IoT can help make the buildings into Smart Buildings in which we live and work more comfortable, efficient and secure.
Smart building systems
Commercial buildings are complex, and keeping systems like elevators, boilers, lighting, air conditioning, and access control functioning smoothly is a labour-intensive task. IoT can connect these systems and monitor their health in real time. This enables the building owner or service provider to manage them more effectively. And they can also help improve building security and give business insight. With Digital Buildings, customers gain a detailed insight into dwell time, footfall and signs of a break-in. And any preventative maintenance can be scheduled without causing disruption to occupants.
In the home, the opportunity is around convenience. Smart home features, in effect, enables the home to adapt to the occupants’ needs: turning on lights, ovens and entertainment systems as the owner walks in the door. Delivering these experiences is a great opportunity for providers to delight their customers.
Energy management
Building systems such as lighting and heating can be incredibly energy intensive, both in the home and in commercial properties. Automating these systems — for instance, turning off lights when a building is empty, or automatically adjusting air-conditioning — can save money and deliver compelling ROI. IoT-enabled energy management tools can sense the environment and follow business rules to govern energy use automatically.
Safety and security
Security cameras, intruder and fire alarms, motion detectors and access controls are an important part of commercial building infrastructure. But these systems are often proprietary, costly and unintelligent. IoT-based surveillance systems, like Digital Buildings, are easier to deploy — even without any power or network cabling — and feature advanced automation features that mean they can, as a result, replace the cost of manned guards.
Safety and security devices are one of the fastest-growing areas of the smart home market, too. These include not only burglar alarms and smoke alarms that alert the homeowner to events even when they’re away from the property, but a range of solutions to keep families safe: smart baby monitors, assisted living devices for the infirm, and trackers for pets and children. Creating these products and services is a huge opportunity for manufacturers.
