A Roadmap to Your Smart Building Will Require Partners

A common misconception is that simply adding IoT and smart devices to a building is enough to position it as a smart building. As we have discussed in previous chapters, the smart building is a set of connected smart systems integrated and interoperable through a connected platform, capable of analyzing real-time data to deliver actionable insights.

While we have documented the benefits, use cases, components, available technology, and architectures well, the roadmap to achieve a smart building isn’t as clear. This chapter offers a roadmap for existing and new buildings to make your building smarter as each new system is integrated. We’ll include references to previous chapters to indicate where that chapter’s subject matter fits in with the roadmap. We’ll identify the various partners that may be required beyond the construction crews.

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

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Smart project planning

Making buildings smarter will be dramatically different between new construction projects and retrofitting an existing building (better known as retrofitting the built environment). Let’s begin to define a smart building project by first understanding what type of project environment you are dealing with.

A built environment drives the majority of IoT smart buildings projects

The term built environment generally describes an environment that is everything that surrounds us and that is built by humans. In its holistic view, it includes infrastructure, bridges, roads, sidewalks, transportation, buildings, and all the spaces between buildings. For the sake of this discussion, we will use the term to describe existing buildings, regardless of building type and their surrounding spaces.

Of the total number of buildings projected for the year 2050 worldwide, 80 percent of that number already exists today, and they make up the built environment. Suffice...

Partners

As smart building projects become increasingly more complex, smart building support partners are brought in to help design and integrate building systems. This complexity also changes the role these support partners play, evolving from conventional product integrators into master systems integrators and consultants. The following is an overview of the different partner roles to consider when determining what you’ll need for your smart project:

• Conventional product integrators: These engineers are solely focused on incorporating a single product or subsystem into a building and integrating that subsystem into the overall building automation scheme. Typically, they are deeply connected to the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) supplying the system, and they are highly trained in that system’s hardware and proprietary language. Unfortunately, this usually results in disparate, siloed systems that are not integrated.
• Managed Service Providers (MSPs...

Smart building project roadmap

Each smart building project will require adding smartness, connectivity, and convergence by bringing together many different components, technologies, and individuals. Since IoT smart integrated buildings are relatively new, there are few industry-designated smart building design certifications and programs and, therefore, a limited number of graduates.

There are, however, experienced architects, engineers, and consultants as we identified earlier who have gained experience through their projects, and they can offer their expertise to help guide you through your project. Whether or not you engage a consultant to assist in your smart project, we recommend following a phased roadmap approach to keep the project disciplined, focused, and aligned. Figure 12.2 outlines the roadmap phases and aligns previous chapters as references for detailed information.

Figure 12.2 – A smart project roadmap and related chapters

These...

Potential roadblocks

While our smart building roadmap will help guide you toward your smart project(s), every road, unfortunately, has roadblocks, and identifying and handling these early in a process will help ensure success. These roadblocks include the following:

• Lack of an internal smart building champion: Since a smart building requires cutting-edge technology that impacts the day-to-day functionality of the building, it is often difficult to find an internal champion to see the vision and drive the change while maintaining current operation levels. The internal champion will need to embrace the vision, build the team, clear the budget roadblocks, field the contract issues, and continually push forward to achieve the integration vision. This champion must also have insight into the buildings’ mission, energy consumption, security, operations, occupant comfort, and overall productivity. This internal champion is the key to reaching or falling short of smart building...

Summary

Leading a smart building IoT project requires a disciplined approach, knowledge of the industry and its common protocols, and the ability to recognize opportunities. Design, engineering, and technology partners will be required to supplement skill sets, drive implementation, and ensure complete system integration. While new buildings under development are excellent candidates to implement and integrate every latest smart building technology, often budget restrictions will require a phased approach, which means a long-term plan will be required to ensure future technology can easily be integrated.

Part of a disciplined approach includes following a roadmap with defined steps, including assessing existing systems, developing a smart vision, prioritizing projects, designing smart, engaging vendors and partners, addressing security risks, and developing steps to optimize and operate these systems in the long term. In this chapter, we outlined a recommended roadmap and tied previous...