Smart offices and industrial buildings have fast evolved from the addition of secure access and nods at energy-saving features. Today’s holistic landmarks have technology baked into every aspect of operations and facilities. Safety, facility and security managers can all benefit from the latest technology, with software updates limiting the need for costly hardware changes and refurbishment.
Combining the Internet of Things (IoT), AI-powered analytics connected and smart sensors, today’s buildings are capable of more than just controlling temperature and humidity. All while constantly being occupant-aware, automatically adjusting light and shade for comfort, and using smart glass to provide privacy where needed.
But the smartness is more than what people typically take for granted in a smart building. New constructions use self-healing cement to extend their lifespan, while focusing heavily on recycling and integrated water saving and reuse to protect the environment and deliver green credentials for occupying businesses.
And in a world of rising temperatures, new buildings can apply innovative ideas and systems using recycled water to provide large-scale misting for the local area, keeping the thermostat down and locals cooler and happier.
Making Security Simpler for Facilities Management
Today’s buildings are packed with cameras and sensors that can manage access and parking through vehicle access control and monitor pedestrians, traffic flow and the environment around the building for safety. The latest systems use AI and smart control centres to simplify security and maximise the efficiency of receptionists, ground teams and security patrols.
Similarly, workers are tracked across buildings and campuses through an access control system that can ensure their identity. The systems limit access to areas workers are permitted to visit, with cameras checking face recognition, smartphones or smart locks, requiring fingerprint or voice ID to access secure areas.
With AI watching every camera feed 24/7, it can also identify unusual or unsafe behaviour patterns. The system can provide instant alerts or suggest changes as part of regular reporting to facilities managers that some areas are overcrowded or underused, helping refine facilities procedures.
Protecting the Building, Workers and the Environment
There are many methods that smart buildings use to protect systems and services, people and the premises. Every part of the HVAC and climate system is connected to the maintenance trackers, and suggestions of an early fault, excessive power usage or other issue can be reported live to be dealt with immediately or during the next diagnostic period.
When it comes to workers, they can be protected from building issues like gas or water leaks, floods and other problems faster thanks to smart sensors that provide instant alerts and specific advice for facilities to deal with the problem. All while directing workers and occupants to the nearest safe place, and not requiring the entire building to evacuate unless the problem warrants such steps.
Predictive maintenance reduces such incidents and saves on operating costs, tenant complaints and helps shift the pace of the facilities team away from reacting to the usual old, recurring problems. The latest buildings are also compared to their Digital Twin, a virtual creation that provides a baseline for energy usage, footfall, ideal occupancy and many other aspects of office building life.
Smart buildings can use their own green energy-generating resources like solar panels, rooftop or associated wind turbines and other methods, at peak times. Reducing the need for mains power, again providing cost savings and switching during surges in use, the smart building can deliver grid-interactive energy management instantly for maximum efficiency.
The Cybersecurity Angle for Smarter Buildings
With digital threats growing, such a connected set of systems always requires up-to-date cybersecurity, protecting the background and tenant networks, their servers or devices in the building from hacking attacks. These can be performed maliciously, with criminal intent or even as part of nation-state efforts to destabilise markets.
Zero trust IT systems act like the smart AI-powered cameras, but prevent untrusted users or apps from accessing networks or performing any action that could impact the networks.
The Future for Smart Buildings and Facilities Operations
As smart as they are now, the future of smart buildings will continue to evolve with hyper-connected systems and networks. Self-sustaining ecosystems will support mixed-used buildings that provide office space, leisure, hotels or domestic areas. Modularity will allow the buildings to change along with market conditions, but with less of the heavy building work from previous generations.
Similarly, new builds will aim for zero-energy, using energy-storing materials as part of the building fabric to support broader smart city goals. Along with hyper-efficient water and waste management, recycling and other features, they will make facilities managements’ lives easier, all while remaining largely invisible to building tenants and users.
The race is on for the smartest, most sustainable buildings across Asia and we will monitor the new arrivals with great interest as they push what construction companies used to think was possible thanks to new technology.
