What Is a Smart Building?
All You Need to Know

 

Technology is everywhere! We use smartphones, smart TVs, intelligent computers and now, a new trend is emerging in the industry! Check out our article and learn all about Smart Building and how it may change our way of thinking about buildings!

We are surrounded by technology. We use it every day, and probably you cannot even imagine living without the possibility of contacting your loved ones or checking the most recent news anytime you need. It’s no wonder! We live in the 4th industrial revolution, and all aspects of our lives are in the process of digitising and becoming smart. Even our homes!

Smart Building is a new, fast emerging trend in the industry. That is why today we will present to you all the information you need about this new type of construction. Let’s go!


What is Smart Building?

Smart Building is nowadays an emerging trend all over the world. It becomes popular in many different types of buildings, from factories, offices to hospitals and healthcare edifices. What is more, the market is expected to grow almost twice by 2025! The main reason for that growth is raising awareness and the need for sustainable solutions in construction and space utilisation. Also, another factor is the growing popularity of building management systems and IoT (Internet of Things) technology.

Building to become smart must contain technology that connects, controls and automates all aspects of a building’s HVAC (like electrical, lighting, heating, fire system), increasing efficiency, cutting costs, and benefiting the environment. Such a building should contain a different technology, but what is more important, it has to connect all of the systems inside, in a dynamic way, providing fast and smooth information flow.


Smart Building Technology

Let’s focus more on the technology used in smart buildings. For now, at least, there are no specific guidelines on what a building should contain to be considered smart. Nowadays, the most common technologies inside smart buildings are:

  • The systems that monitor and control the electricity use, which helps to minimise the usage

  • The sensors that check and provide fire protection services, keeping the building compliant with the current regulations

  • The software that takes care of HVAC (heating, ventilation, air-conditioning) inside the building

  • The occupancy sensors that scan and monitor the utilisation of the building and support its improvement

  • The technology that can scan the building and provide information on how the facility is occupied (useful in public places like hospitals or gyms)

The Internet of Things connects all these sensors, systems and devices. To be more precise, the IoT is a term that describes the network of technology that contacts and exchanges data over the internet. Thanks to that, there is no need for different employees to manage various applications separately and enter the data from one device to another, increasing the chances of failure.


Benefits of Smart Building


  • 01

    Energy savings
    One of the crucial benefits of an intelligent building is the energy savings that result in lower costs for your business. How is it done? Technology can monitor the rooms turning off the lighting when no one is inside. It can also be done with an HVAC system or water distribution in the building. Except that, different kinds of sensors can provide detailed information when something is broken, reducing the time of repair or any possible delay at work.

  • 02

    Increased productivity
    Facilities that provide fast and up-to-date information about the building result in a significant boost in employee’s productivity. For example, thanks to technology that monitors the rooms, you can better manage hot desk stations or meeting rooms. Have you ever booked the meeting room but once there, it turned out to be occupied? Thanks to the sensors integrated with the scheduling tool, you can avoid such a situation! The technology inside the building can give you updated data, reducing any meeting preparation time!

  • 03

    The well-being of the employees
    Technology can enhance the well-being of your employees too! Lighting, air-conditioning and proper ventilation are some of the factors that an intelligent building can manage. Also, technology can provide information about the office desk occupation, showing the best possible time to clean it without interrupting the employees.

  • 04

    Environmental aspect
    Last but not least, we need to mention the factor that impacts the popularity of smart buildings the most, namely sustainability. Nowadays, we can observe the rise in popularity of eco-friendly solutions as there is a solid need to decarbonise all aspects of our economy to avoid global warming. One of the solutions to reduce the carbon footprint is modern technology. It can control the temperature inside a building, monitor the power and reduce energy and water usage, tracking the performance of these sustainable factors round the clock. From that, both the planet and our business can benefit!


Can an Old Building be Smart?

When you think about a smart building, you probably imagine the newest type of construction, with an innovative design. It is true, the usage of technology is more connected with the latest investments. But since the buildings in the EU are responsible for about 40% of energy consumption, the need to innovate them is only growing. Luckily, it is not impossible as technology can be easily implemented in already existing facilities. It only requires the appropriate measures and financial resources.


Smart Building Construction

You already know you can modernise existing buildings with modern technology, but did you know that even the construction building process can be smart? Systems and devices are widely used in construction processes as they can quickly boost productivity and, at the same time, the quality of an executed project.

One such technology is project management software that allows you to manage and control all construction works from one place. Usually, it takes information from different employees, gathering all the data in one place in easy to understand tables and charts. Thanks to that, you can control the project all the time and react faster to any changes. It minimises the costs of the construction process, maximises productivity and benefits the environment thanks to the lack of delays and unnecessary energy usage.


The Risk of Smart Building Technology

Among all the possibilities and benefits of smart building technology, there is one crucial aspect you should have in mind before investing in it. Technology is often connected with a bad legacy. What does it mean? After some time, the system you are using may not fulfil your needs 100% anymore. Sometimes, it can be risky for your business as it results in worse data security, increased failure rates and higher costs.

So, what can you do to protect your investment from falling into the trap of a bad legacy? You should always choose a technology that is in constant development. Usually, such software is cloud-based, created from configurable blocks that adapt to your business.

We believe that talking about the risks of modern technology is as crucial as writing articles about its benefits! That is why if you want to read more on how to choose good technology for your business, check out our other articles:

  1. How to Digitise Your Construction Company

  2. Modern Technology Implementation: Costs and Benefits

  3. Into the Future of Construction: An Ode of Technology


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2024-03-28 08:37:27