The Internet of Things is transforming the way we live and work. And nowhere is this more apparent than in the world of smart buildings. Smart buildings are no longer just a concept. From the moment they were first conceived, they’ve essentially been a utopia of sorts: one in which we all want to live and work.
But it seems nothing could have exceeded our expectations; our dreams of efficient, intelligent buildings have become a reality thanks to IoT. In fact, smart building technology is now so mainstream that it’s nearly impossible to avoid it.
IoT has effectively transformed the way we live and work — and now smart buildings are making part of everyday life easier than ever before.
Why Smart Buildings Are Necessary
Of course, smart buildings may seem like a utopian dream for some people at first glance. But before you dismiss it, you should consider the drawbacks of traditional buildings and think about how IoT is making our lives better.
First and foremost, smart buildings are necessary because they allow us to protect the environment. By using sensors and other connected devices to monitor different metrics that can indicate waste or stress on the planet, we can make sure that we’re reducing our carbon footprint as much as possible.
In fact, many people have decided to focus on smart building technology because they don’t want to see the next generation be less than they could be. That’s why they’ve opted for sustainable solutions using IoT technology like sensor-based motion sensors.
The number of active connections to IoT smart buildings was predicted to grow over time. In 2016, there were 5.08 million connections, with 154.06 million connections predicted by 2025.
In addition to energy efficiency, smart buildings are also improving social interaction. Right now, smart buildings can monitor and adjust for the presence of people in the area. For example, IoT technology can be used to monitor individual room temperatures, humidity levels, and general noise levels within each room. This means that we can make sure that everyone is comfortable during their stay in a smart building at all times — regardless of whether they’re working or resting.
Finally, smart buildings help us to save money. By using IoT technology to monitor our energy use and track down leaks in the HVAC system after hours, we can use these insights to make improvements that will save us both time and money over time.
What is IoT in Smart Buildings
By 2023, the global IoT smart building market will be worth $51.44 billion USD.
The Internet of Things is an umbrella term used to describe the way that everyday objects are getting connected to each other. This concept is used in smart buildings to make sure that they’re as efficient and comfortable as possible.
Typically, IoT in smart buildings is based on a system that uses sensors, wireless transmitters and receivers, and remote systems. The idea is to use these systems to monitor building conditions — everything from temperature, light levels, and humidity to physical activity — so you can make adjustments as necessary.
In order to make these adjustments, a smart building will use a centralized software platform that allows the various sensors, wireless transmitters, wireless receivers, and remote systems to communicate with each other.
This is where IoT comes into play; depending on the smart building project’s requirements, you can use either cloud-based or on-premise software platforms. Both of these options ensure more convenience and functionality than traditional systems.
The Internet of Smart Buildings
The Internet of Things has become nearly synonymous with smart buildings. But what does the term actually mean? IoT is the utilization of wireless open-source technology to which there are already many devices connected.
The Internet of Smart Buildings, or IoT for short, is a way of combining these technologies in order to make your building smarter and more efficient. The keyword in this phrase is ‘connected’ because it’s about making sure that all your devices are connected and that you’re always able to access them through one remote location, whether that’s your office or home.
How Smart Buildings Are Improving Our Lives
One thing that we’ve learned in recent years is that bad air quality can make you sick — sometimes without you even realizing it. While ventilation systems used to be good enough at containing bad air within a single area, they have since become outdated thanks to IoT technology. Now, smart buildings use IoT-enabled air quality sensors to detect air pollution and make adjustments as necessary.
By 2023, AI technologies will fuel 33% of the IoT smart building industry.
This means that you’ll be able to breathe easily, even if you’re living in a large office building or on the 28th floor of an apartment complex. These sensors can monitor levels of pollution and humidity so you can adjust your personal environment as needed to keep yourself as comfortable as possible. Ultimately, this leads to happier employees and less sick days — so it’s a win-win for everyone all around.
How Does IoT Influence the Development of Smart Buildings
By 2023, North America is expected to dominate the IoT smart building revolution with a 36% market share.
We can measure energy consumption in buildings, which will allow us to analyze where energy is being wasted and through which process. We can eliminate energy wastage by introducing new technologies and improving our infrastructure. We can also provide energy-efficient solutions and upgrades as well as evolve to become more sustainable.
The IoT for Smart Buildings Playbook
The Internet of things has become such a common feature in almost every household appliance that we’re now used to devices talking to each other, and even doing things on their own.
This trend has continued with smart buildings and environments. Now, there are many different devices that will be able to communicate and connect on a much more complex level, but that is just as secure and safe as conventional devices.
From 2018 to 2023, smart building automation systems will increase at a CAGR of 48.3%.
The Internet of Smart Buildings is taking over in many ways, but there are some key challenges to overcome before the smart building revolution can truly take place. So how can you go about installing IoT in smart buildings?
Here’s what you need to consider:
Understanding the Technology Implementation Process
Smart buildings are becoming more technologically advanced each day, but not all technology systems are suited for use in a smart building environment. To ensure that you get the best possible results, it’s important to understand what smart building technology is, and how it interacts with other IoT devices.
