It’s well known that standard buildings face issues of inefficiency and overspending when it comes to internal systems and building use. This can then transcend to the businesses and organisations within them, causing a lack of productivity and internal inefficiencies. Smart buildings tackle these issues, by combining and integrating technology and the Internet of Things (IoT) into the building’s key internal systems and workings, so that everything from the central heating to the lighting, the security system to the access control system is inter-connected, communicating and working together.
Smart buildings use sensors and the data collected from the building and the various internal systems, to make key decisions and actions based on the situation that helps the building to perform better overall in terms of efficiency. Therefore, becoming more cost and time-efficient. For example, a smart building will be able to adjust the central heating or air conditioning based on how many people are in an area, leading to more efficient energy usage.
There are numerous benefits to smart buildings. Discover our top 10 benefits of smart buildings below:
Arguably one of the most impactful benefits of smart buildings, reduced energy consumption will not only benefit your business in terms of reduced costs and carbon footprint, but it will also positively impact the planet. With a smart building, energy usage can be controlled and automated per area, meaning no part of the building is being heated, cooled or lit when not in use – therefore tackling the issue of inefficient energy usage and unsustainable practices in standard buildings.
Maintenance is essential to any equipment or system to ensure it is running at its best ability and continues to be efficient, thus limited the need for costly replacements. Smart buildings can use the data collected from each connected system and its sensors to predict when each piece of equipment will need a maintenance check, allowing nothing to go unnoticed or be forgotten.
With BusinessWatch, we can also detect any internal building faults and fix them remotely whenever possible – saving you the cost of an engineer call out.
With all systems and equipment communicating with each other and fully interconnected, it opens the opportunity for automation. A major benefit of smart buildings, the ability to put in place custom automation is not only more efficient but could also improve occupant safety in an event of an emergency. For example, if a break-in was detected on the security system out of hours, lighting could be automated to turn on in that area, access control could block the intruders escape root and the emergency services called – all completely automated and without the need for individual interference.
A smart building is constantly collecting data from the internal systems, from energy usage to the number of occupants, as well as many more. The smart building can therefore provide key patterns and trends on workplace behaviour, resources and building use that can then be used to make more efficient and productive decisions to improve the overall business, workplace and building use.
A key benefit of a smart building is the ability to gain real-time data, which can influence immediate and effective actions to take place. This results in a building that is reactive and flexible to its current usage and therefore can experience peak efficiency.
A more efficient building results in reduced costs, due to better and more informed and often automated decision-making. By only using the required energy in the areas of the building that are needed, a benefit of smart buildings is that you can reduce your overall costs.
The comfort and wellbeing of your occupants shouldn’t be overlooked. Research from the University of Oxford shows that content employees result in a 13% more productive workforce, which is another benefit in itself. Smart buildings give the advanced ability to manage key environmental factors such as room temperature and lighting, that can improve the indoor air quality and lighting levels for your occupants. Factors such as carbon dioxide detection and ventilation flow can be measured to provide the best conditions possible.
In addition, occupancy sensors can be used to help with social distancing and controlling the number of people in one area.
With a building becoming more efficient, so does the workforce. A smart building is designed to improve the comfort of the occupants and put simply, make day-to-day life easier. One of the benefits of a smart building is that makes a workforce more productive.
A smart building can really maximise the effectiveness of a security system and allows the use of various smart security features and equipment to monitor, manage and secure the building, such as smart door locks, alarms, cameras and more. By being installed in a smart building, the benefits are that it is then integrated with all other systems, processes can be automated in the event of an incident and can contribute to providing key building insights.
Converting a standard building to a smart building can increase its value, due to the installed smart technology and applications within it and the overall benefits they provide. Smart buildings are easy to maintain and are highly sort after by tenants and businesses, especially with the ability to improve energy efficiency and reduce overall energy usage.
Smart buildings, therefore, hold a whole host of benefits that can have a positive impact on the efficiency and productivity of the building, occupants, workforces and businesses. If you want to find out more on how BusinessWatch can help you install smart building features to your building(s), get in touch online or call us on 0330 094 7404.
