Connected Buildings — The Next Disruption
By: Aditya Ranjan Patro
Tags: Connected Home, Connected Technology, Connected Devices, Internet of Things

These days technology is engrossed in our lives to such an extent that without it we feel helpless. Smart technologies have infested human interventions. Artificial intelligence, Robotics, Blockchain / Smart Contracts, AR / VR, UAV / Drones, Agri-tech, Nanotechnology are disrupting the entire world. Technology is driving our daily lives.

Welcome to the new world where technological innovation is touching lives, and perhaps this is an era which is going to change the world entirely but can our buildings are smarter or can it be smarter?

Connected Building is a smarter way of building management in which building system are integrated through advanced technology such as IoT (Internet of Things ) to monitor and control the building. The seamless connection between different platforms enables system-wide decision making, execution, and optimisation. Modern buildings are complex structures with multiple systems controlling lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), waste disposal, and security controlled by a single operating system.

System integration within smart buildings also increase sustainability, safety, and productivity, while improving the quality of life for those who work and live inside their walls.

Take an example of a light bulb / Smart bulb or a temperature sensor can connect to the Internet, the market has unleashed a plethora of devices which are much cheaper than its predecessors, and you can monitor what’s happening inside the building through data analysis and mind you these are immensely easier to procure and deploy. Connected building is cultivating the smart building technologies.

In today’s connected world not only can connecting buildings improve energy cost efficiency, but they increase the productivity of operational functions by eliminating recurring work that kills ample amount of time in a day. With Connected Buildings, teams can troubleshoot problems via their web browser instead of always needing to go on-site. Managers no longer have to compile multiple excel spreadsheets to know what is happening inside their building. Architecture and construction teams can use data to size new energy systems without needing to make wild assumptions. These team productivity enhancements are ultimately where the real monetary savings lie.

CONNECTED BUILDINGS DRIVE SMART EFFICIENCY IN THREE CORE AREAS

Connected Buildings power three key systems, which all work together to create opportunities for efficiency. The first is peoplebased efficiency, wherein people connect with the buildings they occupy on a daily basis. Connected Buildings connects operations, finance, and sustainability teams to the building technologies and workforce they rely on every day, empowering them in building management, planning, and tenant engagement. Second is technology-based efficiency, which happens when buildings bring new devices online that use less energy to power themselves. The third is system-based efficiency, which is attained when buildings connect systems within themselves and connect to other buildings. Systems can work together to change their behavior based on what systems around them are doing. Furthermore, newly attainable system-level trends which were previously impossible to ascertain become visible.

CONNECTED BUILDINGS WILL TRANSFORM THE ANATOMY OF AN OPERATIONS TEAM

The advent of easily accessible building data will transform the primary roles within the building operations team. The emergence of datadriven building operations positions seems inevitable, as someone will need to analyze the data and create meaningful strategies based on it. Armed with real-time information, building managers will spend less time out in the field putting out fires, and more time preparing proactive strategies for contingencies. The potential for decreasing the size of on-site maintenance teams is also real, as maintenance programs can be centralized, and workers will become dispatched to problem sites only as needed. For example, one Lucid client views daily energy reports on their browser in the mornings, and sends maintenance staff out only when abnormalities are apparent.

CONNECTED BUILDINGS WILL MAKE OPERATIONS TEAMS CRUCIAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THEIR ORGANIZATION

Building and facilities teams are already critical to an organization’s success, but executives may not recognize the direct impact they have on the bottom line. Connected Buildings will allow building managers to actually demonstrate their value with data. If given enough executive buy-in, building managers using data can make operational roles within companies very strategic, with defined energy savings goals that are newly attainable. Combined with the ability to cut down on maintenance staff through increased productivity, operational teams will be able to contribute to margin by effectively decreasing a company’s operational costs

This is indeed a true disruption as through connected building data become accessible and actionable. Via different devices, you can collect the data to analyze, monitor and decision making. This is indeed a radical way to transform the entire gamut of building management system.

It is just the beginning. This would keep evolving with my blogs.

#SmartBuilding #ComputerVision #FacialRecognition #HomeAutomation #IoT #HVAC #ArtificialIntelligence