Owners and managers of buildings may believe they have special motives for searching out novel technology to implement in their structures. But when looking at the broad objectives of today’s smart building technologies, some similarities do in fact appear.
To that aim, let’s examine five reasons why building owners are increasingly interested in tackling common difficulties and how smart buildings technology might help.
1. Reducing energy consumption
- Cutting back on energy use
Building managers have traditionally prioritised reducing operational expenses. This objective frequently includes a decrease in power use. Many are seeking to technology solutions to help automate the following energy usage procedures as the cost of electricity for business properties continues to rise:
- Find the places where energy is being squandered.
- The application of IoT sensors to find building inhabitants and offer HVAC and lighting in a targeted way.
- Integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar, geothermal, wind, and bioenergy, into buildings.
2. Improving the working environment for building occupants
Building owners now have the chance to evaluate and maybe reconsider how renters and other occupants utilise and interact with the amenities of their buildings in order to do so more effectively in light of the COVID-19 epidemic. To make greater use of the existing building space, many have come to the conclusion that technology may be incorporated into private tenant apartments and common/shared spaces.
Buildings are being equipped with specialised “space sensing” technology to track occupant numbers and lengths of occupancy. Building occupancy heat maps may be made based on the data gathered to show where there is high and low traffic. Then, low-traffic zones can be modified to assist maximise places where occupant congestion is present.
3. Proactive upkeep and supervision
Because they have become so difficult and time-consuming to administer, early adopters of smart building sensors and platforms are becoming more and more suspicious of the technology they have included. That’s why building management and AI-powered automation technologies have recently gained a lot of attention. As more and more technology is introduced, the capacity to combine various OT and IT technologies into an unified management platform is becoming into a need.
4. Obey occupancy health regulations
The epidemic has increased interest in using technology to better monitor and manage health-related aspects including physical safety, air quality, social isolation, and cleanliness, even though concern for building inhabitants’ health has long existed.
It is crucial to ensure occupants that their health safety is a major concern and that indoor air is clear of infections, dust, and organic compounds that might harm health as consumers and renters return to commercial premises in 2021 and 2022. Common places must also be attended over to make sure that social distance rules are strictly adhered to and that shared spaces and components are kept clean and sanitised on a regular basis.
The following technologies are frequently employed to meet these objectives for health compliance:
- Cameras or sensors with AI to help with temperature screening or occupant counts.
- With real-time feedback and alerts, air quality sensors.
- Automated ventilation controls and air purifiers.
- Moisture sensors.
- HVAC systems that include UV illumination.
- Technologies that pressurise the air to separate and shield clean regions from polluted.
5. New potential sources of income
Smart building infrastructures and technologies shouldn’t always be seen merely in terms of cost reduction or space efficiency. Numerous technologies can enhance an occupant’s overall experience while utilising and engaging with different in-building services and amenities for buildings that rent space to tenants. Higher rent might be charged to the renter as a result of these advantages.
Offering tenants safe access to the wired and wireless network infrastructure that supports in-building technology is another revenue-generating option. The building owner might start providing their own Ethernet and Wi-Fi services using their current in-building network, as opposed to mandating that each tenant get their own broadband internet and local network access from typical internet service providers.
This strategy has the ability to transform a smart building architecture from an ongoing investment to one that actually generates cash. It can also make internet and network setup for tenants simpler.