Internet of Things (IoT) technology is transforming so much of everyday life. It's powering digital health devices, modernizing manufacturing and the factory floor—and now, it's even being used to create smart buildings.
Smart buildings, powered by new wireless connectivity options, can help improve safety, energy efficiency, and deliver other business and societal benefits. So, what is a smart building, and what do you need to know about smart building technology?
What is a smart building?
A smart building is a structure that is built or retrofitted with sensor-based technology to automatically control its operations. This can include functions such as heating and cooling, turning lights on and off, regulating water usage, and controlling security systems.
Smart building technology is often a network of connected devices that share data with one another and with a central database that stores and analyzes the data. Smart building technology offers several advantages over traditional construction because it gives facility managers and building operators access to real-time business intelligence that they can use to improve building operations.
For example, a smart building may have sensor devices that track waste management or power consumption in various parts of the building throughout the day or how much water is used to maintain the landscaping outside the building. Using this information, building managers could decide to install an LED lighting system throughout the building to reduce energy consumption or leverage existing sensor technology to automatically turn off the water at certain times during the day. In a smart building, companies also can automatically control their HVAC systems, automating when the air conditioning or heat is turned on in certain zones to reduce energy costs.
Incorporating smart building technology into a new build takes proper planning and coordination. It also requires cloud and IoT-enabled solutions that can easily be upgraded over time—and a robust network infrastructure to ensure seamless information-gathering and data transfer between devices.
What is a smart building construction site?
5G coverage is rapidly growing in many parts of the country, and as this technology expands its availability, the construction industry may be able to tap into it.
Construction companies can use 5G in-building wireless connectivity in smart buildings and construction sites as well as in similarly challenging environments where robust 5G connectivity would otherwise be difficult to achieve. 5G small cell solutions can help extend coverage and provide the network bandwidth, speed and the low latency necessary for faster data delivery. These solutions also allow companies to leverage a mobile edge computing platform to process data closer to its intended source and create a private network that strengthens data protection and optimizes network traffic and performance.
IoT-enabled solutions can monitor air quality in buildings and automatically reconfigure indoor filtration systems. It also can also power smart lighting technology such as power solutions that automatically turn lights on or off in a building based on when these systems detect motion. In addition, it can provide the strong, reliable connectivity necessary to support activities like predictive maintenance and ongoing monitoring, which can help building operators proactively address equipment repairs and avoid failures that can affect building operations.
Building IoT: Paving the way for modernization with smart building technology
IoT-enabled solutions can make buildings more intelligent, and that, in turn, may make them more sustainable and drive significant cost savings for businesses.
But sensor-based devices alone aren't enough to make buildings smarter. The construction industry also needs robust network connectivity to power these devices. As 5G becomes more widely available, companies can take advantage of indoor small cell sites and other 5G innovations to better manage and optimize the flow of data and improve the performance of smart building applications during construction and after the building is occupied. With these capabilities, they can develop buildings that aren't just smart but run as efficiently and safely as possible.
Learn more about what a smart building is and how construction site solutions can help you with your new build.
The author of this content is a paid contributor for Verizon.