Smart Buildings

KPMG, an organization of firms that provide audit, tax and advisory services, surveyed 100 U.S. building material manufacturing executives to understand what technological investments they had made—or were planning to make—and why.

These digital developments range from Building Information Management (BIM) integration to e-commerce and online delivery. Regardless of the method, KPMG pulled out four surprising insights from the results of the survey.

Overall, half of building product manufacturers plan to invest in one or more areas of technology in the next three years. The survey breaks down technology categories by product journey, from pre-sale, sale to shipping, operations, and post-sale groups. Pre-sale technology would include BIM systems and AR/VR design, for example.

1. Connected capabilities can work without ‘smart’ products

In the study, KPMG expected to see post-sale connected capabilities to only be applicable to smart products, such as thermostats, security systems, and air conditioners. However, 42% of respondents that have already implemented such connected capabilities have no products with any smart features.

Likewise, 67% of respondents who plan to implement these technologies in the next three years said the same.

2. Technology can drive both revenue and cost benefits

What are the largest influences behind implementing new technologies? Over half (56%) of building materials manufacturers report cost savings as one of the biggest reasons. Forty-two percent attribute their influence towards the labor/talent shortage, while 75% of manufacturers planning to implement new technologies do so for a competitive advantage.

Alternatively, one-quarter (26%) of respondents listed ESG concerns as an influence, and just 22% said that customers were requesting it. KPMG finds that the reasons did not differ significantly across company types or types of technology.

3. AR/VR technology is in addition to—not a replacement for—outreach teams

Rather than displacing the role of sales support teams, AR/VR tech was found to be an additional tool for architects, engineers, and consultant outreach teams. The survey shows that 78% of companies investing in AR/VR and remote monitoring to help the pre-sale process have a dedicated support team.

This is above the general average of 50% of respondents with the same teams, but without AR/VR technology in place, according to the report.

4. Companies overestimate their technological sophistication levels

When asked about their companies’ technological maturity compared to competitors, a majority of respondents (70%) believe they are more advanced than average. Only 9% believe their company is below average, but no respondents claimed to be “the least advanced of all our competitors in digital maturity.”

Furthermore, KPMG saw that the more technologies a company selected as “implemented,” the more likely they were to self-rate as being above average or best-in-class.

“While quantity certainly helps, quality of execution is a determining factor in how effective these technologies are,” says Serena Crivellaro and Len Prokopets, Managing Directors, Advisory, KPMG. “Unfortunately, with technological deployments being so broad-based across the industry, competitors may be more advanced than companies expect.”

Click here to view the entire report.

Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy

dbarista — Fri, 07 Apr 2023 14:11:27 +0000

Carnegie Mellon University's research on advanced building sensors provokes heated controversy

dbarista Fri, 04/07/2023 - 09:11

A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building. The light-switch-size devices, capable of measuring 12 types of data including motion and sound, were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building.

Peter Fabris, Contributing Editor

Occupants of a new university building are concerned over privacy implications.

The light-switch-size devices, called Mites, are capable of measuring 12 types of data, including motion and sound. The sensors were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building—on walls and ceilings of hallways, in conference rooms, and in private offices—as part of a research project on smart buildings.

Students and faculty who research the social impacts of technology felt that the device’s microphone, infrared sensor, thermometer, and other sensors, would subject them to experimental surveillance. They objected to the fact that the devices were installed without their explicit consent.

Researchers behind the project had taken steps to anonymize data collected by the building sensors, but that didn’t staunch concerns by building occupants. The project highlights latent mistrust over technologies that can be used as surveillance devices.

“Current IoT systems offer little transparency about exactly what data is being collected, how it is being transmitted, and what security protocols are in place—while erring on the side of over-collection,” according to a report in Technology Review.

Widely reported incidents of smart-home devices such as baby monitors, Google Home and Amazon Alexa speakers, and robot vacuums being hacked or having their data shared without users’ knowledge or consent, complicate the climate for public acceptance of building sensors.

As work continues on the project, how Carnegie Mellon researchers build in privacy safeguards, and how well they communicate those measures to the university community, may be instructive about whether this technology is accepted by the public.

Exploring intelligent lighting usage in healthcare, commercial facilities

qpurcell — Mon, 13 Feb 2023 15:13:45 +0000

Exploring intelligent lighting usage in healthcare, commercial facilities

qpurcell Mon, 02/13/2023 - 09:13

Intelligent Lighting

SSR's Todd Herrmann, PE, LEEP AP, explains intelligent lighting's potential use cases in healthcare facilities and more.

