As we make steady technological advances – such as IoT and AI –Â we look for new and better applications to improve our buildings. Smart buildings in themselves are not new. A smart building is an automated system with a central processing unit, sensors, and data monitoring ability that evaluates the building’s performance. This is generally for energy usage, but other basic needs such as safety management and security are included. But what is the future of smart buildings? Intelligence is the answer; through building intelligence, building managers can collect actionable data from user devices, sensors, systems, and services on the premises. Applying that data using artificial intelligence and machine learning makes the building both programmable and responsive to the needs of the users and the building manager.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, work habits changed radically. People adopted work-from-home practices, whilst building management had to deploy ways of contactless working for those who had to come to work. The pandemic and other external factors like climate change and cybersecurity have challenged smart building owners to develop more robust and innovative solutions for the future. Who knows what the next generation of smart buildings will look like?
Written by: Dr Thomas Tang, CEO of PJ Sustainability Consulting Limited, is a professional advisor to corporations on sustainability, climate resilience, urban design, and social innovation. He is also a UN Scholar, an adjunct professor, and an author.
