Internet of Things (IoT) has brought in a plethora of changes in the building industry. The good news is that all those changes have only made living more comfortable and safer.
The last few years have seen the smart building market grow thanks to endeavors like JD Edwards ERP exponentially. The trend is not going to stop soon.
According to experts, the next four years will see the valuation of IoT powered smart building market reach a cost of around $105.8 billion. The number reflects a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 11.7% if compared to the valuation of 2019 ($60.7 billion).
People expect to see the industry increase primarily due to the positive changes it has experienced in recent times. The section below discusses three smart building IoT trends that will rule the market in 2020.
1. Occupancy-based control for HVAC system
Manual HVAC systems, a common feature of all old buildings, is the primary factor responsible for overconsumption of energy.
On the other hand, you can use a smart building management system for more efficient energy usage. Smart HVAC controllers can be programmed to turn the ventilation off if the building is empty and work at full throttle only when it’s absolutely necessary.
Users cannot toggle the settings of manual HVAC systems depending on the occupancy of the building. This means, even if a building is empty, if the operator has set the HVAC system to its maximum settings at the start of the day, it will keep running at maximum until someone changes the settings manually.
Things work differently in smart buildings. There, you will be equipped with occupancy-based HVAC control. The intelligent sensors will keep communicating with the building’s HVAC controller module and send real-time occupancy information.
The smart HVAC controller will then change the settings based on the information received. This means, if the building is empty, the HVAC system will adjust itself accordingly.
A smart HVAC system will also keep monitoring the air quality of your apartment and improve it. These systems come equipped with intelligent sensors, which work by detecting heat and humidity between the inner walls of your home.
Also, they also possess the ability to measure the level of certain gases like Carbon Dioxide, Nitrogen, and Oxygen in the air circulating in your home. If the findings suggest any anomaly, i.e. if there’s any problem with the air quality of your home, the HVAC system will make necessary changes without any manual intervention.
2. Real-time monitoring of energy
The days of waiting for the bill for knowing your monthly energy consumption is over. IoT has provided us access to advanced BMS or building management software that allows us to check real-time data related to energy usage.
What’s more, these applications would even notify you if you utilize more energy than a previously set threshold. These applications can also be used for forecasting future energy usage and making necessary budgetary adjustments.
An advanced BMS would be able to detect malfunctioning or underperforming gadgets/hardware and help you save a significant amount of energy by changing them at the right time.
3. Remote building management
A remote management system would allow you to control your building’s security, ventilation, lighting, etc. even from a distant place. This feature will enable you to enjoy your holidays more and make your extended business trips absolutely worry-free.
You will have complete control of your home irrespective of the place you are located in. You will only need to reach the management dashboard of your home and press some buttons for completing actions like turning off the bedroom lights, closing the entrances, and so on.
Other than the three trends mentioned above, the year 2020 will see the world of smart buildings become more software-dependent. Earlier, whenever we thought of converting old buildings into smart ones, we had to plan for significant hardware overhauls.
Things have changed considerably in the past few years. Today, converting a regular home into a smart home primarily means the introduction of some software. So, the conversion never involves any considerable operational disruption.
The advanced IoT solutions for smart homes will not require you to purchase much new hardware. Instead, they will integrate seamlessly with the machines and gadgets you already have in your home. If needed, they will reconfigure and program those units.
