Category: Smart Buildings

smart buildings in the age of covid-19

How COVID-19 clarified the necessity and value of smart buildings

Posted on Benson ChanLeave a commentPosted in COVID-19, Digital Transformation, Economic Impact, Internet of Things, IoT, Safe Spaces, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Strategy

Smart buildings transform the spaces in which we work, live, shop, and relax. They implement innovations that change what we do, how we do it, and where we do it. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted how we used indoor spaces, and despite our progress in combatting the disease, scientists believe it will persist. What then becomes the role of smart buildings?
This blog updates the definition of today’s smart buildings and describes its evolved roles.

Managing Indoor Air Quality with IoT in a COVID-19 Safe Space

Posted on Benson Chan2 CommentsPosted in COVID-19, Internet of Things, IoT, New Normal, Safe Spaces, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Uncategorized

Good Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) is an important component of a COVID-19 safe space. As people return to in-person activities, it is critical that buildings implement HVAC strategies to improve air quality levels indoors.

This blog describes the role of smart building IoT technologies in enabling good IAQ. The information collected from the sensors provides the building operators with an understanding of where to focus and prioritize their efforts to improve IAQ.

Safe Space office picture

Creating COVID-19 Safe Spaces for Reopening and Return to Work (Part Two)

Posted on Benson Chan4 CommentsPosted in Best Practices, COVID-19, IoT, New Normal, Safe Spaces, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Strategy, Urban Planning

COVID-19 Safe Spaces are key to reopening buildings and facilities for in-person activities. Technology is a critical component of the COVID-19 safe space. There is no one technology that makes a space safe. A variety of technologies, working in tandem, is used in safe spaces.

This blog, Part 2 in a series, discusses the role of technology and IoT in the operation of a safe space. Key considerations, from the use case, operations and maintenance, and technology are presented.

Creating COVID-19 Safe Spaces for Reopening and Return to Work (Part One)

Posted on Benson Chan5 CommentsPosted in Best Practices, COVID-19, New Normal, Safe Spaces, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Strategy, Urban Planning

The discovery and regulatory approval of two COVID-19 vaccines in late 2020 has made reopening and return to work initiatives top priority for business and community leaders in 2021. Despite the vaccine, COVID-19 isn’t going away and many people are concerned about a return to in-person activities.

This blog introduces the concept of safe spaces to support reopening and return to work. A framework describing the elements of a safe space is discussed, along with ten best practices for planning safe spaces.

smart buildings in a smart city

Smart Buildings – What’s In It for Cities? (Part Two)

Posted on Benson ChanLeave a commentPosted in Digital Transformation, Industrial IoT, Internet of Things, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Strategy

Smart buildings bring new and significant value to tenants, building owners and operators. These benefits range from increased tenant productivity and safety, lower operating costs, and higher satisfaction. But what value do smart buildings bring to cities?

This article, the second of two parts, describes a framework used to identify areas of value creation by smart buildings for the benefit of cities. A sample set of benefits, and a format for presenting these in a consumable format well suited for city leaders, is presented.

smart buildings - credit to Beau Swierstra

Smart Buildings – What’s In It for Cities? (Part One)

Posted on Benson ChanLeave a commentPosted in Digital Transformation, Industrial IoT, Internet of Things, Smart Buildings, Smart City, Smart Communities, Strategy

Smart buildings bring new and significant value to tenants, building owners and operators. These benefits range from increased tenant productivity and safety, lower operating costs, and higher satisfaction. But what value do smart buildings bring to cities?

In order to understand how cities (and smart cities) benefit from smart buildings, Part One (of two) of this article provides a background understanding of the things that cities care about (outcomes), and how these outcomes are viewed the four civic priorities and perspectives.