What is the role of technology in buildings?
Today, the design of a building must meet objectives that not only require greater energy savings, but also contribute fundamentally to environmental sustainability.. New buildings are key to a future where technology and human ingenuity combine to reduce carbon emissions on demand, but the benefits go far beyond the walls of a building.
Smart building
Indeed, all electrical equipment must guarantee better solidity and reliability: just as on the roads we are beginning to see more electric cars, in the same way inside homes and workplaces, we feel a need for general improvement in terms of technologies and savings. Construction companies are now achieving a high level of efficiency, they are using data in new ways and trying to exploit the link between systems that, until now, were considered completely independent of each other. . Moreover, the advantages obtained are not temporary, but extend over the entire life of the building, from its design to its renovation. The smart building is at the heart of this vision, providing not only the technological infrastructure,
Integration of implants
The engineering environment is changing profoundly, it is a fact, and the design of the modern building is becoming the maximum integration of the various development technologies which communicate not only with each other, but also and above all with those who must live there and live there. The current market demands ever more complex solutions as well as an in-depth study of the dynamics of systems, because it is no longer enough to design the envelope of a building, it is also necessary to imagine its future operation and adjust all the equipment provided for appropriate manners. The ability to see the broader view of the building as a dynamic place, not a static one, allows for a high performance design, especially for energy efficiency and sustainability.
The performance of the building
Certainly, it is difficult, if not impossible, to control all the variables that influence the performance of the building and one could consider that an “optimal design” does not exist. Given the many parameters that affect a building’s performance, how can models be created that anticipate all possible scenarios to ensure optimal performance? Fortunately, today enormous progress has been made in the production of materials of very high quality and resistance and every day new innovative systems are developed. Therefore, it is possible to equip buildings with the most advanced technologies, so that they are able to respond dynamically and adapt more easily to user requirements.
Stone houses…
The earliest dwellings in human history were primitive shelters constructed of stones, sticks, animal skins and natural materials. These early structures, although in no way reminiscent of the steel and glass that dominate the urban panorama today, had the same goal: to provide a comfortable interior for its inhabitants. Over the centuries, residential buildings have become increasingly complex chains of structures, systems and technologies. Over time, each of the internal components of a building has been developed and improved, allowing owners to become autonomous in the choice of lighting, security, heating and air conditioning, as well as access to home entertainment
Heating and air conditioning, as well as access to home
But the housing as a whole, doesn’t stop there, and today’s homeowners are beginning to look further, to examine the impact of their construction on the electricity grid and on the global environment. To achieve these objectives, it is not enough for a building project to simply aim to provide comfort, light and security, it must connect the various elements in an integrated, dynamic and functional way. From this perspective, a building must fulfil its mission perfectly by minimising energy costs, supporting a strong electrical network and alleviating environmental impact.
More specifically, smart buildings provide services and benefits through their construction that makes the occupants themselves cost-productive (e.g. with regard to lighting, thermal comfort, air quality, physical security, sanitary services and many more) and minimises the environmental impact over the life of the building. In order to realise this vision, smart systems technology must be added from the beginning of the project phase until the end of the building’s life.
Smart buildings use computing to combine a variety of subsystems, so they can share information to optimise the overall performance of the structure. from the beginning of the project phase until the end of the building’s life. Smart buildings use computing to combine a variety of subsystems, so they can share information to optimise the overall performance of the structure. from the beginning of the project phase until the end of the building’s life. Smart buildings use computing to combine a variety of subsystems, so they can share information to optimise the overall performance of the structure.
Comfort
Modern buildings have complex mechanical devices, sophisticated control systems and a suite of features to improve the safety, comfort and efficiency of the inhabitants. Many of these systems involve wireless communication (machine to machine), but an intelligent building also uses the interconnection between equipment, systems and humans. An example: optimization of the refrigeration system which increases the efficiency of refrigerator operation by integrating external meteorological data and data concerning domestic activity. Another example involves the use of a security system to turn off lights or reduce cooling of the house when its inhabitants are absent. In the end, we have a building where the lighting,
A truly smart building
Therefore, the people administering a smart building are a key element of its intelligence. A truly smart building, in fact, must offer intuitive tools designed to improve and strengthen the involvement of inhabitants, providing increasingly beneficial platforms for innovation, such as a facility manager or applications that allow interaction with tools and technology by remote control.
Proactive equipment maintenance
Proactive equipment maintenance, based on algorithms capable of detecting performance problems before they trigger costly and damaging interruptions, helps maintain maximum efficiency and long-lasting reliability of installations. The Internet connection of the systems also makes it possible to use special platforms for the management of information coming from the building. While energy consumption and the comfort of the inhabitants are essential for any construction and therefore require human participation in the decision-making process, technology will be the main factor in ensuring the tools and data that designers, engineers and architects will need to make smarter choices.