Construction has changed from primitive methods to the modern methods that are smart and sustainable. Now the construction method is complex with varied structures, systems, and technology. Indeed, technology has transformed the world of construction allowing us to select the kind of security, lighting, ventilation and home entertainment system we need.
Today the home and building owners think about the impact of their building on the environment and their lives too. So its not only about providing comfort, light, and safety. The focus is not on minimizing energy usage, cost and mitigating impact on the environment. It is much more than that.
What is smart building / smart construction?
Smart buildings lead to delivering useful building services that make the occupants productive at the minimal cost. It also works to make a minimal impact of the environment on the building lifecycle. So, this vision can be achieved by using intelligence right at the design stage till the end of the building lifecycle.
Smart buildings use technology to connect various subsystems, which work independently. So that these subsystems work together and share information to maximize building performance. Construction now is getting beyond smartness where we think about building equipment beyond four walls.
Various aspects of smart buildings are about connecting:
- Building systems:
This is about smart connectivity. New buildings have complex machines, sophisticated control systems, and the best safety, comfort and productivity for occupants. There are many systems where there is a machine to machine communication. A smart building needs connectivity between all equipment and system used in the building. For example, using the data from building security to turning off lights when the residents are not present.
This interconnectivity requires cooperation between different parties many of whom may be competitors.
This results in a building where air conditioning, lighting and security systems exchange data freely leading to high efficiency, safety and comfort. It also lessens the cost of operation of the entire facility.
- People and technology:
Even the most advanced software and hardware in the entire world would be nothing without humans wanting to use them to increase efficiency.
Thus, people who live and operate in a smart building are a critical part of it. There is no time and money for difficult training and steep learning cures. So, a smart building is now about intuitive tools that enhance the efforts made by people at the ground level. The sharing of information between smart building systems and components will lead to further innovation. Future technology and construction beyond smartness will provide more comfort, safety and security for humans with less money, energy and lesser impact on the environment.
- Global environment:
Its vital to save energy, electricity and all other types of resources. For many years building management systems automated the process of providing only the necessary energy to heat and cool buildings comfortable for humans. These measures contributed immensely to sustainability goals. They reduced greenhouse emissions. But at times data is trapped in building management systems and decision-makers cannot measure and act on it.
Middleware software happens to collect data from all automated systems regardless of the manufacturer and merge it on a common platform, which is then analyzed and reported. The web-based dashboard displays a visual picture of what facilities have led to high usage of energy, maintenance cost or anything that needs immediate attention.
This way executives arrive at better sustainability decisions and get a bigger picture of the way resources are used, irrespective of a number of buildings or geographic locations. Information is collated and quickly available to help take immediate decisions that impact profitability.
- Future intelligence:
When you think of construction beyond smartness it is something more than just saving energy and meeting sustainable goals. It is about extending the life of capital equipment and impact the safety of all resources – including human life.
It leads to innovation by creating a platform for accessing information. Smart buildings are about combining information technology and human ingenuity to produce robust, low carbon economy.
