Technological advancement, environmental concerns and the desire to do things more efficiently, have combined to change the way buildings are constructed. Building design has gone full circle from what was a decade ago, and it’s no longer enough to just build. The trend today is to build smart.

WHAT ARE SMART BUILDINGS?

A smart building is any residential or commercial construction in which automated processes are used in controlling the lighting, security, ventilation, air conditioning, heating and other systems. To achieve such automation, sensors, actuators and microchips are used. They help to integrate lighting, energy meters, water meters, pumps, heating, fire alarms, chiller plants and other infrastructures within the building.

All over the world smart building technology has been proven beneficial. The technology has been successfully applied in a great variety of facilities including: hotels, hospitals, schools, stadiums and many other commercial construction designs.

BENEFITS OF SMART BUILDINGS

At its heart, smart building technology is data management for to improve reliability and performance. Smart building tech helps architects to design the optimal utilization of building space and materials to achieve maximum energy efficiency.

• Better Comfort at a Lower Cost: In commercial buildings, the focus is to align data collection and management. That would include the day to day activities and services of the business. Therefore, investing in smart buildings enhances productivity. With these systems in place, the lighting, temperature, air quality, security and sanitation of the building are controlled automatically. Not only does that help lower the energy bills, but also it increases the comfort level of the occupants. Everyone knows that a comfortable and happy crew are more productive employees. In addition, these benefits are achieved at a much lower cost than what non-connected buildings would offer.

• Adaptability: Since smart technology can easily be incorporated into older structures, homeowners can take advantage of it for smart home improvement. You can save money and make your home as smart as you desire without having to spend a fortune. This adaptability is another plus for smart building technology. It could even play a major role in making it easier to comply with updated regulations like toilet partition requirements introduced by the ADA.

• Quicker ROI: With the energy and operational efficiency delivered by smart building technology, your investment is paid off within one or two years. In addition, the cost of implementing automation means that your upfront spend is minimal.
• Lower Running Costs: When compared to other  energy-related upgrades, smart buildings cost much less to maintain in the long run.

• Higher Property Resale Value: Home buyers, being savvier, now expect homes to have smart technology features such as sophisticated equipment maintenance alert systems, zoned HVAC and advanced security systems. Having such features makes your home more valuable and desirable, which means you can get better bargains.

• Cleaner Environment: With smart building technology, it's possible to measure and record the emission of greenhouse gases for the purpose of  data analysis. This ultimately, helps to reduce environmental degradation.

With easy adaption and many great benefits, it’s no surprise that current trends indicate a bright future for the smart building technology market.