Implementing Smart Building Technology
There are several ways in which you can implement smart building technology into your home or business. But to ensure that everything runs smoothly and that you get the most out of every device, there are things you should keep in mind.
How Can IoT Help to Create More Sustainable Buildings
The Internet of Things (IoT) is a revolutionary technology that will enable us to have more sustainable buildings by making sure that they are more energy-efficient, but it is not enough alone to realize the true potential of IoT. What we need is IoT in smart buildings and buildings in general.
Smart building technology, together with IoT and connected devices, can help to achieve multiple objectives:
1. Connected Plant Automation:
If a humidity or temperature sensor is installed on a plant to automate the irrigation system, you also have connected data on the amount of water being used and how much water is being lost. A connected plant automation system will monitor plant health at all times and send this data back to the cloud for analysis. This system can be controlled remotely, either manually or automatically. You will be able to adjust your irrigation schedule or tell the irrigation system to fix a problem before it becomes a major issue.
2. Connected Energy Demand
Traditional methods of measuring energy consumption in buildings is mostly done by hand. These systems are very expensive and time-consuming. IoT will allow you to have an interactive energy demand map that shows you how much energy you’re using at any given time and where specific devices are used. You can also identify inefficient appliances and equipment, so you can make sure to invest in more efficient solutions.
Benefits of Using IoT in Smart Buildings
There are huge benefits to implementing IoT in smart buildings. It will provide us with advanced building monitoring and management capabilities, advanced analytics for energy efficiency, and connected infrastructure for your building.
Here are some of the benefits you can get from IoT in smart buildings:
1. Secure Data & Building Systems Monitoring
Smart building technology will allow you to monitor important systems in your facility like the HVAC system, the lights, and other key components of your building through individual devices. This means that you would be able to have increased control over your building systems and make sure that they function as they should without any issues.
This is just another way by which smart buildings can offer increased security to their users. You will be able to monitor who’s in your building, what activity they are doing, as well as which devices are connected to the Internet. You will also be able to remotely control these devices and make sure that their security is not compromised in any way.
2. Improved Energy Efficiency
Smart buildings can monitor things like HVAC systems and lighting and adjust them whenever they require adjustment based on environmental conditions and the behavioral patterns of users.
When it comes to determining energy efficiency, IoT technology can really help you out a lot. It will allow you to see where you are wasting energy and where you can cut costs. You can also see if your equipment is working properly, identify inefficient devices and make sure to replace them with new, more efficient ones.
The Internet of Things allows you to gain a lot of insights through the connected data from all over your building. It will provide you with information about how well the doors are functioning for example, or it will give you insights about whether your lights are on when they shouldn’t be.
This level of control over your smart building is what makes it so effective because it allows you to optimize your energy usage and make sure that your business is as sustainable as possible.
3. Improved Facility Management
A smart building will provide you with real-time data on the facility’s processes and activities. This includes air quality, humidity, temperatures, and all other important processes that take place within your building. This way you will know when to step in and make changes to ensure better facility management
Improved Facility Management is one of the biggest benefits that IoT in smart buildings can offer. By collecting data and analyzing it, we can get better insights into how our equipment and systems are functioning. This allows us to understand how they are performing at any given time and determine whether they are functioning as they should be or if there is a problem that needs to be addressed immediately.
Challenges of IoT in Smart Buildings
There are many challenges associated with installing IoT in smart buildings. But these problems can be easily resolved if you have a well-planned process for the installation and implementation of your system and all the necessary components that you’ll need. MEC, 5G, real-time IoT data analytics, and asset tracking are key solution areas.
Everything that is connected to the internet can be hacked, but not all of them. When implementing IoT in smart buildings, it’s important that you keep security in mind at all times. With this in mind, it’s important that you take several precautions to ensure that hackers cannot get access to your equipment or data through breaches.
For example, if your system is based on wireless technology, it’s important that you take a step back and evaluate just how safe your wireless network is. If the signals are being intercepted by a hacker, then this will allow them to access your information and data in all areas of your building. It’s not impossible to hack into the most secure networks, but it will require more time and effort than you may be willing to invest.
Future Scope of Smart Building Using IoT
Realizing the full potential of IoT in smart buildings is crucial. The technology itself is one of the most innovative and important forms of new innovation to emerge recently, yet we’re only just beginning to understand how it can be used to improve our lives. In fact, IoT in smart buildings can help people reduce their carbon footprint while also protecting the planet on a global scale.
Of course, there’s still much ground to be made. For example, we need to make sure that you’re able to access your data whenever and wherever you want — that way we can make sure that it’s utilized for maximum benefit for smart building implementations everywhere. So this isn’t just theoretical; IoT in smart buildings has incredible potential. We’re just getting started.
More and more people are realizing the potential of smart buildings, and this is only the beginning of IoT in smart buildings. It’s an exciting time to be alive!
Last Updated on October 9, 2023 by Parina Parmar
