Technical Building Systems (TBS) and Building Automation and Control Systems (BACS) are entering a new phase. Cybersecurity is becoming an essential part ofproduct quality and resilience. The EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) accelerates this shift by setting clear, lifecycle-based requirements for all products with digitalelements. For a sector built on long lifetimes, multi‑vendor environments, and mixed‑trust networks, the CRA is both a challenge and a significant opportunity. The regulation raises expectations across engineering: practical security‑by‑design, secure‑by‑default configurations, credible upgradeability strategies, and maturevulnerability handling throughout the support period. It also clarifies responsibilities within the supply chain, enabling component suppliers, OEMs, BACS manufacturers,integrators, and operators to exchange the information needed for proportionate, real‑world risk management. The transition requires discipline but is achievable. Long‑lived building products need explicit lifecycle strategies, upgradeable devices designed for crypto agility, andresource‑constrained devices paired with realistic support windows and clear migration paths. Legacy protocols will likely remain in installed bases; they thereforerequire compensating measures in the near term and a credible modernization path toward more secure options over time. Fast reporting obligations for activelyexploited vulnerabilities create new operational readiness, strengthening trust and coordination across Europe. The good news is that the industry is already adapting. Manufacturers and associations are enhancing secure development processes, preparing coordinatedvulnerability handling, improving operational security guidance, and contributing to realistic standardization that reflects building environments. With sustained collaboration between industry, authorities, and standards bodies, the CRA can act as a true catalyst, driving better product quality, strongerinteroperability, and more trustworthy building technologies across Europe. We are at the beginning of an ambitious but promising path forward, offering a unique chanceto modernize practices and deliver more resilient buildings for decades to come.
ARGE et al. (Mon,) studied this question.