We are reaching a new age when it comes to building construction. No longer is it simply enough for our homes and offices to provide shelter and keep us warm. Today, thanks to the evolution of technology, it’s possible to not only deliver all the services that occupants need but this can be done while making the building as efficient as possible, minimizing costs and reducing the environmental impact of the building over its life.
What is a smart building?
At its most basic, a smart building is one that is using technology to share information about what goes on in the building between systems so as to optimize the building’s performance. This information is then used to automate various processes, from heating and ventilation to air conditioning and security. Building overheads are a significant cost for any building owner/user.
However, while these are a necessary business expense, the level of spend is often wasteful because it’s not intelligently applied. So, lights may be on in unused rooms or spaces heated when there are no people around to enjoy the warmth. The main motivation behind the smart building is to avoid this kind of wasteful use of energy and resources, both to cut cost and to improve energy efficiency.
The main features of smart buildings