Todd Herrmann, PE, LEED AP, SSR, and Abigail Lipperman, PE, LEED AP, CHFM, CHEPP, SFP, Children’s Health

Airports

Industrial Facilities

Daylighting

Energy-Efficient Design

Intelligent Lighting

Imagine lights being used for more than simply illumination—used to track orders in a warehouse, send coupon codes to passersby, or automatically change to match a guest’s favorite color when they enter a room.

With the evolution of lighting controls, these concepts are becoming realities.

Smart lighting is emerging at the forefront of facility technology. Learning what intelligent lighting is and how it can be implemented is the first step toward ensuring your facilities and projects are laying the infrastructure today that will be needed to the support the technology of tomorrow.

What is intelligent lighting?

Intelligent lighting systems feature sensors (capable of sensing movement, daylight, temperature, location trackers, etc.) and low voltage controls which can either be built into light fixtures or mounted externally. Low voltage controls allow for the system to have future flexibility and adaptability.

How can intelligent lighting be used? Here are four ways:

Real Time Tracking

One of the primary uses and benefits of intelligent lighting is the ability to identify and track the location of assets and/or persons of interest in real or near-real time. This is accomplished through real-time locating systems (RTLS).

A real-time locating system consists of fixed location sensors which receive wireless signals from small tags affixed to equipment, guests’ wrist bands, or other entities that facility managers wish to track. Each tag periodically transmits its own unique ID which the sensors track. System range and capabilities depend on the robustness of the RTLS system.

Ways RTLS technology can be used in a facility include:

Equipment Tracking: Equipment can be tracked by affixing a tracking tag to a piece of equipment. If staff needs a particular piece of equipment, they can log into the RTLS system at a workstation or with their mobile device and easily identify what equipment is located closest to them. RTLS can also be used to keep track of expensive or shared equipment to reduce theft and accidental loss.
Shipment Tracking: In warehouses, retail stores, or other facilities, RTLS tags can be attached to shipments, orders, merchandise, and the like. These tags can then be used to track individual items at the click of a button and efficiently respond to customer requests.
Customizing Customer or Patient Experience: Wrist bands with RTLS tags can be provided to each guest or patient, loaded with their individual information and preferences. Facilities could then customize their customer or patient experience, change the color of lights to suit their preferences, provide personalized digital greetings, monitor wait times, and more. Staff members could also be provided wrist bands that would allow managers to monitor how often a nurse has visited a patient’s room or a guest room has been cleaned, providing a data-driven enhancement of patient care or guest services.
Patient Safety: Particularly for pediatric patients or patients with dementia or Alzheimer’s, RTLS can be used to monitor the physical movement of patients to ensure their safety and security. An RTLS alert can help staff pinpoint a patient or resident’s location who wanders away from a secure area or attempts to leave the building unsupervised.
Facility Navigation and Wayfinding: For larger facilities and campuses—such as hospitals, theme parks, airports, and more—RTLS can allow guests, patients, and other visitors to receive real-time, location-specific navigation support.
Location Specific Alerts: Visitors and patients can be provided real-time communication prompted by their location, such as coupon codes when you walk past a store, airport gate changes, specialized hazard warnings, and more.
Emergency Staff Mobilization: In large facilities or campuses, RTLS can be used to quickly locate healthcare staff during a medical emergency.

In healthcare facilities in particular, studies show the use of RTLS has significantly reduced Emergency Department wait time, length of stay, and “left without being seen” rates.

Energy Savings

Lighting accounts for a significant portion of a building’s energy consumption, and the U.S. Department of Energy estimates lighting to consist of 11% of a building’s total energy use. Meanwhile, the National Institute of Health estimates artificial lighting consumes as much as 20-30% of total electricity in a commercial building.

Intelligent lighting can be an effective tool in reducing this energy consumption.

On a higher level, smart lighting can reduce energy through occupancy and daylight sensors. Occupancy sensors turn on lights in parts of a facility that are in use, while turning off lights when the areas are not utilized. Daylight sensors conserve energy by sensing the presence of daylight in a room, dimming when daylight is adequately lighting a space. A study of daylighting and control systems by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory indicated energy savings ranged from an average of 30% when only using occupancy sensors to an average of 45% when using daylighting sensors. The U.S. Department of Defense likewise indicated a 43-79% energy reduction in cost and carbon footprint was achieved when using advanced lighting control systems.

