Technology and Applications

In previous chapters, we examined what a smart building is, how IoT contributes to making buildings smarter, many of the technologies and protocols that are used, and how to define smart building requirements, and we identified the different building systems that could benefit from smart building solutions. In this chapter, we will begin by summarizing the typical hardware requirements to make a building smart.

We’ll then examine an extensive list of smart building application opportunities that are available to deliver the smart requirements, along with examples for each. These should be compared to your requirements list. We’ll define and explain the role of middleware in delivering these applications. The chapter will conclude with a review of the codes, standards, and guidelines to be considered to prevent becoming locked into proprietary solutions that may prevent expansion later.

In this chapter, we’re going to do the following...

Hardware technology

Smart buildings are becoming increasingly smarter through the addition of hardware technology and applications far beyond building automation systems (BASs). Smart buildings use advanced technology to collect and communicate information about the building and the system’s performance. To do so, certain hardware components are required to create a network to collect data, connect systems, perform analytics, and deliver appropriate responses. The typical smart building network will contain the following hardware components:

• IoT sensors: A comprehensive network of IoT sensors and devices that monitor and register events from the environment and collect real-time data from physical assets, systems, and equipment, such as temperature, light, air quality, motion, and more.
• Connectivity: Connectivity is the key to the network and allows for the exchange of information across devices and systems in real time. There are many ways to deliver connectivity...

Smart building applications

“There’s an app for that” is now becoming a common response to requests for smart building technology solutions. With IoT sensors, computing, connectivity, output devices, and display technology hardware components identified already, the software will now be required to drive the applications to make the building smarter.

While we have highlighted numerous smart applications throughout this book already, what follows is a comprehensive alphabetical list of applications that should be considered when reviewing your smart building requirements. There are software programs available throughout the marketplace that can support individual or multiple applications, and new applications continue to be introduced. Some apps are native to the system it supports, while others are delivered as Software as a Service (SaaS) over-the-top solutions. Match your requirements to this list of smart building applications or gain new ideas for making...

IoT middleware

IoT middleware is software that is the middle communication layer between different components, devices, systems, and other building communication items. This software creates an interface and sits between IoT devices and other devices that traditionally would not be capable of communicating. It helps legacy systems communicate and to find common ground with newer technologies. It performs like an interface between smart devices helping them to communicate. RedHat, MuleSoft, Oracle, and WSO2 are some of the companies providing cloud-based IoT middleware products to speed up and deliver proper connectivity.

Since the goal of IoT in smart buildings is to make everything capable of connecting and communicating across a network, middleware enables large numbers of IoT devices to be implemented by providing a connectivity layer for the sensors to connect with the application layer. This software performs API management, along with basic routing, messaging, and message...

Codes, standards, and guidelines to consider

As the building industry evolves from intelligent buildings to smart buildings, new vendors join the marketplace indicating they have the best solution yet. Existing vendors continue to try to protect their foothold with their proprietary solutions vendor-locking others out and holding building owners hostage.

To prevent owners from becoming pigeonholed into one solution, they should consider selecting solutions that are open sourced and use open standards and codes. This allows for over-the-top solutions to be integrated into the network by sharing common industry protocols. There are several codes, standards, and guidelines that should be considered when selecting smart building hardware and applications solutions. They are as follows:

• ANSI/BICSI-007-2020, Information Communication Technology Design and Implementation Practices for Intelligent Buildings and Premises: This is considered the fundamental standard used in designing...

Summary

The major hardware components necessary to build a smart building IoT network include IoT sensors, connectivity and communications devices, computing capabilities either locally, on the edge, or in the cloud, output devices, and user displays. Smart applications are then required to deliver the solution, and this chapter provided an extensive list of applications that make buildings smarter. IoT middleware is software that is the middle communication layer between different components, devices, systems, and other building communication items. We concluded by recommending that planners review key industry codes, standards, and guidelines to ensure their smart projects do not quickly become obsolete.

The next chapter will focus on how to construct and integrate your smart building project in a new construction or retrofit environment, along with identifying the service providers that will be required.