Four ways the Internet of Things is making building operations smarter

The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing smart building management by adopting a data-driven, sustainable approach to operating and maintaining buildings. By collecting data from connected sensors and devices, facility managers can gain valuable insights into usage patterns, system performance and environmental conditions in real time.

The integration of predictive maintenance, problem solving, optimal space utilization planning and sustainability measures allows the focus to shift towards achieving efficiency and high productivity. By analyzing continuous flow IoT data with artificial intelligence, facilities can reach new levels of operational reliability and energy optimization.

The convergence of sensors, connectivity, automation and intelligence represents a paradigm shift – one in which buildings can continuously learn and adapt to changing needs.

Smart building market

According to research by MarketsandMarkets, the smart building market will be worth approximately US$109 billion by 2028. The boom in smart buildings is primarily driven by the increasing use of IoT-enabled building operations and management systems.

Choosing the right facility/building operations solution is critical for business owners to maximize their technology investments amid the proliferation of smart building devices and providers.

Regardless of their choice, first, they should have a clear understanding of the benefits of an IoT-based building management system and the core features that make it a worthwhile investment. Let’s take a look at four important areas where using IoT can impact efficient building performance.

Four major IoT advantages of smart buildings

1. Centralized functions

Traditional building management systems are expensive to purchase and install, including environmental control systems, gas, water and electricity. Integrating IoT does not always require complete removal and replacement of these systems.

IoT enhances functionality with physically lighter and more scalable infrastructure to enable centralized control. Additionally, building and facility owners/operators can easily replace IoT vendors, unlike traditional BMSs designed to lock in customers.

IoT-integrated BMS relies on a single point of power to manage the entire system based on demand.

2. Easily access building data

Today, data is considered an important part of construction management. Without data, there would be no buildings to manage. Management takes operational actions through the use of data, which serves as the fuel for decision-making.

IoT can enhance every aspect of building operations by enabling instant assessment and collection of operational data. Additionally, building and facility owners make small upfront investments in IoT devices, minimizing the initial cost of data collection.

IoT systems process data at the cloud level, enabling providers to use shared data to deliver applications to stakeholders.

3. Technical scalability

Traditional BMS systems are hardware-driven, desktop-based legacy systems that require constant updates and new programs to be built to drive simple use cases. Maintenance and upgrades become significant issues because providing updates to users is time-consuming and expensive.

IoT system architecture works from the bottom up to gain important insights from dispersed data within the IoT system structure. Additionally, cloud-based systems eliminate the need for users to perform manual updates. They log into the web/mobile app and the update is ready.

4. Sustainability

IoT-based smart buildings reduce energy costs through automated systems. The technology deploys sensors that detect room occupancy levels, demonstrating noteworthy applications of this innovation.

This feature helps make intelligent adjustments to lighting and HVAC systems based on real-time occupancy data. Implementing responsive systems ensures optimal comfort and significantly reduces occupants’ energy consumption.

Additionally, IoT-driven smart buildings leverage real-time monitoring to gain valuable insights into usage patterns. Understanding space utilization within a building, especially during off-peak hours, can activate proactive optimization strategies.

Through smart occupancy management, real-time monitoring, anomaly detection and predictive maintenance, these IoT-enabled buildings embody a holistic approach to sustainability. This approach optimizes energy use and extends the life of the built environment.

fundamental change

IoT is fundamentally changing smart buildings by connecting devices, people and processes and optimizing operations to improve efficiency, sustainability and responsiveness.

As technology evolves, IoT will drive predictive maintenance, enhanced safety and space utilization, while maintaining sustainable operations in terms of smart building management systems. By seamlessly connecting buildings to user needs and the environment, IoT will make smart operation of buildings a standard practice in the future.