It’s easy to call a building smart just because it can automate tasks or have smart lighting and appliances, but it’s not just that.
A smart building has components that control various systems in place. Here are 4 technologies that makes it ‘smart’.
Table of Contents
Building Management Systems
Building management systems, or BMS for short are often called the ‘brains’ of a smart building because they control just about every system.
Think of the building automation system as the command center where actions take place. It tells the equipment what to do and monitors them for optimal efficiency and operation.
The Internet of Things
The IoT is the network where the connected devices communicate with each other.
Data is exchanged between products, such as meters, lights and sensors. An example is a smartphone app that controls the thermostat via Wi-Fi, or a smart socket that shuts off during certain times.
Actuators are components that make mechanisms move, while sensors collect electronic signals around them and convert it into something that can be read by AI or humans.
Augmented Reality
Augmented reality is not fully realized yet, and it may be strange to think of it as part of smart buildings. However, this technology can prove to be useful in emergencies, particularly outages and unforeseen circumstances.
AR glasses allow the user to see digital graphics and effects in physical overlays- it can provide helpful information over an equipment, such as troubleshooting tips, when it was installed, warnings and instructions, among others.
Artificial Intelligence
AI can bring everything together by providing more automation. It simulates the decision making process and streamline input without having to rely or wait for human intervention.
Also, artificial intelligence can learn how occupants prefer living conditions, such as how bright or dim the lighting should be at a certain hour, or the optimal temperature they want throughout the day.