The hackneyed expression “out with the old, in with the new” could be very much associated with what is happening in the smart building technology and construction industries right now. People are embracing possibilities and opportunities in different industries, and most, if not all, are happening in the urban areas.
Living in a nice and quiet place in the countryside was once coveted, but now it seems the tables have turned.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 80.7% of the population in the United States is currently residing in urban places. The number is continuously growing, which may be related to the advent of smart buildings. The concepts and designs of smart buildings are no longer limited to offices and commercial spaces. Today they’re cropping up in more and more residential spaces.
The bold idea of a smart building has been evident in 17th century designs. Throughout the years, researchers and developers have been looking for different ways to improve the smart building technology. One significant advancement is the integration of a high-tech automated operation called Internet of Things (IoT).
Because of the automation prowess brought by the IoT, it allows tenants of smart buildings to control various systems such as HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning), security, lighting, electrical plug-loads, and audio-visuals. Sensors attached to the buildings detect equipment malfunction.
Smart buildings can provide efficient and cleaner energy. Sensors can detect free spaces, and can also optimize site cleaning for dirty areas.
These are just some of the wonders that a tenant will experience by choosing a futuristic facility. Smart buildings offer cost-effectivity as one of its highest benefits.
Smart Buildings Save Energy Costs
The continuous growth of smart buildings will not only allow homeowners and businesses to experience a warm and safe environment, it could also lower their energy costs.
According to Tina Casey, an Author at TriplePundit, a smart building is just a normal building that has the ability to “achieve significant energy savings by taking advantage of improved technology and materials in terms of structure, appliances, electrical systems, plumbing, and HVAC.”
Delving into the smart building technology could definitely save 22% of the United States’ total estimated electricity usage by the year 2030.
StratIS, an app-based system that has been introduced to smart buildings to help tenants control their usage of electricity so they can save more money.
StratIS is not a typical application-based system because it was developed as a platform for access, energy, and automation, controlling the user’s smart units. Felicite Moorman, the CEO of StratIS says, “StratIS actually evolved from the idea that we could save people money in public housing on their energy spent. That isn’t something that has been fiscally viable prior to out really creating the technology and the software platform to do that.”
She added, “Our focus remains on energy savings, but we certainly speak to whatever the private sector is demanding.”
StratIS is not the only company ready to disrupt the industry of smart buildings. The following are some companies that are also focusing on providing innovation to smart buildings:
Enlighted – The Sunnyvale-based company designs, creates, and manufactures lighting control systems for different businesses. Joe Costello heads Enlighted. The company offers high-quality IoT applications and systems, making smart buildings brilliant. Enlighted has an estimated revenue of $15 million.
75F – A startup company based in Minnesota; the company is a building automation system that delivers control solutions and deals with HVAC technology. Deepinder Singh is the CEO of the startup company that has a projected revenue of $2.4 million.
BuildingIQ – A company that has been creating a bold impact on the smart building industry since 2009. Michael J. Nark is the President and CEO of the company that offers a Software as a Service (SaaS) solution when it comes to energy optimization. The company’s 5i Intelligent Energy platform has the capability to forecast energy demand and change HVAC settings accordingly. BuildingIQ has an estimated revenue of $4.3 million.
These are just some of the companies that deal with the technology of smart buildings. Smart buildings are evolving, and without a doubt, they will be important components of the smart cities.