Wellness

In recent years, there has been a growing awareness of the impact of light on human health.

A person’s “body clock” is regulated by circadian rhythms. These rhythms are physical, mental, and behavioral changes which follow a 24-hour cycle. These rhythms primarily respond to light—following the cycle of the sun. If a person’s body clock is synchronized to natural circadian rhythms, they will typically be able to soundly rest at night and be alert and productive during the day. Studies have shown that full circadian lighting in NICUs can support the healthy growth of infants, while improving employee productivity and mood in office settings.

With this in mind, intelligent lighting is increasingly being used in facilities to mimic circadian rhythms, changing light temperature and brightness to simulate sunrise to sunset.

Future Proofing Facilities

In the future, intelligent lighting will likely become a standard and code for many commercial and healthcare facilities. Many facilities may not be ready to implement the full range of smart lighting’s capabilities. However, planning for and implementing this tech infrastructure early on will provide facilities the flexibility to adopt new technology at a gradual pace and avoid costly retrofits down the road.

This was the case for one of SSR’s healthcare partners, whose story we will explore below.

Case study: Intelligent lighting in a hospital

A few years ago, a leading healthcare provider set out to update their system-wide lighting and controls standards. Through research, site visits, a design competition, and manufacturer interviews, the organization selected a light fixture line and control system which provides flexibility in the present and prepares the health system for the future. The healthcare partner implemented a low voltage networked control system which is easily expandable and easy to maintain. Their facility team was trained on the new control system to ensure a smooth maintenance transition. Additionally, the health system included real-time location sensors in all standard light fixtures to prepare for any future infrastructure RTLS needs. While the RTLS system is not currently activated, installation allows for flexibility in the future as the facilities become more and more connected.

Recently, the healthcare partner embarked on a facility expansion—the largest facility expansion for this system in over a decade. During the Design Development phase, the owner and design team began to collaborate around existing light standards and a recent patient room renovation—which led to a new patient room mockup. The basis of the design incorporated circadian rhythm lighting, an exam override function, and multiple scene selection switching. The team then conducted a post-occupancy review of the recently renovated patient room, while also interviewing staff and families. This feedback led to improvements to the patient room standard, including expanded circadian rhythm lighting, color-changing patient-controlled lighting, more simplistic room lighting controls, and the introduction of a mobile phone lighting control application. By listening to input from the space users, the project will provide unique controls that enhance the way team members, visitors, and patients experience the health system’s facility and care.

You can learn more about intelligent lighting by listening to SSR’s Tech Vitals podcast. Additionally, if you would like to have a conversation about the opportunities for intelligent lighting in your facility or project, contact SSR’s electrical engineering team.

About the Author

Todd Herrmann, PE, LEED AP, is a Principal and Electrical Engineer in SSR's Dallas office. With nearly two decades of experience in the building and construction field, Todd leads electrical design teams, design processes, and coordination. His expertise includes the design of lighting systems, emergency power systems, and power distribution.

Abigail Lipperman, PE, LEED AP, CHFM, CHEPP, SFP, is Manager Engineering Infrastructure with Children’s Health.

Learning what intelligent lighting is and how it can be implemented is the first step toward ensuring your facilities and projects are laying the infrastructure today that will be needed to the support the technology of tomorrow.

6 innovative products for multifamily developments

qpurcell — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 17:19:43 +0000

6 innovative products for multifamily developments

qpurcell Wed, 01/18/2023 - 11:19

Products and Materials

Here are six innovative products for various multifamily developments, including a condominium-wide smart electrical system, heavy-duty aluminum doors, and prefabricated panels.

Robert Cassidy, Executive Editor

Efficient products make for efficient buildings. What are some innovative products to come out of 2022?

Higher Education

High-rise Construction

Modular Building

Student Housing

Glass Technology

Green Building Products

Windows and Doors

Resiliency

Each year, new products come on the market that solve developmental pain-points. Here are six innovative products for various multifamily developments, including a condominium-wide smart electrical system, heavy-duty aluminum doors, and prefabricated panels.

1. Solarban R100 (Architectural glass that counters the strong Texas sun)

Photo courtesy Albert Vecerka/Esto

Austin's new 34-story 70 Rainey houses 164 condos featuring floor-to-ceiling Solarban R100 glass from Vitro Architectural Glass. "Glazing selection on tall buildings is one of the most complicated design decisions we face today to navigate energy codes, aesthetics, and environmental performance," said Joshua Coleman, AIA, LEED AP, Principal/Design at Page architecture firm. "Solarban R100 glass provides one of the best solar heat gain coefficients on the market without being overly reflective, too dark, or tinted." Win-Con was the glazier.

