The Benefits of Having a Connected Building
Connected buildings are benefiting commercial and residential buildings the world over. These use a network of Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) to control processes from HVAC and lighting to security.
But exactly what constitutes a connected building, and what are the benefits for business?
In this article, we’ll talk you through it, and show you how to get started in making your own building more connected.
What is a connected building?
Connected buildings use a network of IoT sensors connected to a central AI hub to measure and act upon a whole range of building performance indicators. This might sound similar to devices used in many so-called smart buildings nowadays, but there are key differences.
Smart technology also uses IoT sensors and AI to gather key information and make decisions. For example, a smart heating system gathers information on the temperature of a workplace using IoT sensors and then automatically turns the heating up or down so that the room temperature stays within user-specified limits.
A connected building (which is really an “intelligent building”) takes this further. Rather than just monitoring room temperature, the technology installed in a connected building collects data on a whole range of factors—for example, on occupancy and air quality across the whole building.
In this way, a connected building uses data on different parameters to “decide” how best to act and generate holistic insights for building users.
For example, a ‘smart’ system might just turn the heating on in a meeting room because the temperature has dropped below a specified range. In contrast, a connected building system might make the decision to leave the same room unheated—perhaps because the room has been unoccupied for some time.
What can connected buildings do?
You now know what connected buildings are. But what can they actually do? Here’s a flavour of just some of the things today’s connected buildings are capable of.
Track data across your whole site. IoT sensors come in many flavours, from those that monitor humidity and light levels to those that can discreetly track occupancy and motion.
Thanks to their small size, they tend to be pretty easy to install. Take the sensors used by Infogrid, which, thanks to their peel-and-stick design, can be installed across your whole site in a matter of minutes.
Control KPIs synchronously. Instead of attending to multiple systems, facilities managers (FMs) can use connected buildings to keep tabs on everything, all in one place.
An online dashboard means that everything, from air quality and occupancy to viral risk and security, can be managed from one central hub.
Target resources and drive efficiencies. Here at Infogrid, we believe data is power. Why? Because the more you know about the performance of different aspects of your building, the more you can do to improve it. As connected buildings collect real-time data on your building’s performance, 24/7, you’ll be able to better diagnose where efficiencies can be made and where resources are best targeted.
Enable remote control of your site. We all know how useful it can be to turn on your home’s central heating from an app on your mobile phone. But imagine if FMs could do the same for every aspect of a building with real-time data and alerts. A connected building makes that all possible.
Automatic and reliable data collection. Green legislation isn’t just about making efforts to increase your building’s sustainability—it’s about being able to prove the impact in real terms.
Connected buildings collect data on things like energy consumption automatically. And that means you can be assured that you have all the data you need for reports and benchmarking, without having to resort to less reliable manual methods.
Sounds impressive? We think so.
Intelligent, connected building solutions are what we do here at Infogrid. Sure, building intelligence requires investment, but we believe the long-term benefits far outweigh the initial cost.
What are the benefits of a connected building?
So, say you decide to invest in a connected building—what benefits can you expect?
From our experience, there are many.
Lower carbon footprint and improved sustainability. More efficient systems mean lower emissions and fewer resources wasted. Our smart solutions helped a retail company save 800 tons of CO2 per year.
Better maintained systems. Live data on the performance of your equipment means you can get on top of issues before they become more costly. We helped a housing trust save 69% on maintenance and legal fees.
Improved building health. A healthier building means safer conditions for your workforce. We helped an analytics company reduce their virus risk by 80% and our intelligent building solutions helped a facility management business save 81% of labour time on compliance.
Lower costs. Better maintained equipment and targeted resources equal significant cost savings. We helped a supermarket save $1.6 million a year on energy costs on their HVAC system alone and we helped a bank save $1 million a year on their water bill.
Readiness for new legislation. ESG legislation is already here for many of us, which means businesses need to make sure they have the right information on their environmental impact. Building intelligence from Infogrid has been designed with this in mind, so you can rest assured that you have the reliable and accurate data needed.
Better connect your building with Infogrid
Rather than creating new buildings from scratch, we’re in the business of bringing existing structures into the 21st century.
How do we do this?
Retrofitting—it’s a trend that’s going to change the face of sustainable buildings in coming years. All you need is the right system—one that’s easy to install, totally flexible, and scalable to fit any size of site.
Here’s how we create connected, intelligent buildings here at Infogrid:
We use discreet, best-in-class, easy-install IoT sensors to reliably collect data across your whole site, 24/7.
Live sensor data is fed to our proprietary AI platform for analysis.
Automated action, contextualised Insights and live alerts all delivered based on real-time data.
Just how flexible is Infogrid’s building intelligence?
Take a look at this case study. We used retrofitting to help preserve the Grade I and II listed Royal Opera House Covent Garden, London. After fuss-free installation of IoT sensors, our intelligent building solution is helping to automatically and precisely control humidity and temperature, 24/7. Now, managers can always ensure conditions are just right to preserve this iconic heritage site, wherever they are.
Join the dots with building intelligence from Infogrid. Try our demo today.