Meet Paul Murphy – The Mind Behind Intecho

Intecho is redefining what it means to live and work in connected spaces. From luxury residences to landmark commercial developments, the company has built a reputation as one of the UK’s leading specialists in smart building technology, delivering intelligent solutions that make buildings more efficient, sustainable and genuinely human-centric.

With a clear focus on outcomes over features, Intecho designs and delivers environments that don’t just respond to today’s needs, but anticipate the demands of tomorrow. We sat down with Paul Murphy, the Director and Co-Founder of Intecho to talk growth, leadership, sustainability, innovation, and what the future really looks like for smart buildings.

So, Paul… Intecho has been growing rapidly – what’s behind that success, and how do you keep the pace?

Growth isn’t just about numbers; it’s about trust. Our momentum comes from delivering intelligent solutions that make buildings measurably better, they are more efficient, more sustainable and more comfortable for the people using them every day.

We focus on outcomes rather than features, work seamlessly across sectors, and stay relentlessly client-first. When partners experience faster commissioning, smoother operations and happier occupants, they invite us back. That trust compounds over time, and that’s what sustains growth.

What’s your long-term vision for the company and the role smart building technology will play in the next decade?

If you think buildings are smart now, just wait. We see buildings becoming adaptive, grid-interactive and wellbeing-centric – spaces that learn, respond and anticipate.

Intecho’s role is to stitch together open systems, data and human experience into one intelligent fabric. Over the next decade, we’ll help clients move from automation to autonomy: predictive control, continuous performance tuning and platforms that align energy, comfort and cost, without adding complexity.

You’ve led Intecho from a start-up to one of the UK’s leading smart-tech specialists. What leadership lessons have shaped you most along the way?

Leadership is less about titles and more about habits. Hire for character as well as skill. Keep design simple and communication clear. Stay close to the work because nothing replaces time on site.

Measure what truly matters, empower people to make decisions, and learn quickly from mistakes. Most importantly, celebrate the wins and the people behind them.

What’s something about Intecho’s culture that people might not see from the outside?

‘Building Smarter, Living Better’ isn’t just a slogan – it’s how we work day-to-day. What people don’t always see is how much we care about the details. We obsess over documentation, commissioning and handover because we want the client experience to feel effortless.

Internally, it’s all about teamwork. No egos – just engineers, programmers and project managers working side by side to solve problems together. We also invest heavily in training and mentoring, because great buildings come from teams that never stop improving.

How do you keep teams aligned when you’re working across commercial property, hospitality, and high-end residential all at once?

Three sectors, one playbook. We rely on shared standards, open protocols and modular solutions that scale up or down depending on the project.

Weekly ‘war rooms’ keep momentum high, and every decision is anchored back to client outcomes, which are comfort, energy performance and user experience. Lessons move fast across sectors, so a breakthrough in hospitality can improve a commercial tower almost immediately.

Smart buildings are evolving fast. What trends are you most excited about right now?

The future isn’t coming, it’s already here! We’re seeing the real convergence of IT and OT, edge intelligence and real-time analytics.

Digital twins are transforming commissioning and long-term optimisation. Occupancy-aware control is boosting efficiency while respecting privacy. And seamless integrations – lighting, HVAC, shading and access, are working together to elevate comfort while reducing energy use.

Where do you see the biggest opportunities for buildings to reduce carbon and improve efficiency through intelligent control systems?

If you want real impact, start with HVAC. Dynamic setpoints, zoning and continuous commissioning deliver significant gains quickly.

Layer in occupancy-based control, demand response to flatten energy peaks and predictive maintenance to prevent waste before it happens. Tie it all together on an open, simple platform and efficiency becomes a daily habit – not a one-off project.

Tech is moving at pace. How does Intecho stay ahead of the curve?

We don’t chase trends, we test them. We stay vendor-agnostic, prototype quickly and only scale what proves real value.

Our engineers train continuously, we prioritise open standards, and we build long-term partnerships with manufacturers and consultants who share our focus on reliability, security and usability.

What’s the biggest misconception people have about smart building automation?

