Imperium Building Systems: Redefining Intelligent Luxury Living
In this LPF Industry Leaders Interview, Founder Priya Rawal sat down with Chris Thorne, Partner at Imperium Building Systems, a business operating at the forefront of intelligent building integration within the super-prime residential sector.
Bridging the traditionally separate worlds of Building Management Systems and high-performance audio-visual technology, Chris has built a proposition centred on true integration. By bringing together environmental control, energy, security, entertainment and wellness into a single, coherent ecosystem, Imperium is redefining how technology supports modern luxury living, not as an addition, but as an essential part of the overall experience. At The LPF we love to get to know the leaders behind the amazing companies underpinning the luxury property sector.
Hi Chris, please introduce yourself and your role within the luxury property sector.
I’m Chris Thorne, Imperium Building Systems designs, engineers and delivers fully integrated Building Management Systems (BMS) and high-performance Smart Home, audio-visual automation solutions for luxury residential properties.
What makes us distinctive is that we bridge two worlds that traditionally operate in silos: intelligent building infrastructure and experiential AV technology. By integrating environmental controls, lighting, climate, energy optimisation, security, entertainment and wellness systems into one coherent ecosystem, we create homes that are not only technologically advanced, but intuitive, sustainable and deeply human in how they respond to the people living in them.
What drew you to Imperium?
I was driven by frustration and opportunity.
The luxury home technology sector has historically been fragmented, overcomplicated and often poorly coordinated. Clients were left navigating multiple consultants, conflicting advice and technology that didn’t truly serve how they lived.
I was previously working for Honeywell, managing a sales budget of close to £5million while supporting consultants and contractors to design and specify control systems for commercial real-estate. By chance I became involved in a landmark luxury MDU construction scheme where the integration challenge between the BMS and AV technologies focussed my attention on an industry-wide problem in luxury residential developments. In response I founded my own business which aimed to tackle this problem head on. My ambition was to simplify a complex industry and elevate home technology linked to environmental control from a bolt-on service to a strategic component of luxury living. I later merged with Imperium and became the 4th Partner in the business. With a shared belief that technology should enhance architecture, wellness and lifestyle, and not compete with it, that philosophy still drives everything we do today.
Image credit: Knowles Construction & HBA Residential
What sets apart personally and what makes Imperium stand out from others in the luxury property sector?
I challenge the status quo. It’s what drives me in an industry that is often set in its ways. For too long, the interplay between essential environmental control systems, and those geared towards aesthetics, interior design and entertainment has been fragmented and reactive. I’ve helped build Imperium around the principle that BMS and AV should not exist in isolation. By integrating building intelligence and experiential technology into one coherent ecosystem, we elevate both performance and experience. I believe that philosophy is still relatively rare in the luxury residential sector.
I’m also deeply committed to raising standards and focus on relationships, education and industry collaboration, including producing and delivering CPD’s and contributing to thought leadership around wellness and intelligent living. I want to shape the direction of the sector, not just participate in it.
I think ultimately what sets me apart is the combination of strategic vision, technical depth and an unwavering commitment to simplifying complexity in an industry that often overcomplicates it. And I’m formerly qualified to do so as a Chartered Fellow at the Chartered Management Institute with a masters degree equivalent qualification in Strategic Leadership.
From a business perspective three key things set Imperium apart:
1. True Integration of BMS and AV
Most firms specialise in one or the other. We integrate both. That means the lighting, shading, HVAC, air quality, security, energy management and entertainment systems are engineered as a single intelligent platform, not separate layers trying to communicate after the fact.
2. A Human-Centric, Wellness-Led and Sustainable Approach
Our recent contribution to The Luxury Property Forum’s thought leadership publication on wellness reflects a core belief: intelligent buildings should actively support wellbeing. Circadian lighting, air quality optimisation, sustainable control, acoustic design, and sensory environments are no longer “nice to have”, they are fundamental to modern luxury.
3. Strategic Collaboration
We work alongside architects, developers, interior designers and M&E consultants from early-stage design. That strategic involvement ensures technology enhances the architectural vision rather than being retrofitted into it. We’re also entirely comfortable collaborating with other integrators, be they BMS or AV, in order to deliver best-in-class outcomes for the client.
In short, we don’t just install systems, we shape how people experience their homes.
Fantastic and what does a typical working day look like for you?
There isn’t really a “typical” day, and that’s part of what I enjoy.
