Concept Reply and Storm Reply: ebm-papst neo makes fan systems smart and unlocks cost savings of up to 70 percent

Concept Reply, an expert in AI and IoT technologies, and Storm Reply, specialising in cloud and AI solutions, have provided significant support to ebm-papst neo, the digital unit of fan manufacturer ebm-papst, in developing the NEXAIRA.CORE platform. Together, the teams implemented the IT infrastructure and backend while migrating ebm-papst neo's proprietary digital service algorithms into a scalable cloud environment.

NEXAIRA.CORE forms the digital backbone of the NEXAIRA product family: The platform connects fans and ventilation components across multiple manufacturers, consolidates their operational data in a central cloud environment, and delivers full transparency into the condition, energy consumption, and efficiency of every individual component. Building on this data foundation, NEXAIRA identifies operational inefficiencies and derives concrete optimization measures. When combined with a fan retrofit, it enables savings of up to 70 percent in legacy systems compared to conventionally controlled setups.

Across commercial buildings, data centers, and industrial facilities, ventilation, heating, and cooling systems rank among the largest energy consumers. These systems typically operate on rigid schedules or fixed thresholds, regardless of actual load, outdoor temperatures, or occupancy patterns. This is precisely where NEXAIRA comes in: The platform detects when systems are running beyond necessary levels or where wear and tear begins to set in, providing specific, actionable recommendations to ensure more efficient, sustainable operations. Measures are automatically prioritized based on savings potential and urgency, enabling operators to take immediate action.

This is powered by the specialized analytics and digital service algorithms developed by ebm-papst neo. Behind the scenes, the platform uses an IoT gateway controller to continuously ingest operational data from all fans and ventilation components, consolidating it within a central cloud architecture. This forms the basis for a digital twin: a virtual replica of the systems that highlights optimization opportunities and service interventions to guarantee efficient, reliable operation.

Dr. Waldemar Wagner, Director of Product Management at ebm-papst neo, explains: “With NEXAIRA, we don’t just show our customers what is happening inside their system. The platform tells them specifically what steps to take. Instead of reacting to malfunctions after the fact, they can proactively manage operations based on reliable data and identify optimization opportunities early on. Our deep system and application expertise has been built into every analysis. We owe our ability to bring this vision to market within just a few months to the professional support of Concept Reply and Storm Reply.”

The partners are already working on the next stage of the platform: By integrating specialised AI models, NEXAIRA will in the future be able to independently adjust and optimize operating parameters based on weather forecasts, occupancy data, and load predictions. With every connected device, the platform’s data set expands, continuously improving the quality of its analyses and recommendations. This creates a data-driven competitive advantage for NEXAIRA users in conjunction with ebm-papst fans, which grows stronger with every new application.