When it comes to smart technologies in buildings, it’s evident that we’re often collecting more data than we know what to do with. This often means that we’re not optimizing our spaces as much as we could be.
Smart buildings are typically equipped with sensors and a centralized building automation system (BAS). Sensor data is sent to this BAS, where the data can be monitored and used to make data-driven decisions on how to control and automate building systems (like lighting and HVAC). When data is used correctly, buildings can be optimized for energy efficiency, and occupant comfort, health and convenience.
The potential of smart buildings
Two of the most popular types of sensors used to collect this data are occupancy sensors, and indoor environmental quality (IEQ) sensors. However, data collection rarely results in many benefits if there isn’t a solid data analysis system in place to produce practical understandings.
A practical insight to improve the energy efficiency of an office building, for example, could be that a board room is typically unoccupied between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m., so lighting could automatically be turned off during that time.
However, survey results released by Toggled in May 2023 indicate that we haven’t reached a point where we’re maximizing the use of collected data. According to the report, many businesses are embracing smart building technology for benefits such as energy efficiency and lower operating costs, but are unable to master the data to reach those goals.
This is specifically a big problem for owners of large facilities, such as manufacturing facilities or data centers, which typically have more complex building systems than residential spaces. According to Toggled, nearly “two-thirds of facility decision makers (64%) say they are still looking for ways to monitor and analyse their carbon footprint or greenhouse gas emissions in their facilities.”
Potential solutions to achieve practical insights in smart buildings
The question remains: How can we move past rudimentary data collection to intelligent data analysis?
The key to overcoming this challenge lies in creating a specialized BAS, designed to cater to the distinct needs of larger facilities and their existing infrastructures.
The ideal BAS for a larger facility would include:
- Artificial intelligence: The BAS would ideally be programmed to discern actionable insights from sensor data, according to the unique needs of each facility owner or manager.
- An easy to access, and convenient, interface: The BAS would ideally be a secure, cloud-based app, so that it could conveniently be accessed anywhere with an internet connection (not just through a remote desktop). For a BAS to be cloud-based, it needs to be able to communicate with existing infrastructure. This infrastructure typically uses standardized protocols, such as BACnet or DALI, so a building system protocol bridge would need to be integrated into a BAS to allow it to could communicate with the appropriate protocols for the project.
- An intuitive, user-friendly dashboard: Good design can make a big difference in determining whether something is used or forgotten. Another insight from the Toggle survey is that 38% of respondents “lack a dedicated, knowledgeable staff to keep smart building tech running smoothly.” Thus, it’s a fair assumption that the design of the BAS interface should be easy to use, to be used at all.
We won’t be able to seize the full potential of smart buildings until better BASs are developed for larger facilities, so that collected data can be easily translated into actionable insights.