2. Leviton Decora smart devices (Smart electrical systems for luxury residences in upstate N.Y.)

Photo courtesy Leviton

Bonacio Construction (GC) and Prediletto Electric (electrical contractor) specified Leviton Smart Circuit Breakers and Leviton USB Type A/Type-C In-Wall Outlet Charger with 15A Tamper-Resistant Outlet for The Moderne Condominiums, Sarasota Springs, N.Y. Leviton Decora Smart Dimmers were installed in the living rooms, kitchens, and dining rooms of the two- and three-bedroom condos and in the penthouse units.

3. Omega-Lite ACM panels (Philadelphia apartment building clad in ACM panels)

Photo courtesy Makosh Services, Laminators

For the exterior of SOLO on Chestnut, a seven-story, 250,000-sf complex of 280 luxury apartments near the University of Pennsylvania and Drexel University, JKRP Architects (designer) and The HOW Group (GC) specified 14,600 sf of Charcoal Grey Omega-Lite ACM panels. Makosh Services used Laminators' Clip & Caulk installation system.

4. Aluminum Swing Terrace Door (Aluminum door for high-rise, high-wind applications)

Photo courtesy Crystal Window & Door Systems

Crystal Window & Door Systems' Series 1450/1460 Aluminum Swing Terrace Door has been structurally and thermally enhanced and offers a new hydraulic closer, glazing, and a laboratory water-tested ADA low-sill option. The Series 1450/1460 Terrace Door is constructed with heavy-duty 0.093-inch wall thickness extrusion and a redesigned strong multi-chamber 3.25-inch jamb frame, for use in high-rise and wind-prone installations.

A powerful adjustable hydraulic closer from leading German hardware manufacturer G-U (Gretsch-Unitas) features a concealed mounting plate and slide arm assembly designed for outswing door operation, which allows effortless operation of the door while maintaining the door’s sleek look on the interior. The aluminum frame of Crystal’s Series 1450/1460 Aluminum Swing Terrace Door is finished in durable environmentally sustainable powder coat paint, to either AAMA 2604 or 2605 performance standards.

5. Centerline Prefab uses Sto prefab panels to save time on WMU student housing complex

Photo courtesy Centerline Prefab

Centerline Prefab set 48-foot StoPanel Metal ci panels on the upper four floors and Sto Backup panels for the six-story Arcadia Flats residential housing at Western Michigan University, in Kalamazoo. The 206 wall panels were prefabricated off site and installed on site in 37 minutes per panel. Stantec Architecture (architect) and Triangle Associates (GC) were on the project team.

6. Atlas ACFoam (Roofing system that prevents ice jams in Colorado project)

Photo courtesy Atlas Roofing Corp.

Jeff Johnston, president of The Roofing Company, Granby, Colo., installed more than 210 squares of Atlas ACFoam and ACFoam CrossVent from Atlas Roofing Corp. on the roof of the nine residences and six penthouses ($7.4 million to $9.6 million) at the Vail Mountain View Condos, in Vail Village. The roofing system provided a fully continuous insulation solution with an R-value of 20.

The biggest cybersecurity threats in commercial real estate, and how to mitigate them

dbarista — Wed, 19 Oct 2022 15:05:44 +0000

The biggest cybersecurity threats in commercial real estate, and how to mitigate them

dbarista Wed, 10/19/2022 - 10:05

Coleman Wolf, Senior Security Systems Consultant with global engineering firm ESD, outlines the top-three cybersecurity threats to commercial and institutional building owners and property managers, and offers advice on how to deter and defend against hackers.

Big Data

Hotel Facilities

Justice Facilities

Military Construction

Intelligent Lighting Series

Security and Life Safety

In this HorizonTV segment, Coleman Wolf, Senior Security Systems Consultant with global engineering firm ESD, outlines the top-three cybersecurity threats to commercial and institutional building owners and property managers, and offers advice on how to deter and defend against hackers.

