Windows are also going to school now with promises that they will be intelligent in the next few years. Most architects are aware of special glazing products for opaque or transparent finish. Now, we have products with variable transparencies, which, with the help of a few sensors and an inexpensive computer, can change a window's appearance according to daylight, direct sunlight, and interior lighting. My optometrist told me that smart eyeglasses aren't too far off, either. Flexible lenses would automatically adjust for reading, for using a computer, or for driving.
Buildings are definitely getting smarter - there is no doubt about that.
But to take advantage of this reality, we need to make ourselves smarter, too. All of us need to educate ourselves about what is being developed and how we can make the best use of what is available. We must also find ways to use some of this technology in a cost-efficient manner. Only then can we pat ourselves on the back for being the geniuses that created smart buildings. Sheldon Wolfe, CSI, CCS, CCCA, is a specifier with BWBR Architects in St. Paul, Minnesota.