programme of workshops, training events, and networking opportunities allows professionals to explore emerging technologies, European regulations, and the tools needed to manage this period of change effectively.
“Smart Building Expo reflects a sector that has decisively embraced efficiency and digitalisation,” says Luca Baldin, Project Manager of Smart Building Expo. “Talking about the buildings of the future is no longer meaningful: today’s buildings are already capable of interacting with the grid, equipped with solutions and technologies that can autonomously manage energy and comfort, while contributing tangibly to the objectives of EPBD IV.”
TECHNOLOGY SERVING THE SMART BUILDING
At the heart of the exhibition is its technological offering, featuring building automation and control systems (BACS), AI-based energy management platforms, and fibre-optic digital infrastructures, now considered the “nervous system” of connected buildings. The solutions on display demonstrate how integrated systems and intelligent data management can deliver significant energy savings – up to 30% – through sustainable investments, while improving comfort, safety, and property value. The adoption of edge computing and self-production and self-consumption systems further transforms buildings into active nodes of smart grids, capable of interacting with the city and hosting innovative digital services.
THREE THEMATIC DAYS FOR SECTOR DEVELOPMENT
SMART BUILDING EXPO places professionals at the centre, offering a structured programme of thematic days designed to provide an in-depth understanding of the ongoing transformation. From zero-emission futures to electrification and the role of smart cities, the main events include:
- 19 November: focus on decarbonization
The first day addresses the complex challenge of achieving zero emissions. Sessions include the EPBD4 (Energy Performance Building Directive) workshop, examining the impact of the new regulation on national strategies and investments for building refurbishment, estimated at over €280 billion in Italy, with contributions from MASE, ANCE, ANIE Area Building, Adiconsum, and other key stakeholders. In collaboration with DEERNS Italia, attention will also be given to data centres, vital digital infrastructure that is increasingly energy-intensive, exploring innovative solutions from renewable energy usage to immersion cooling and AI applications.
- 20 November: focus on electrification
Various sessions will explore both the potential and the challenges of electrifying buildings, a critical element in decarbonising the building stock. The day begins with a Real Estate workshop discussing how EPBD4 is already redefining property values and investor strategies, with participation from Generali Real Estate, Teicos Group, Ricci SpA, and E-Valutations. The session highlights the real estate sector’s role in decarbonisation, both for new constructions and retrofits.
Following this, Rinnovabili.it and Prosiel will examine the gradual replacement of gas systems with heat pumps, photovoltaic systems, and electrical solutions.
A dedicated session on hospitality, Hotellerie 4.0, will showcase how automation, air quality, and immersive solutions can redefine the tourist experience.
- 21 November: from individual buildings to urban environments
The workshop From Building to City: Buildings and Cities Facing the Twin Transition will feature experts from Smart Buildings Alliance and other sector specialists. The discussions will centre on smart buildings as active nodes of smart cities, supported by technologies such as energy grids, cloud, and edge computing, alongside the implications of the new UNI 11973-2025 standard, guiding Italy’s intelligent city transformation.
SBE 2025 also reaffirms its commitment to professional training. The exhibition will once again host the National Smart Installer Meeting, focused on the professional development of installers, featuring the new European LIFE-SKEMA project, led by ENAIP. The project aims to reskill technical personnel to meet the challenges of the twin transition – both digital and energy – in the building stock.
INNOVATION SQUARES
Returning to SBE are the “innovation squares”, interactive spaces within the exhibition area offering in-depth sessions and talks with sector experts, covering building architecture, system integration, and energy efficiency.
The four 2025 squares are: From Building to City, curated by Smart Buildings Alliance; Building Automation Square, curated by AIBACS Association; Integration Square, curated by KNX Italia; and Rinnovabili District Square, curated by Rinnovabili.it.
RINNOVABILI DISTRICT: A HUB FOR INNOVATION AND DIALOGUE
A key feature of Smart Building Expo, the Rinnovabili District, managed by media company Rinnovabili, will host discussions, meetings, and an immersive exhibition area focused on emerging technologies.
Over the three days of the exhibition, this area will focus on in-depth sessions covering a range of specialised topics.
Today, 19 November, the discussions will centre on Renewable energy and emerging models, with particular attention to distributed generation, prosumer approaches, energy efficiency, and the sustainability of data centres.
On 20 November, the spotlight will shift to Renewable Energy Communities and the EPBD Directive, with detailed sessions exploring scalability, self-consumption, and the role of Energy Management Experts (EMEs).
Finally, on 21 November, the last day of the exhibition, attention will turn to Emerging technologies and smart cities, including reflections on electric mobility, urban hydrogen, and the use of artificial intelligence to optimise energy consumption.
FOCUS ON LIGHTING TECHNOLOGY
Thanks to the collaboration with ASSIL, the industrial association dedicated to lighting systems, Smart Building Expo will host an area focused on lighting technology as a strategic tool for energy efficiency.
SYNERGIES AND VALUE: THE MIBA PROPOSAL
Smart Building Expo’s focus on alternative energy and sustainable cities aligns with the vision of MIBA – Milan International Building Alliance, Fiera Milano’s format centred on sustainable, efficient, and safe buildings. SBE maintains contemporaneity with MADE Expo, Italy’s leading international construction event; SICUREZZA, a major European security and fire exhibition; and GEE – Global Elevator Exhibition, focused on vertical and horizontal mobility. This strategic synergy brings together complementary markets collaborating to shape the future of buildings and cities.
More info: www.smartbuildingexpo.it/en