Future of Smart Building Management Systems
Building management systems were originally conceived as a means of simply controlling energy usage, but it soon became clear that there were other ways the technology could be used to enhance performance in the workplace. Technologies like connected thermostats, cameras, key cards, beam counters, and more have helped us control our spaces, but are still largely fragmented and rely entirely on human monitoring and management.
With over 97 billion square feet of commercial real estate in the United States alone, the systems to manage those properties are ripe for disruption. The future of building management systems will require a few characteristics that will allow the buildings we work, live, and play in to not only be more efficient but also more comfortable and productive for the people inside them.
Smart - The smart building of the future will employ a management system that not only controls what happens in the building, but understands what’s happening in the building as well. Traffic and usage analytics will be the driving factor to how energy is managed, resources are distributed, and employees and services are employed. They will understand which floors and spaces are busy or at full-occupancy, which are slow or empty, which are seeing above or below average usage, and more.
Connected - To be truly smart, a building must have a means to gather data about itself. As we just mentioned, the most powerful type of this data will be related to traffic and usage. To gather this data, the building and its management system must be connected to technology like floor sensors and cameras that can capture traffic data, and software with the ability to organize and analyze that data. Along with that, connectivity to other datasets like traffic, weather, calendars, and more will further assist in both live and predictive changes to building operations.
Automated - With the means to capture and analyze data, buildings then must be able to adjust or provide the means to easily adjust based on the results and input of that data. Systems like HVAC and lighting and operations like scheduled restocks, cleaning, maintenance, and more will be controlled or highly influenced through the analysis of foot traffic, usage, weather, and other datasets, helping to reduce energy, time, and resource waste throughout the building.
Sustainable - Smart buildings must be sustainable in both environmental impact and energy efficiency, but also sustainable in technology installations, maintenance, and replacement requirements and cost. It’s great to have a smart building but not feasible to reply on constant human-intervention and control or to have to outfit new technologies every few years. Connected systems to a central software solution will assist in monitoring those systems and ensure a sustainable platform for management.
Mindful - Our buildings are made as a place for people to use for a variety of reasons, so they must be built and operated to help those people accomplish their goals inside. Smart building management systems will be able to leverage new technologies and changes to create environments that are more comfortable and productive for those inside through efficient energy management, new space designs, appropriate services, and more.