Smart Cities Call For Smart Buildings

Cities consume nearly 75% of global energy resources and account for 80% of the emissions. By 2050, it is anticipated that 66% of the worlds population will be living in cities.

- Gaurav Burman

In addition to these, cities are also faced with new challenges such as severe budget constraints, high occupant expectation and the need to attract jobs and investment. To be more efficient, sustainable, livable, and attractive, cities need to become smarter.

Up until now, the conversation around smart cities has been focused on technology and its impact on infrastructure, i.e. the use of technology such as big data and ICT to better manage urban assets such as public transit, parking meters, utilities and so forth. But it's time to change the conversation! A truly smart city, in my opinion, focuses on its occupants and aims to achieve three goals - to improve the quality of life, economic competitiveness, and sustainability.

Smart buildings go a long way in achieving all these goals, and more. Smart buildings help better manage and monitor assets, reduce energy costs and carbon footprints, and shape the world around us. Controlled air temperature, personalized lighting, remote security, and streamlined processes are all within reach with smart building technology.

Why make buildings smart?

Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, such as the IoT (Internet of Things), M2M, Edge Computing and intelligent data analytics, smart buildings can enhance the Occupants' Experience (OE) and create more attractive, desirable places to work. The experience of the building users can be personalized to their individual preferences, while real-time data and predictive analytics work together to optimize his/her workspace all year round. It can also track and improve occupant health, performance, and productivity which is imperative for any business considering employees are the biggest asset of any growing company.