A Primer on smart buildings
Smart building technology has been helping both businesses and individuals to lower their energy usage for nearly 20 years. The first smart buildings were little more than proofs of concept; living and working spaces with a few neat tricks that reduced management and maintenance efforts.
But these days, smart buildings are fully integrated with HVAC, computing, and security systems. This brings significant benefits to property management, and makes full use of energy conservation measures.
Let’s have a look at how smart buildings create safer and more comfortable living and working spaces, how they help occupants and owners to fight against high energy costs, and how they improve the environment and the communities where they are located.
What is a smart building?
A smart building is any structure that uses automation, sensors, and security features to minimise hands-on management and maximise efficiency.
For example, rather than having someone go around and manually close the blinds in rooms that are too bright or too hot, sensors would inform the central management system of the environmental conditions and automatically toggle the blinds closed.
Smart buildings also make predictive adjustments, oftentimes prior to the event that will require action. For example if a cold front was about to move in, a smart building might preheat the commonly populated areas before the business opens, making use of cheaper tariff electricity and ensuring occupant comfort immediately upon arrival.
Deloitte estimates that smart buildings can reduce the property’s overall energy usage by 30 to 50%.
Smart building engineering
Prior to putting up the actual building, the engineers can decide to use materials that are environmentally friendly and fit for the specific occupants that will be moving in.
For example, some types of concrete are carbon-negative, since they can actually sequester CO2 emitting materials while strengthening the new build. That can dramatically cut down on the smart building’s carbon footprint.
The smart building can be connected to municipal or district heat[1] sources during the build process, and then the central management computer can draw upon that heat as needed.
Part of smart building engineering is incorporating the right kind of insulation and soundproofing for the project. The balance of fire resistance, sustainability, ease of maintenance, and effectiveness needs to be assessed for the building’s primary usage and occupancy. A new single occupant smart office will be constructed quite differently from a smart warehouse, for example.
Finally, the engineers have to consider the level of smart building technology that will be implemented. If the occupants are going to be a business with heavy computing or data systems needs, raised flooring able to support low-E racks is a typical requirement. If it’s a multi-campus operation, they might be interested in a managed edge network, which could require more space near the network demarcation zone. Smart lighting is fairly standard in new builds these days, with specific energy efficient lighting requirements taken into account for the likes of clean rooms, multimedia production, and biological labs.
Exploring smart building technology
Smart buildings start with some kind of intelligent computerised central management system, either on site or in the Cloud. This is where all the sensor and security data goes before any automated decisions are made. It is also where user preferences and overrides are recorded, allowing the occupant to tailor their smart building experience. The exact type of data system the client uses to manage their intelligent building functions varies by industry.
One of the first concerns of smart buildings, outside of core security features, is power management. This is particularly true in commercial smart buildings. Because of this, green power generation is often a feature of smart building design. Solar in particular is attractive in many locations, because peak power usage for commercial properties often syncs up with peak solar production hours. This means many smart buildings have either flat roofs that can support elevated solar panels, or shallow-sloped roofs with a southern facing (in the Northern Hemisphere). In some parts of the UK, 10kW to 20kW solar arrays have a break-even point of five to six years, given energy pricing in the mid 2020s. That’s quite attractive to many building owners.
Geothermal heat pumps are being considered a new standard in these smart buildings; not just by design firms, but by government entities as well. In the UK, starting in 2035, heat pumps will become mandatory in most new builds. The ability to draw upon the stable temperatures located just a couple of metres below the ground can reduce HVAC costs dramatically.
Once intelligent power management has been accounted for, environmental management is next on the list. Smart buildings have the ability to control both whole-building HVAC, as well as individual rooms or sections. When combined with concepts like hot desking in commercial properties, that means no energy is wasted heating or cooling areas of the building that won’t be in use. An intelligent scheduling system will allow locations like meeting rooms to be preheated, precooled, and prelit appropriately prior to being used. Finally, inefficiencies can be detected and reported to maintenance for action.
Smart buildings also tie into access control and security, and depending on the type of system installed, this can extend all the way out into the parking lot. By tracking who is coming into the office and when, the smart building can offer things like charging station parking spots to EVs. The management system can also activate an individual’s office preferences the moment that they know they’re entering the building.
The future of smart buildings: integrating clean energy for sustainable success
Incorporating clean energy solutions into smart buildings is a strategic approach that aligns perfectly with Equans' expertise in creating efficient, sustainable, and technologically advanced infrastructures. Smart building technology enhances energy efficiency, reduces operational costs, and minimises environmental impact. By integrating clean energy sources such as solar, geothermal, and hydropower into smart buildings, Equans can deliver cutting-edge solutions that provide significant benefits for property management and energy conservation.
A smart building, equipped with advanced automation, sensors, and intelligent management systems, optimises energy use and enhances the comfort and safety of occupants. For instance, smart HVAC systems can preheat or precool spaces based on weather forecasts, and smart lighting can adjust based on occupancy, reducing energy waste. These technologies, combined with clean energy sources, ensure that smart buildings not only meet but exceed sustainability standards.
Equans' commitment to integrating clean energy with smart building technology underscores its role as a leader in the transition to a sustainable, low-carbon future. By leveraging its extensive experience and innovative solutions, Equans is well-positioned to help clients achieve their sustainability goals, enhance operational efficiency, and create resilient, future-ready infrastructures.
