Page 27 - EngineerIT May 2022

AUTOMATION

Smart buildings vs. intelligent

buildings: Why intelligent

buildings are the better choice

By Barry Mulligan*, marketing manager for the Intelligent Buildings and Infrastructure Group at Analog Devices Limerick

The article defines the term intelligent building, discusses the driving factors that are

influencing intelligent buildings today, and explains how new Ethernet technologies
enable transformation of existing buildings into intelligent buildings.

What is an intelligent building? this data back to the “brain” of the building (which could be located on-site or in the
The term “intelligent building” was cloud), and machine learning algorithms in its brain to process the information it
first used in the U.S. in the early ’80s receives to dictate the optimal action to take. The action must then be communicated
and a definition given by the Intelligent back out to the relevant systems for execution via the same communication pathways.
Building Institution in Washington was:
An intelligent building is one which The current state of play with intelligent buildings
integrates various systems to effectively If you ever find yourself in the unfortunate situation of being lost in the wilderness
manage resources in a coordinated or stranded on a desert island, it is the rule of three that will keep you alive. This rule
mode to maximise technical states that to survive you have three hours to find shelter, three days to find water,
performance, investment and operating and three weeks to find food before you will perish. Shelter is the top priority to your
cost savings and flexibility. survival in this scenario, yet while we may not be currently lost in the wilderness, how
You’ve probably heard the phrase we fulfill the human need for shelter by shifting to intelligent buildings is paramount for
“Someone is too smart for their own the future of our planet and humanity. Making a new or existing building intelligent is
good” but have you ever heard the done via digitalisation. This is the process of turning the factors that affect the running
phrase “They were too intelligent for and maintenance of a building into digital signals that can be measured in real time and
their own good”? This is because there communicated back to the brain of the building to be analysed and then managed. How
is a distinct difference between being we digitise new and existing buildings in order to make them more energy efficient and
smart and being intelligent. One of my sustainable is the key to securing the future of our carbon footprint as a species.
favorite quotes is “Smart people talk,
intelligent people listen.” Similarly, the There are four key areas to consider when discussing the future of intelligent buildings:
difference between a smart building and • Health and safety – Is the space designed with the intent of increasing the state
an intelligent building is that in a smart of well-being of its occupants? If the occupants feel safe and their environment is
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building, the user will program systems designed to enhance their mood and quality of life, they will be more productive.
to act in a manner suitable to the best This is even more paramount in the age of COVID-19 as people return to the office.
intentions of the user. However, an • Sustainability – Is the space as efficient as it needs to be to reduce its carbon
intelligent building has the appropriate footprint? This theme not only enhances the lives of the building owners by saving
sensing and processing capabilities money on energy bills and reducing maintenance costs, but also has environmental,
to listen for itself and then program economic, and social benefits for the wider population.
itself to do what it sees as optimal. To • Resilience – Is the space designed with the future in mind to stand the test of time?
achieve this, the building must have The buildings of today are built to last 150 years or more. We do not know what
the relevant sensing capabilities to take innovations or technologies wait to be discovered in the future, but we can plan
as much of the external environment so that our buildings’ information technology (IT) and operating technology (OT)
in as necessary, the appropriate infrastructure can handle the expected data traffic increase of the future, as more
communication pathways to transport systems start to come online and become IP addressable.

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