What the Smart Building of the Future MUST Provide
We know it's not easy to gather facts about the smart building of the future, as it's a pretty broad concept, and as they say trying to predict the future is a fool’s errand. Technology is changing seemingly by the minute, however, there are certain features and benefits which are considered necessities to be included in a truly smart building.
Alerts and Updates - Managing buildings and spaces is difficult, especially when you can’t have eyes in every space all the time. Luckily, new sensors and other connected devices can help with this, identifying when doors are being opened, how HVAC controls are operating, and when rooms are being used. They ultimately help those in charge of managing these systems and spaces with insights, security, communication, scheduling, and more.
Usage Analytics - Owners and managers must understand how their buildings are being used, and analytics on the most popular areas, where people are moving, how long they are in certain areas are necessary for that understanding. All of these analytics will help owners, management, or tenants with deeper insights into which spaces are over- or under-utilized, which need more or less attention for service or maintenance, and overall not just when but also how people are utilizing those spaces.
Design Insights - With deeper usage analytics, owners and managers can (and should) create designs and layouts that better fit the needs of inhabitants. Adjusting desk layouts, door placement, conference rooms, break areas, and more all go far to create spaces that spur productivity, comfort, innovation, and more.
Improved Comfort - Along with designs that fit the needs of employees, heating and cooling, ventilation and air quality go a long way to optimize comfort and productivity as well. Smart HVAC systems that are connected to traffic and occupancy data can be made to operate at peak efficiency for both improved comfort and the bottom-line.
Energy Efficiency - Most buildings, both modern and historic, operate the same whether they are full or empty. Motion sensor lighting and thermostat schedules have and will continue to evolve and help, but the smart building of the future must understand how its being utilized and adjust its biggest expense accordingly - heating and cooling. Along with improved comfort, HVAC systems that understand occupancy and usage can adjust for heating, cooling, and ventilating buildings, floors, and rooms according to usage for massive savings and reduced emissions.
Learn more about creating a smart building and future-proofing your building management solutions.