That it’s complicated and expensive. In reality, when systems are designed around people and driven by the right data, smart control is simple, scalable and pays for itself, through lower energy use, reduced maintenance, improved comfort and greater transparency.

You’ve worked on some incredible projects, from St James Quarter in Edinburgh to luxury residences. Which project stands out to you and why?

Two projects stand out for me… The first is the new NATO headquarters in Brussels – being trusted to deliver on a project of that scale and importance was a huge honour.

The second is St James Quarter in Edinburgh. Described as the largest project in Scotland in a generation, it pushed us to integrate technology across an enormous retail and leisure environment. The complexity was significant, but seeing it come to life was incredibly rewarding.

Can you share an example of smart-tech having a measurable impact on a building’s performance or running costs?

Numbers always tell the story. One client achieved a step change simply by optimising schedules, setpoints and occupancy logic across HVAC and lighting.

Within the first year, energy spend dropped, comfort improved and maintenance callouts reduced, because the building was responding to real usage, not a fixed timetable.

What’s the biggest challenge the building automation industry is facing right now?

Integration is the elephant in the room. Legacy platforms, siloed data and growing cybersecurity risks slow progress significantly.

Add procurement models that prioritise lowest upfront cost over lifecycle value, and performance suffers. The solution lies in open standards, clear data ownership and outcome-based specifications. The good news is that more clients and funders are recognising the upside – better sustainability ratings, improved efficiency and higher asset value.

How do you navigate projects with multiple contractors, consultants, and stakeholders involved?

Clarity beats complexity. We establish a single source of truth early, define roles clearly and insist on collaborative design reviews.

Robust change control protects the programme, while transparent commissioning criteria ensure everyone understands what ‘done’ looks like before work begins.

What’s one thing that frustrates you about the industry, and one thing that inspires you?

The frustration is lowest-cost tendering that ignores performance, payback and user experience.

The inspiration comes from clients who genuinely champion sustainability and comfort, and from the teams who turn complex buildings into spaces that feel effortless to use.

Where do you see the biggest growth area for Intecho in the next 2–3 years?

Retrofit is the sleeping giant. The vast majority of the UK’s building stock is already built, much of it decades ago.

Performance-led upgrades across commercial and hospitality environments, delivered with minimal disruption offer huge potential. Add analytics, continuous commissioning and intuitive occupant interfaces, and value is unlocked fast.

If you could predict one major shift in how buildings operate by 2030, what would it be?

Buildings will think for themselves. They’ll become autonomous participants in energy systems – modulating demand, storing energy and even trading it, while continuously tuning indoor environments to support wellbeing.

What can clients expect next from Intecho?

More than automation – true optimisation. Smarter analytics, cybersecurity built in from day one and open architectures that keep control in the client’s hands.

We’re also expanding service packages that make optimisation effortless, with clear dashboards, proactive tuning and support that feels like an extension of your own team.

What’s one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?

I’m still happiest in a hard hat. I love being out on site, walking the floors, soaking up the atmosphere and listening to the craic. Seeing a project come to life, from first sketches to final handover, it never gets old!

What’s the funniest thing that has ever happened on a site visit?

One corridor briefly turned into a Broadway show. A mis-addressed sensor made the lights chase us down the hallway. We fixed the logic – but the nickname stuck!

What three words would your team use to describe you (and do you agree)?

Curious. Calm. Relentless.

Most days, I agree – especially with the curious part.

If you weren’t running Intecho, what would you be doing?

Driving in Formula 1, playing golf to a genuinely decent level, or leading the line as centre-forward for Everton.

Intecho’s story is one of thoughtful growth, technical excellence and an unwavering focus on people. By blending innovation with simplicity, and technology with human experience, the company is helping redefine how buildings perform, and not just on paper, but in real life.

As smart buildings move from automation to autonomy, Intecho is positioning itself not just as a technology provider, but as a long-term partner, helping clients unlock efficiency, sustainability and comfort today, while building environments ready for the future.

Ready to make your building work smarter? Talk to Intecho about intelligent systems that deliver real performance.