How open platforms and sustainable tech are redefining security priorities in 2025.

Open platform architectures and a focus on sustainable technologies are rapidly reshaping the landscape of physical security projects in 2025, influencing long-term value, system lifecycles, and the integration of security devices into broader operational ecosystems. While adoption varies across sectors, industry experts are witnessing a significant shift towards more informed decision-making.

The Rise of Open Platform Expectations

Open platform capabilities have long been a standard in the security industry, but the concept has evolved considerably. According to David Needham, Manager of the Architect and Engineering Program for EMEA at Axis Communications, interoperability is now a fundamental expectation.

“Open platforms are almost a given, because everyone in the supply chain expects systems to interoperate,” Needham explains. He credits industry initiatives like ONVIF for solidifying this expectation, noting that while most vendors now claim open platform compatibility, its importance remains crucial for integrators designing systems that seamlessly work across multiple vendors, technologies, and software environments.

Christian Cabirol, CTO of MOBOTIX AG, echoes this sentiment, emphasizing that openness and sustainability are no longer optional but essential differentiators. He highlights open platforms as a means to extend value beyond core video surveillance. “Our open MOBOTIX 7 and MOBOTIX ONE platforms empower partners to develop their own apps and integrations, extending system value far beyond traditional video use cases.”

This evolution empowers integrators with a wider range of tools and partnerships to meet specific customer needs. However, it also underscores the need for meticulous integration planning, especially as organizations increasingly rely on unified security, building management, and analytics ecosystems.

Sustainability Takes Center Stage

While openness is now a standard expectation, sustainability is only recently influencing procurement and system design more actively. Despite early adoption, regional regulations are compelling organizations to reconsider their technological impact.

“EU regulations are pushing businesses to act responsibly, companies signing up to science-based targets, and international certifications like BREEAM are gaining traction. But there’s still a lot more to do,” says Kenny.

One persistent challenge is the focus on upfront hardware costs rather than the broader operational expenses. Kenny argues that total cost of ownership is directly linked to sustainable choices: “Total cost of ownership and sustainability go hand in hand. Power consumption, compression efficiency, server load, and cooling requirements all have environmental and financial implications.”

Encouragingly, customers are becoming more aware of these issues. “The encouraging sign is that more customers are now asking the right questions. Sustainability is finally becoming a real factor in decision making rather than an afterthought.”

Cabirol views sustainability as a long-term commitment centered around durability, rather than a passing trend. “Our sustainability strategy focuses on long lifecycle products, software driven upgrades, and energy efficient operation,” he says. “True sustainability, in our view, means building technology that lasts and continues to evolve with our customers’ needs.”

For security systems integrators, these priorities translate into projects requiring energy-efficient cameras, reduced server loads through edge processing, and system architectures designed for longevity. Familiarity with sustainability frameworks is also essential to support customers pursuing environmental certifications.

Key Market Sectors Driving Adoption in 2025

Several key sectors across Europe and the Middle East are driving security investments this year. Data centers are experiencing rapid growth, fueled by the expanding digital environment. “Data centers are a huge driver, without a doubt,” notes Needham. “There’s more connectivity than ever, more data generation, more demand for AI. Data centers simply can’t be built fast enough to keep up.”

Government investments are also on the rise, particularly in areas such as national security, border management, and critical infrastructure. This trend is linked to global uncertainty and regional security priorities. Public sector spending extends to urban environments, with “smart city projects continu[ing] to grow as municipalities look for new ways to improve safety, mobility, and efficiency,” says Kenny.

Commercial real estate is seeing renewed momentum following the pandemic, driven by the return to workplaces and the adoption of new PropTech solutions. Established verticals like retail and transportation remain active, continuously adopting modern surveillance and analytics technology.

Cabirol identifies similar patterns, particularly in high-security environments. “In 2025, we’re seeing strong momentum in critical infrastructure, healthcare, and industrial environments,” he says, noting the increasing demand for specialized technologies like thermal and AI-based safety applications for early fire detection, process monitoring, and perimeter protection.

Growth is also evident in public sector projects related to urban security and smart city development, often relying on certified cybersecurity features and analytics-driven workflows where integrators play a vital role in deployment and ongoing system management.

The Power of Advanced Analytics and AI

Both Axis Communications and MOBOTIX are observing growing market demand for AI-driven applications, which are becoming essential in system design. The ability to analyze video in real-time is now a major requirement for data centers, industrial facilities, and smart city deployments, influencing camera selection, edge processing needs, and backend infrastructure.

Thermal imaging and AI-powered detection are particularly important in industrial and critical infrastructure spaces, supporting a wide range of safety and operational needs, including fire detection and process monitoring. These technologies help operators reduce risk while improving response times.

For integrators, the challenge lies in ensuring that analytic tools are properly configured, calibrated, and integrated into larger workflows, including linking analytics to alarms, video management systems, or building control platforms.

IT and Security Alignment

The rapid expansion of sectors like data centers and smart buildings reflects the growing convergence between information technology and physical security. Many systems now share network infrastructure, cybersecurity requirements, and cloud management expectations.

Integrators must adapt to these trends as customers request unified systems supporting both security and operational objectives. This includes designing architectures that minimize bandwidth consumption, reduce energy usage, and support flexible deployment models.

While new technologies enter the market, established sectors are also benefiting from these advancements. “While the rapid growth of new technology is driving fresh adoption, established sectors can see that the benefits of modern surveillance technology are huge – and they stretch far beyond better image quality,” says Kenny.

This shift is especially visible in transportation, retail, and public sector environments, where analytics-driven insights support both security and business intelligence.

Implications for Security Systems Integrators

As openness and sustainability become expected elements of modern security deployments, integrators must adjust their design considerations. This includes selecting hardware that supports efficient compression, optimized power usage, and reliable long-term operation.

Analytics and AI-based tools will continue to shape system requirements, particularly in industrial, healthcare, and critical infrastructure environments. Thermal imaging, early fire detection, perimeter analytics, and process monitoring are becoming mainstream needs.

Smart city and government projects will require robust cybersecurity, data privacy controls, and validated integration practices. Meanwhile, the accelerating expansion of data centers places pressure on deployment timelines, ongoing maintenance, and the need for high-availability systems.

Cabirol emphasizes that long-term value depends on flexible platforms. “Building technology that lasts and continues to evolve with our customers’ needs” supports more sustainable deployment models and reduces the frequency of large-scale hardware replacements.

The overall direction is clear: openness, sustainability, and intelligent analytics are shaping the next generation of security systems, influencing both the technology landscape and project design. As customer expectations evolve, systems integrators and consultants will play an increasingly critical role in guiding organizations through these decisions and helping them build systems prepared for long-term operational demands.