Data is the foundation of smart buildings

Commercial buildings are no longer just structures that house people and things. In the age of digitalization, they are holistic and digitally connected centres churning out smart data that is helping make people’s lives better and lowering the total cost of ownership.

When you think that we spend an average of 20 hours each day inside buildings, it’s not just the architectural aesthetics that are important, but also how smart data streams collect, predict and improve our time spent inside these structures – in real-time too.

Building intelligence is evolving through emerging technologies in cloud computing, data analytics and intelligent field devices — effectively merging the virtual and real worlds within the built environment. This shift provides an opportunity to transform real estate assets into active contributors to business success.

In a recent interview with Sourceable magazine, I discussed how building managers now have access to detailed, real-time data on a slew of performance areas, including power and energy, fire safety and physical security, as well as lighting, blinds and the operation of automated systems.

However the problem is, without a method of facilitating all of the data points within a building to talk to each other, be interpreted and utilised to make a difference, its value is restricted. This is why many see central building management systems (BMS) as a critical tool for modern building management.

 Cost benefits are realised by incorporating all aspects of building control. Systems from energy, fire safety and security, through to lighting, blinds and automated systems, data streams are integrated into a single BMS.

One Central Park in Sydney is an outstanding example of the efficiency gains made using the latest building management technology. They’ve used technology to help evaluate energy, water and other consumption patterns and proactively develop measures to optimise usage.

A natural consequence of BMS is the increasing need for and reliance on live data – particularly on mobile devices. For example live data and concepts such as Total Room Automation provides a macro view of the building and also allows building managers to, at the touch of a button, automatically restore room settings to the most efficient way of operation, keeping individual wellbeing in mind.    

As we continue to see rapid technological advances, we can expect to see more buildings leveraging enterprise assets and data analytics to meet their sustainability and cost goals. As Harriet Green, General Manager, Watson IoT, Education & Commerce at IBM said recently, “Connected ‘things’ – everything from hospital beds, train tracks, cars, buildings and more – are generating massive amounts of data that can be analyzed to provide quick, actionable insights”. You see, Data Is the New Oil of the Digital Economy.