Creating Smart Buildings of the Future With IoT

Few environments are as complex as commercial buildings, which must support hundreds or even thousands of users and have many subsystems dedicated to keeping them comfortable, safe, and efficient.

Internet of Things (IoT) devices has improved efficiencies in many environments, from manufacturing to water treatment. Their ability to harvest data and send it back to a central point makes them ideal for automating management in complex environments.

Automation

IoT creates powerful opportunities to automate many aspects of building management, creating benefits ranging from environmental efficiency to cost management. According to Gartner, smart technologies can reduce overall building costs by 30%.

Significant changes are beginning to take shape in new construction. The primary driver is changing from cost reduction to features that enhance the user experience and change how users and buildings interact. Instead of a single “killer app” for user experience, we are starting to see a combination of use-cases.

These use-cases leverage IoT, sensors, and connectivity to enable customization of spaces in offices and conference rooms based on occupancy levels and occupant preferences, efficient mobility throughout the building, and help occupants with location and wayfinding – all controllable by mobile platforms. Most importantly, they are capable of predictive awareness of individual needs.

Building Management System

This automation depends on integration with the Building Management System (BMS), which can remotely process information from multiple sensors and control building functions. Large commercial buildings use IT applications to connect various BMSs that operate independently during operation, enabling them to share information and optimize overall building performance.

As smart building technologies mature, companies find new opportunities to improve their commercial spaces, making them more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and improving the working environment. Smart building functions span a range of technologies, each of which can be used independently or in conjunction with others to derive even more benefits.