Smart buildings stand at the forefront of contemporary property development. By optimizing energy usage, ensuring safety, streamlining maintenance, and enhancing user experience, they signify a large shift in how buildings function and serve their tenants.
Smart buildings are buildings which collect data via IoT (internet of things) from user devices, systems and sensors within the property in order to make the building responsive to the user and building manager’s needs.
Smart buildings are constructed to be easier to manage than standard buildings, and to make it easier for building managers to reduce operating costs, improve tenant comfort and automate management of energy consumption. While they are a more recent development, both commercial and residential properties are adopting smart building technology at a rapid pace.
Over recent years the development of smart buildings has gone hand in hand with the development of green buildings. Property developers understood that by monitoring the energy consumption of the building, as well as the lighting, the heating, parking, waste management etc, they can reduce the impact the building has on the environment.
So, rather than building managers or tenants manually switching off the heating or the lighting systems, the building can do it automatically when it senses that no one is around to use it.
Smart buildings are also constructed to be easy to use for tenants. A lot of smart buildings use apps for payment, to call the elevator, to book meeting rooms and for access, among others, making the experience of working or living in a smart building easy and user-friendly. Implementing technology that allows users to just use their cell phone to do everything makes sense when it comes to technological progression.
At the very start of the property development process, architects should be sure to include ethernet cables and ac power outlets at access points, so everything can be connected easily. It would also be smart to, at this point, consult with a smart building specialist to identify the smart devices and systems best suited to the property and the needs of the tenants and building manager. This could involve planning out specially designed smart devices that need to be tailor made for the property.
As the construction of the property nears completion, it is important to teach property managers and tenants how to use the smart building devices, so that devices that have been installed are used correctly.
Frasers tower (Singapore): Featuring 179 bluetooth beacons and 900 lighting, air quality and temperature sensors gathering data in real-time, the building is constantly being optimized for maximum efficiency and productivity. Employees and tenants use an app that is integrated with Microsoft to find directions, determine room occupancy and book facilities in real time.
Glumac (Shanghai): The building is 100 years old and yet it has the best air quality in Shanghai. Featuring an indoor air monitoring system, employees are able to see how the air condition is in the building on their cell phones. It has 5 air purification systems and a green wall to filter out the pollution outside the property.
The crystal building (London): With a heating bill of zero, this building spends 46% less on energy than any other building of its size. Along with its innovative thermal envelope, a sophisticated management system allows every element of this building to be monitored and altered for comfort and minimal energy use, while surplus energy is returned to the National Grid.
Smart buildings stand at the forefront of contemporary property development. By optimizing energy usage, ensuring safety, streamlining maintenance, and enhancing user experience, they signify a large shift in how buildings function and serve their tenants.
As the real estate world continues to evolve, the balance between embracing these innovations and addressing potential drawbacks will continue to shape urban landscapes. Examples from global cities such as Singapore, Shanghai, and London further attest to the growing footprint and potential of smart buildings in the global architectural narrative.
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