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Intelligence for the new normality: trends in smart buildings

Intelligence for the new normality: trends in smart buildings

Contrario a lo que pudiera pensarse, los smart buildings también conocidos como edificios inteligentes, han existido por más de tres décadas. Durante ese periodo y hasta la actualidad, la definición de estas edificaciones, así como las innovaciones tecnológicas que se aplican en ellas, han ido progresando bajo el objetivo común de optimizar las operaciones. De este modo, se originan nuevas oportunidades que toman mayor relevancia frente a la pandemia por Covid-19 y el ingreso a la nueva normalidad.Inteligencia para la nueva normalidad: tendencias en smart buildings

What's a smart building?

El concepto se origina de smart building, traducido al español como edificio inteligente; sin embargo, en inglés smart e intelligent refieren a dos cosas distintas. Intelligent es algo que se puede medir con una prueba IQ para identificar la agudeza mental humana, es decir, no es aplicable a una edificación. Mientras que smart es una cualidad que se obtiene con la experiencia. Esta la puede adquirir un inmueble mediante recolección de datos y manejo de información a través de diversos dispositivos que permiten cumplir un objetivo en específico. Así lo explicó en entrevista con Inmobiliare, María L. Valdez, Managing Director – Sales, Transitions & Governance de Newmark México.

In this sense, "it is considered that a building is intelligent when it can satisfy in an automated and controlled manner, the different demands among which are security, energy, or comfort, to achieve greater efficiency and lower cost of operation," he added. A smart building is intercom. It has sensors that transmit signals to a control center that receives and decodes the information, and according to predetermined programming, it can give timely orders and execute a particular function or task, said the facilities Management specialist.

For her part, Elsa Yañez, President of the Mexican Association of the Intelligent and Sustainable Building (IMEI), stressed that an essential feature for a smart building is interoperability, where several systems coexist together and transmit information, creating a better experience for tenants and / or visitors. He also shared that from the organization he runs, they work together with other actors in the real estate market to achieve a redefinition of the concept of intelligent. Taking into account that this category must be understood from different perspectives.

For the IMEI President, a smart building addresses five main factors: technology application; internal environmental quality; well-being; corporate social responsibility; and adopting solutions for a particular purpose. The latter is the main axis for identifying needs and in line with other trends to achieve a comprehensive system that brings multiple benefits to owners and users.

Inteligencia para la nueva normalidad: tendencias en smart buildings

Por su parte, María Valdez comentó que todo inmueble es susceptible de convertirse en inteligente si reúne cinco características esenciales:Inteligencia para la nueva normalidad: tendencias en smart buildings

1. Efficient consumption. Have energy and water saving systems that optimize supply based on collected information on consumption.

2. Integrate control systems. In other words, it has a main system that includes different devices to efficiently manage and operate in an automated manner.

3. Security. It adopts innovative tools to ensure the safety of its users.

4. Flexibility. Flexible building allows continuous technological improvements and changes to be adapted.

María Valdez pointed out that the concept of smart building is applicable to all types of buildings, be they offices, hospitals, hotels, museums, homes, shopping malls, among others. But the most appropriate solution is that which is adapted to the needs of the owners, and in turn, of the tenants.

“Hay opciones que son muy atractivas y altamente eficientes, pero elevan las inversiones iniciales. Al final depende mucho de cuánto quiera y pueda invertir el propietario”, expuso. Por otra parte, hacer una fuerte inversión podría llevar a que algunas propiedades sean asequibles solo para quien pueda y esté dispuesto a pagar precios más altos de ocupación. “Existen alternativas menos robustas en cuanto a sistemas de automatización y tecnología que permiten mantener la operación en un costo relativamente amable y aumentar la eficiencia. Todo depende de qué es lo que buscan las empresas, qué les interesa monitorear o hacer inteligente y qué tanto están dispuestas a invertir”, añadió.Inteligencia para la nueva normalidad: tendencias en smart buildings

Investing in smart buildings translates into important benefits. As far as owners are concerned, implementing smart systems will make their buildings more attractive, while at the same time achieving large reductions in energy and operating costs.

For companies that rent space to the owner, some of the benefits they will be able to offer end users are greater comfort and safety. Maintenance staff make it easier to anticipate failures thanks to the stored data and the study that is made of it.

"A building is considered intelligent when it can meet in an automated and controlled manner the different demands among which are security, energy, or comfort, to achieve greater efficiency and lower operating cost." Maria Valdez.

Solutions for new normalcy

Elsa Yañez stressed that in the face of the current situation, the adoption of intelligent solutions will help to increase people's confidence to return to office spaces, for example. It is important to remember that as a result of the virus, occupancy rates have declined considerably. However, corporate and work spaces continue to be essential for many sectors, making re-entry more feasible.

He also pointed out that focusing smart innovations on the issue of well-being will help companies to have a better connection with their employees by providing them with options that contribute to their quality of life, which will eventually be reflected in job performance. In this sense, internal environmental quality is one of the essential aspects. And this includes factors such as thermal comfort, air quality and cleaning, acoustic conditions, or lighting, which, by optimizing the habitability of spaces and the productivity of users, as well as reducing energy expenditure.

For Daniela González

This is a fragment of the article Intelligence for the new normality: trends in smart buildings of 125https: / / inmobiliare.com / inmobiliare-125 /

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