4 benefits of an intelligent building
A building is only intelligent when the all the systems within that building are integrated and talking to one another. This offers huge benefits to the occupants, the landlord, and the environment at large.
You’ll have visited or worked in an intelligent building yourself. As a building user, the advantages are immediately tangible. Why? Because the building anticipates your every need – whilst keeping you safe and comfortable at the same time. As a landlord, an intelligent building gives you more information, more control, less waste, and lower running costs.
The case for intelligent buildings is compelling. See how this could work for your organisation.
- Reduce your OPEX
Due to the British weather, it’s necessary to heat your building for most of the calendar year. This no doubt accounts for a large proportion of your operational costs too.
In a bid to become more efficient, you may have smart devices that help you to remotely control your heating levels.
However, in an intelligent building – with a connected eco-system – the heating system thinks for itself because it has access to a data pool. This data pools gives it parameters to work with and the ability to learn patterns of behaviour. Once these patterns are established, the system can begin to make predictions. These predictions are where the opex savings come from.
This means that any changes to your staffing levels, or changes to the weather – have a much smaller impact on your heating costs.
- Boost your environmental performance
Dynamic, responsive accommodation – that cleverly adapts to meet the needs of the building-users, whilst reflecting what’s going on in the wider environment – is intelligent. Things like lighting and heating can all be managed by a well-connected, intelligent building.
By collecting real-time data about how and when your occupants use your premises – which an intelligent building can provide you with – you’re able to make operational, energy saving decisions that can benefit the environment.
- Bolster productivity levels
An intelligent building delivers you a setting that’s more conducive to a good days’ work. This is because it predicts what occupants want before they even want it – so all their needs are automatically met.
It also helps building or facilities managers to focus their attention on the things that really make a difference, and not just laborious monitoring tasks.
Let’s take the aviation sector as an example. Back in the 1950’s, the 3-man cockpit was commonplace, comprising of a captain, a first officer, and a flight engineer.
The flight engineer is the building manager in this analogy – a highly qualified, but non-flying pilot. This person was relied upon to monitor every system throughout the aircraft, and keep the captain and first officer updated about the status of hydraulic systems, engines, and mechanical components. Basically, look after the operational running of the flight.
Over time, the job of monitoring these systems – via valve gauges – was replaced by a computer with a master caution and master warning alarm. This computer alerted the flight crew to critical situations. However, this didn’t signal the end of the flight engineer role. Instead, they were redeployed into positions on the ground: supporting multiple flights remotely; managing teams of ground mechanics; and directing flight planners to achieve the most efficient routing paths. They became much more productive.
This is the future for your building or facilities managers – working in harmony with the intelligent buildings they look after.
- Better secure your people and your assets
The safety and security of your employees, premises, and equipment – will undoubtedly be at the forefront of your mind.
Kensington locks, key operated doors, and code entry panels are commonplace in smart buildings. But, in an intelligent building, everything is centralised – not only to allow access – but to monitor and predict behaviours.
Knowing who has accessed where, what path they took, and when – gives you a comprehensive view of what’s happening in your premises. Suddenly you can start to anticipate when people should be accessing certain areas, before they do it, so that you’re alerted to behaviours that aren’t the norm.
Could your building use some intelligence?
Businesses are using intelligent buildings now – to improve productivity, lower costs, enhance their environmental performance, and better secure their people and assets. Could this work for your organisation?
About Connecture
Connecture are UK-wide experts in designing and delivering, large-scale cable infrastructure projects – as well as state-of-the-art intelligent, connected building technologies.
Connect with us today by calling 0115 838 4800.