My time is usually divided between:
Strategic planning and leadership
Project design reviews with our engineering team
Meetings with architects, developers and private clients
Site visits to review delivery quality and record content for our social media channels
Business development and partnership conversations
I also dedicate time to thought leadership, contributing to industry dialogue around wellness, sustainability and the future of intelligent homes. At heart, I’m both a strategist and a problem solver. My role is to ensure that our projects remain technically rigorous while aligned with our long-term vision.
What are some of the greatest challenges you have faced at Imperium so far?
One of the greatest challenges has been shifting perception. Imperium started life as a ‘BMS’ integrator, and we’ve successfully established ourselves as the leading provider for BMS in the prime, super-prime and ultra-prime residential market. But we’ve evolved and grown considerably in both size and technical capability since we started 11 years ago, yet most still see us as ’the BMS guys’. We’re so much more than that now.
As we’ve succeeded in elevating BMS and environmental control systems up the design and delivery layers we’ve also found ourselves having to navigate complex politics through the supply and contract chain. As momentum for this approach grows, it’s increasingly common to be directly appointed to the client or main contractor, where traditional contract pathways would place BMS as part of the mechanical package.
Scaling the business while preserving quality and culture has also been a significant focus. Growth is important, but excellence is non-negotiable in an industry that places the highest possible demands on quality, delivery and ongoing property management.
And I am sure there have been many but what have been the high points of your career so far?
There have been several defining moments:
Delivering complex, high-value projects where integration of both BMS and AV through the design process genuinely transformed the living experience. In particular, we delivered a multi award-winning assisted technology project for Queen Elizabeths Foundation For Disabled People, where our integrated design approach provided independence for people with acquired brain injuries.
Seeing the size and significance of our projects progressively scaling year on year, working as part of the supply chain for some of the biggest names in the industry.
Becoming a respected voice within the luxury residential industry and The Luxury Property Forum community.
Contributing to the wellness thought leadership publication - helping shape the broader industry conversation.
Becoming a Chartered Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute after achieving a Distinction grade in my Level 7 Strategic Leadership course.
The most rewarding highlight, however, is always when a client says, “It just works.” That simplicity is the result of enormous complexity managed well.
It’s simple but so effective! So who inspires you?
Talking about businesses - I’d say Ideaworks (another LPF Member). They’ve built a phenomenal business and brand in an extraordinarily competitive environment. If I was to aspire to a technology organisation within the industry it would be them.
I’ve always believed in dressing for the job you want, not the one you have (yet), and my ambition for Imperium is to continue to elevate our brand image beyond what people might traditionally expect from us. In my experience, people often raise an eyebrow when you draw comparison with the ‘big boys’, but I remember how my Honeywell bosses reacted when I said I’d have my own leading business one day. That reaction simply motivates me more.
Long-term ambitions aside, all of the partners at Imperium are driven by a pursuit to create the best possible client outcomes, through expertise, design excellence, collaboration and disruption. Brand recognition will follow as a result.
Talking about people - I’m inspired by Steven Bartlett and Gary Vaynerchuck.
Image credit: West Green & MES Special Projects
And Chris, what advice would you give to those looking to succeed in the luxury property sector?
Master your discipline first. Credibility is built on competence.
Think strategically, not transactionally. Understand the broader ecosystem of property, design and client experience.
Think outside the box. Just because its always been done that way, doesn’t mean it should. 'What got us here won’t get us there’.
Collaborate early and openly. Luxury projects succeed through alignment.
Play the long game. Reputation compounds over time.
Stay curious. Technology, sustainability and client expectations are constantly evolving.
Leadership in luxury is not about volume - it’s about influence, trust and consistency.
In an ideal world, what does the future hold for you and Imperium?
In an ideal future, Imperium becomes synonymous with intelligent luxury living.
We will continue to lead the integration of BMS, AV and wellness-driven design in high-end residential property. I want us to help redefine expectations, where intelligent buildings are not a feature, but a standard.
Personally, I aim to continue shaping industry dialogue, mentoring emerging talent and building a business that combines technical excellence with strong leadership and culture.
Finally, what does luxury mean to you?
Luxury is precision, simplicity born from complexity, and in my world specifically it is technology that disappears and leaves only experience.
True luxury means a home that understands you - where light, temperature, sound and environment adapt seamlessly to enhance wellbeing and lifestyle. Ultimately, luxury is about how a space makes you feel.
Image credit: Knowles Construction & HBA Residential
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T: +44 203-880-2636
Since our formation in 2014 we have become one the most sought after luxury, prime and super-prime residential technology providers in the UK.
Including Audio & Visual, Lighting, Heating & Cooling, Security, Networking and everything in between we offer a unique design, installation and management service that removes risk, simplifies delivery and ensures the very best outcome for the project, every time.