Three Reasons Smart Buildings are the Future of Commercial Buildings

As people become more aware of environmental issues like climate change, energy crises and depletion of non-renewable resources, more people are opting for options that would be beneficial for the environment. According to the UNEP, globally, 40% of annual energy consumption and up to 30% of all energy-related greenhouse gas emissions are caused by commercial buildings.

Smart Buildings are the best solution for this problem and investing in a smart building also adds to the brand’s image. The largest companies and corporations in the world are starting to pay more attention to their environmental protection policies and have begun to invest in energy efficient alternatives.

But a smart building offers more than just energy efficiency. Here are three more reasons why smart buildings are the future of commercial buildings in the world.

1) Smart Buildings are occupant focused

The smart buildings of the future are essentially buildings that enrich the occupants’ experience by offering convenience, better health, security and comfort all while consuming lesser energy. Buildings can save up to 50 per cent on their energy and HVAC bills, thanks to the latest Smart Building Technologies which are powered by IoT, Cloud Computing and applied Artificial Intelligence.

75F, for example, believes in providing optimal occupant experience while improving operational efficiency. Occupant comfort would mean managing temperatures and humidity levels optimally according to individual occupants. Intelligent solutions like ours can balance and optimize the environment for the comfort of every occupant in each zone. Optimal comfort translates into productivity and well-being, which means earnings not only from energy efficiency.

Indoor air quality is another important aspect of occupant experience. A study conducted by Harvard and Syracuse Universities showed that employees in “green condition” environments, with better ventilation, lower CO2 and emission levels, performed 61 percent better on cognitive tasks than in the standard office conditions. Smart Buildings therefore focus on the occupant’s experience and ensure that energy efficiency does not compromise comfort.

2) Smart Buildings offer OpEx Reduction

A facility manager is always on the look out for solutions that can bring down the operating costs for the building. And Smart Buildings go one step further. Not only do they offer savings on energy bills, but also reduce operating expenses. 75F’s solution for example, does away with the need for manual management and control of HVAC systems which can be a very time-consuming process for large buildings and allow the facilities team to concentrate on other tasks. Automation also reduces the possibility of human error.

Smart buildings are easier to monitor and manage. Some smart building also technologies offer web/mobile apps that offer dash-boarding and live energy reports. Smart buildings with proactive systems would mean predictive maintenance as well. For instance, the service staff would be notified in advance to check and resolve issues pertaining to cooling before they even occur. Analytics available from sensors help reduce energy consumption and lower costs.

3) Operational Excellence and Ease

Smart Buildings are easier to monitor and manage as most smart solutions offer wireless systems. This means you can access and control your building from anywhere with your phone/tablet or PC. 75F for examples offers Facilisight, a suite of web & mobile apps that uses machine learning to predictively and proactively manage your facility's indoor environment in addition to dash-boarding and energy reports. This enables facility managers to deliver smarter service and maintenance based on the insights derived from these detailed reports. 

Since most smart building solutions use wireless systems, they also offer faster installations. Lower installation costs combined with the savings from having no down time means smart buildings offer a faster ROI as well. 75F for example offers an ROI of less than three years!

A 2018 Harvard Business Review survey says 66 per cent of the organisations it had reviewed had efficient energy management as their key business driver to invest in smart buildings. In conclusion, smart buildings make good business sense too.

These are just few of the benefits that smart buildings offer. Visit our white paper library for free information on the various ways in which a smart building boosts portfolio value!