Modern Building Services

FEATURE SMART BUILDINGS MODERN BUILDING SERVICES FEBRUARY 2022 13 We’ve seen this first-hand with our work on Bustler Market in Derby, which is regarded as the smartest street food market in the UK with more than 20,000 visitors per month. Through the introduction of more than 200 sensors that track temperature, occupancy, power consumption and air quality and more, we have managed to save eight tonnes of carbon – the equivalent of the annual output of five households since opening in early 2021. A changing model One of the key reasons for this is efficiency, both in terms of how we work and the energy that is consumed in doing so. In the days of fixed workstations, desktop computers and reliance on landline phones, businesses usually worked to a “one person, one desk” model. However, the shift towards remote working – accelerated over the last 18 months due to the pandemic – has made adaptability an essential part of any office set up. Setting up a smart environment means that those using the building can seamlessly hot desk, immediately getting great connectivity to their devices and working in the same way they would in a more traditional office environment, but without the constraints. This also has the added benefit of future proofing, ensuring that the infrastructure is in place to allow the occupier to adapt to future changes in technology and working patterns. It comes as no surprise that the businesses that adapted quickest to the enforced changes brought on by the pandemic were those that already had solid technology infrastructure in place beforehand. Broader appeal By getting the basic elements right at the point of design and ensuring that the network infrastructure is in the right place, businesses in smart settings can then adapt and evolve the devices that they use in-office, safe in the knowledge that the infrastructure is there to support them. Overall, the real crux of the matter is that smart offices have increased appeal to both the businesses occupying them and the staff that will be working in them. Smart workspaces are about more than just technology – it truly helps in understanding a team’s preferences and pain points, allowing businesses to optimise it for their use and create an atmosphere that improves their productivity, health and wellbeing at work. Build once, innovate forever Intelligence offers clients the opportunity to transform their buildings into smart spaces, and every element needs to be considered and factored in with solutions tailored to the use of different spaces. By doing this at design stage and starting off on the right path, those creating these smart environments ensure longevity and optimisation. Comms rooms and servers are the backbone of how smart buildings operate, delivering the more traditional aspects of IT infrastructure. ➜