Modern Building Services

MODERN BUILDING SERVICES OCTOBER 2022 27 More information can be at www.??????????????????.com FEATURE SMART BUILDINGS 27 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES OCTOBER 2022 Andrew Hunter , Technology & Solutions Director at Chubb, explores how merged technologies and greater availability of data are making buildings smarter. T here is no denying that buildings are getting smarter – and at a rapid pace. The smart buildings market is now on a healthy trajectory and is projected to grow from £68.5 billion this year to £279 billion in 2029, according to a recent analysis by Fortune Business Insights. 1 So, what are the key factors driving this growth? Largely, it is the demand for lower operational costs, improved productivity, enhanced energy efficiency, and better security. Furthermore, the emergence of 5G technology and the rise in smart city projects are expected to create lucrative opportunities within the smart buildings industry in the coming years. A greater availability of data Ever-faster broadband connections and increases in processing power have expanded the possibilities in the protection and management of buildings. Through the use of sensors or cameras, smart building systems can collect, analyse and respond to data quicker than ever before. And not just that, but when deployed intelligently they allowmultiple systems to ‘talk to each other.’ Whereas in the past HVAC, lighting, and security systems have been disparate from one another, we are noticing a shift. Two things are happening. Firstly, the push and pull of data mean that we have access to more information about the condition of our buildings available at multi levels. For instance, currently, we are looking at an intruder alarm that will have both the added capability for fire detection and flood detection. Where we have previously had separate systems, we are now seeing the merging of technologies so one alarm panel is able to performmultiple tasks. Secondly, we are seeing increased availability of data, which has been made possible by the development of applications to monitor and evaluate the condition of different building systems. Data no longer just sits dormant for building owners, or facilities managers, to review as they need to. They can set notifications to their mobile devices to check the air quality in the lobby, for instance, or the results of a recent fire alarm test. And unlike an SMS message, this data is far more robust – it is not open for interpretation, which means recipients can review and assess the situation with no risk of confusion. In addition to receiving information, it is now possible to push alerts as well. If a building manager wants occupants to know they should no longer be using a floor or warn them of scheduled maintenance, they can send an alert to everyone concerned. Ultimately, with the convergence of these once disparate systems, building owners can optimise environments to boost productivity and employee satisfaction, achieve greater energy efficiency, and improve safety. ➜ The data making our buildings smarter