What is Smart Building and Its Best Examples | Best Smart Building Ideas

Industries are growing every day, rapidly and so are the buildings. But with growing populations and demand for new buildings, the buildings now are more versatile like smart buildings. 

Smart buildings do many things including gathering user data to provide the best user experience. There are enamored benefits of smart buildings and the world yet hasn’t reached the full capacity of what it could do with smart buildings. There are a lot of things to explore about smart buildings, which this guide will try to. This guide will explore a lot of smart buildings. So, without further due, let’s get started. 

Understanding The Smart Buildings Technology Idea

Smart buildings, at their core, use wireless technology to record and transfer data about the building’s functions for example water use, heating, and other utilities to manage their use swiftly. This data enables users to better understand when and what resources are currently in function, regulate them remotely, and even automate tasks.

Smart building technology companies use IoT technology like sensors to collect data as a critical component of any smart building. which means sensors can monitor when a room is in use, when lights turn on and off, which zones of the building end up receiving the most traffic, and the average temp.

The Core Components Of The Smart Building Technology

Smart buildings consist of the user’s efficient and advanced technology. On the grounds of that, smart building technology can include the components like-

• IoT Sensors

Sensors monitor their surroundings and record or transmit the information (data) they collect to a computer processor. Typically, this provides insights into the problem with an access point installed inside a building, which then interacts with a gateway. That gateway collects sensor information and transfers it to the cloud. Temperature, humidity, light, motion, location, air quality, and vibration are some of the key measures for monitoring within a smart building ecosystem. When it comes to purchasing sensors, building experts have many options. However, cost and battery life are important factors to consider when selecting a scanner.

• Analytics Software

The software helps experts to understand the data collected from sensors. The software extracts and analyses the rich insights provided by the data and assists experts in determining how to put those insights into action.

To determine a course of action, this smart building technology may integrate other data sources, such as weather data or utility rates, in addition to sensor data. Utilizing daily weather data and utility peak demand details, for example, the software may suggest super-cooling the building at the time when needed. It will also calculate the savings released by the building visitors less power usage from a certain time. The software eliminates the loophole potentials that can otherwise remain present if a human collects the data.

• User Interface

The user interface helps the users interact with the software—computer screens, icons, displays, and so on. Mainly the user interface in smart buildings provides easy-to-access and simple-to-understand format information direct to the users. Furthermore, the user interface can provide massive information in a sorted and efficient way to improve customer satisfaction. 

• Connectivity

Finally, it comes down to the devices that the building needs to communicate correctly and seamlessly and connect to the Internet. Cellular and WiFi-based networking solutions make examples of connectivity solutions. Cellular-based applications become a perfect option for smart buildings because they can operate over long distances. However, the cost of cellular-based devices peaks too high. 

In contrast, WiFi, on the other hand, provides good coverage throughout most buildings; however, due to security concerns, many IT departments hesitate to allow third-party IoT devices on their networks and in the smart buildings. As a security breach can control the whole building and can do great damage. 

A dedicated IoT network becomes another option that experts can use in smart buildings. The network avoids WiFi security issues, has greater signal penetration across walls and concrete blocks than cellular has longer battery life for sensors and costs less than cellular. 

Smart Building Material Example

Smart buildings are meant to provide safe, fast, and pollution-free construction. This is only possible by using the material that is attributed to the smart building constructions.

Here the smart building materials examples

Self Healing Concrete

Basilisk Concrete, based in the Netherlands, offers a self-healing concrete mix. Their technology is based on bacteria or other microorganisms that produce limestone when mixed with concrete during the manufacturing process. As a result, concrete structures become more durable and capable of self-repairing crack formations. The autonomous repair system is being developed for both new and existing structures. It eliminates the problems of regular concrete such as pollutants and, harmful gasses released during its products making it the best option for smart buildings.

Aerogel

Green Earth Aerogel Technologies, a Spanish startup, creates carbon aerogels from rice waste and silica aerogels from rice husk using nanotechnology. Because of the recent advances in nanotechnology, Aerogels have become thinner, lighter, and stronger. These aerogels have the potential to insulate pipes, tubes, and wires. Aerogel fine powders are used in the manufacture of fireproof and insulated protective coatings as paint additives and putty components. And now, Aerogel granules also make good material for translucent walls, windows, and roofs.

Permeable Pavement

Permeable pavements turn concrete areas of certain smart buildings into sponges that collect large amounts of rain and flood water. PaverGuide, a startup based in the United States, has developed a structural stormwater chamber made entirely of recycled plastic that is specifically designed for permeable pavements. They have an 89mm (3.5in) deep hold that can absorb the same quantity of water discharge as a stone sub-base 254mm (10in) deep. The experts utilize this quality of permeable pavements to enhance the smart building structure and water storage efficiency.

Nanomaterials

Using graphene in construction, whether by mixing it with concrete or coating steel structures with it, has the potential to transform many aspects of building and construction. Graphene extends the life of the building and significantly improves its structural stability. Experts have named Graphene a future material due to its high conductivity. Graphitene, a British startup, manufactures graphene for building and construction. They have a unique and clean graphene production process that does not require high temperatures. Their method extracts graphene from natural sources using only mild chemicals and conditions that result in pure graphene.

