Modern Building Services

16 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES MAY 2021 FEATURE SMART BUILDINGS SMART BUILDINGS A s the UK begins to return to a ‘new normal’, buildings around the country are preparing to reopen – with many universities opting to continue with online lectures in the short-term before a potential full reopening of campuses and facilities later in the academic year. Yet, the way in which we use public indoor spaces has been profoundly altered by the pandemic, shining a light on the need to optimise the hygiene, safety and energy efficiency of buildings. While much has changed in the past year, students still expect a lot from their higher education experience, one that study spaces and residential accommodation contribute towards significantly. Higher education brings a diverse student body together in some of the most stunning and state-of-the-art buildings available. These days the costs of a university degree are higher than ever and this means students expect the best facilities alongside the best intellectual resources when choosing their place of study. Since university campuses already constitute their own micro-societies, as simultaneous sites of work, home and leisure, there is ample opportunity for universities to enable smart city style transformation on campuses at a smaller-scale. Smart buildings In the simplest terms, smart buildings use advanced technology to achieve a series of benefits. These include: improving building performance in such areas as energy, operations, security, and comfort; lowering the costs of equipment installation, operations, and service; and generating significantly higher user- satisfaction rates. These benefits are achieved via the intelligent infrastructure that digitalisation enables. Data from these smart-building systems give a facility’s infrastructure a brain and a voice. For students and other users in practical terms this means intelligent heating which makes an environment more comfortable for their work and intelligent rooms that are adaptable to different requirements. Sensors can also be used to manage air quality and circulation, helping to improve infection control within enclosed spaces and creating an ideal learning conditions for its occupants. Energy Efficiency & Performance Universities typicallymanage a varied portfolio of properties that could benefit from smart-buildings technology. For instance, centralised data can be analysed across the organisation’s portfolio to control energy consumption on a central dashboard. Some universities may also benefit from local energy generation or renewable technologies such as solar power or air-source heat pumps. Energy Generation Alongside increasing operational and energy efficiency, universities are well-placed to produce their own energy. One university in Scotland has made its Lanarkshire campus carbon neutral by adopting a combination of energy efficient measures as well as investing in wind farms and solar panels to fully power facilities. University campuses have always constituted their own micro-societies but by embracing the latest smart technology they can, in effect, evolve into mini smart cities that intelligently manage space occupancy and student/staff safety. In this article, Mark McLoughlin , Key Account Manager - Siemens Industries and Markets, discusses the possible components of this and how can it be intelligently financed. Investing in the future of education with smart campuses