Smart buildings help you harness automation to increase efficiency, health, and productivity

How do you use data to make your buildings operate more efficiently and drive occupant comfort, safety, and productivity? Historically, our industry focused mostly on energy efficiency. However, technology is driving a disruption in how buildings operate, providing more holistic benefits. Smart buildings use automation, oftentimes through building controls, to make a building grid flexible, healthy, productive, and energy efficient.

Building systems that did not have any automation or intelligence in the past—like lighting, building security, space utilization, and maintenance—now do. This digital transformation is changing the way we use data to manage and operate buildings. Smart building systems include sensors to gather data and cloud-based platforms to analyze that data. They then provide sophisticated feedback to operators, occupants, owners, and other stakeholders to improve the value of the building. Building owners can leverage this date to create a smarter, sustainable, and safer building environment.

The need for smart buildings’ non-energy benefits is a significant part of this transformation. Smart buildings know where occupants are located and can track healthcare equipment location in hospitals. Sensors can notify you when systems need attention. They can record carbon dioxide and particulates in the air and alert operators to undesirable levels. They can even help owners understand and maintain social distancing.

Buildings are getting smarter. It’s important to understand how you can use these systems and data to inform your decisions. We aim to provide research on these systems so you can do just that.

Our research in this space includes:

• Smart valves
• Energy savings from implementing and commissioning demand control ventilation
• Integrated controls pilot
• Location-based services
• Grid interactive efficient buildings integration
• Load shaping analytics and platforms