Shape Memory Alloys

EPoS, an Italian company, manufactures shape memory alloys for a variety of industries, including construction. They have a unique sintering method that allows them to process to theoretical density in the air without oxidation, allowing for lean production of simple components with minimal machining. Shape memory alloys can deform and then return to their original shape after being unloaded or heated. This ‘shape memory’ effect is caused by the reversible phase transformation that SMAs go through, known as martensitic transformation. Its applications have expanded to include seismic resistance for earthquake-prone zones and heritage structures, as well as superelasticity for tall skyscrapers to prevent them from swaying out of shape.

 Smart building technology examples- 

Here are the 5 smart building technology examples that are set to bring an automated future as near as possible. 

The Edge – Amsterdam‍

The first on the list is The Edge of Amsterdam. It has received the highest sustainability score ever awarded by the British agency BREEAM: 98.4 percent. The building receives its power from the solar panels embedded in its exterior. The solar panels produce more electricity than the building consumes each day, and advanced ventilation, which consists of mesh panels on each floor that allow hot air to rise to the ceiling, imitating the airflow outdoors. The guests can link the building to an app and take help to find parking spots, locate desks based on individual schedules, and adapt the lighting and temperature for every space that a guest enters. Isn’t it amazing?

Apple Park – Cupertino

Apple’s corporate headquarters had to have a cutting-edge design, and they didn’t disappoint. The ring-shaped building has the capacity to hold 12,000 employees. The public can also visit this entirely custom-built building. The building has also bagged the title of one of the most energy-efficient structures in the world. Smart buildings fully utilize the technology for temperature control. It uses high-tech ventilation as well as tubes installed on the roofs and floors to keep things cool. The building is worth more than $4 billion, resulting in a $ 40 million property tax.

Bahrain World Trade Center – Bahrain

The Bahrain World Trade Center has become the skyscraper to integrate windmills into its design. It generates about 15% of its energy requirements from wine. The 240-meter, this smart building is joined from the center by three 3-meter-wide windmills attached to walkways. This amazing masterpiece was designed by Atkins company and located proudly in the Bahraini city of Manama.

Frasers Tower – Singapore

Microsoft’s Frasers Tower1, created in collaboration with Bentley Systems and Schneider Electric, is a model of operational excellence and smart technology. It has 179 Bluetooth Beacons and 900 lightings, quality of air, and temperature sensors that collect real-time data, allowing operators to optimize building spaces for optimum efficiency and productivity. Employees and staff can also use Smart Building CampusLink, a fully integrated application with Microsoft Outlook as well as Microsoft Office 365. The apps can help the employees to look for directions, determine occupancy rates, and book facilities in real-time. 

Corning Optical Communications Headquarters – Charlotte, North Carolina

The last but not the least example in this list is Corning Optical Communications. It is an exceptional model of the smart building. This structure served as a test bed for SPIRE smart building criteria. It includes high-end fiber-optic networks for connectivity and digital health tools such as sensors. Sensors monitor spaces for crowding and air quality problems, data gathering and production technology to help regulate energy usage, and updated cybersecurity systems. Furthermore, the structure complies with LEED, Fitwel, and WELL Building Standards.

Future Smart Building Ideas

From an energy-efficient skyscraper to a fully automated building, smart building technology can be used in versatile ways and in different buildings. For instance, a smart office building can focus on increasing the productivity of employees. Also provides them with a stress-free space while a hotel or residential building can try to bring circadian rhythms into the building space to achieve comfort for that inside.

There are endless possibilities, smart building ideas, and different methodologies to achieve through the implementation.

• Water Supply System- The building can have a water supply system to detect leaks, monitor quality, and control heating and cooling.
• Chiller Plants– Chiller plants can optimize in and outside weather data to reduce energy consumption while cooling the building.
• Managing Electrical Loads- Buildings can prioritize and categorize the electrical loads to better understand how critical and non-essential loads operate.
• Temperature Maintenance- Buildings can have the program to control the air conditioning and heating systems to automate energy control and room occupancy.
• Weather Station Installation- Embedded connected weather stations can work on the exterior of buildings to enhance internal systems such as temperature and air quality.
• Room Occupancy Detection-  Installed sensors can detect room occupancy and match patterns to energy consumption throughout the day.
• Cloud Utilization To Store Building Data- Buildings can utilize the infrastructure for storage and data through the cloud.
• Managed Interactions In Various IoT Devices- Multiple internal systems, such as lighting, air conditioning, water, and ventilation, can become interconnected to monitor and optimize their interactions throughout the day. 

Smart building vs Intelligent building-Explained 

Smart works on the interaction of IoT devices and builds on the smart material that can reduce the cost while providing the stability and sustainability to the structure. 

Intelligent buildings somewhat also work the same. They can have open protocols, share data among themselves, and make real-time data-based decisions to improve the comfort, security, and performance of the building users. 

Both of the building technologies do not have much difference except the one, automation. It is just one thing to stand out in a smart building vs intelligent building battle. Intelligent buildings use automation to cut the cost of repetitive tasks. 

Smart buildings provide the user interfaces to optimize facility operations. Intelligent buildings, on the other hand, manage these tasks automatically. Intelligent buildings work with advanced networks to use sensors to learn tenant locations and to change the building environment accordingly, to where they will be.

In summary, the intelligent and smart buildings provide tools to improve the effectiveness, productivity, and even solace of any guests or employees within their surroundings. Smart buildings allow users to control appliances, whereas intelligent buildings activate them automatically, yet both function to serve individuals.

Smart buildings present a different approach to future infrastructure. It is just the beginning of smart building technology. The world will witness more skyscrapers standing with pride in upcoming years.

Thank you.