BAS and Security

ESD's Coleman Wolf discusses the top-three cybersecurity threats to commercial and institutional buildings

In California, a public power provider’s new headquarters serves as a test case for an innovative microgrid and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

mcrumbley — Wed, 05 Oct 2022 14:10:26 +0000

In California, a public power provider’s new headquarters serves as a test case for an innovative microgrid and for reducing greenhouse gas emissions

mcrumbley Wed, 10/05/2022 - 09:10

Green

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP), the public power provider for California’s Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, recently unveiled its new all-electric headquarters.

Novid Parsi, Contributing Editor

Sonoma Clean Power’s renovated HQ demonstrates that “a 24/7 zero-emissions future for buildings is achievable and practical,” the CEO says.

Sustainable Design and Construction

Sonoma Clean Power (SCP), the public power provider for California’s Sonoma and Mendocino Counties, recently unveiled its new all-electric headquarters. Billed as the world’s first GridOptimal building, the project features an innovative microgrid and intends to go beyond net zero energy standards by reducing greenhouse gas emissions on the state’s electric grid.

Designed by EHDD Architecture, SCP’s new HQ is the initial pilot project for GridOptimal® Buildings Initiative, a joint program of the New Buildings Institute and the U.S. Green Building Council. The program aims to redefine how building design and operations can cost-effectively decarbonize the power grid and support a fully renewable electricity supply.

In Santa Rosa, Calif., the two-year renovation turned a 1979 structure into a building that enables decarbonization of the grid. The all-electric building is powered partially by an on-site solar array, with the rest coming from SCP’s completely renewable and locally generated EverGreen service. The building’s lights, HVAC, water heating, and 23 electric car chargers all draw from the grid only when California has plenty of clean power available. Typically, the battery system charges up midday, when there is abundant solar power. In the evening, the building can use that energy or place it back onto the grid, reducing the reliance on gas power plants.

“Our new headquarters is a ‘test case’ that’s working well, and we want people to know that this can be replicated — that clean electricity and decarbonization are attainable today. We also want people to understand that a 24/7 zero-emissions future for buildings is achievable and practical,” Geof Syphers, CEO, Sonoma Clean Power, said in a statement.

Design began in 2018, with construction completed in 2021. The microgrid installation was finished this year.

On the Building Team:
Owner and developer: Sonoma Clean Power
Design architect: EHDD Architecture
Architect of record: EHDD Architecture
MEP engineer: Guttmann & Blaevoet, with support from Point Energy Innovations
Structural engineer: ZFA Structural Engineers
General contractor: Midstate Construction
Construction manager: Sixth Dimension

Courtesy SCP.

Taking full advantage of smart building technology

dbarista — Wed, 01 Jun 2022 19:03:01 +0000

Taking full advantage of smart building technology

dbarista Wed, 06/01/2022 - 14:03

Drew Deatherage of Crux Solutions discusses where owners and AEC firms could do better at optimizing smart technology in building design and operations.

AEC Tech Innovation

Big Data

Project + Process Innovation

Design Innovation Report

Over the past several years, smart technology has been seeping into the design and operations of buildings. But are owners and developers taking full advantage of this technology’s capabilities and potential benefits? Joining us to discuss this topic is Drew Deatherage, Principal and Co-founder with Crux Solutions, a service provider of network infrastructure, audiovisual tools, security, radio frequency design, and intelligent lighting.

Drew Deatherage of Crux Solutions discusses where owners and AEC firms could do better at optimizing smart technology in building design and operations.

Digital twin’s value propositions for the built environment, explained

jcaulfield — Mon, 24 May 2021 19:58:46 +0000

Digital twin’s value propositions for the built environment, explained

jcaulfield Mon, 05/24/2021 - 14:58

Ernst & Young’s white paper makes its cases for the technology’s myriad benefits.

John Caulfield, Senior Editor

Ernst & Young’s white paper makes its cases for the technology’s myriad benefits.

AEC Tech Innovation

Big Data

Sports and Recreational Facilities

Higher Education

Hotel Facilities

Industrial Facilities

Justice Facilities

K-12 Schools

Libraries

Military Construction

Performing Arts Centers

Transit Facilities

Transportation & Parking Facilities

University Buildings

Warehouses

Design Innovation Report

Industry Research

Download EY's white paper, Digital Twin: the Age of Aquarius in construction and real estate

Advancements in artificial intelligence, sensors, machine learning, and the Internet of Things and Assets are moving digital twin technology beyond the concept stage to where it is emerging as an invaluable lifecycle assessment and management tool for new and existing buildings.

Ernst & Young Global Limited (EY) has released a white paper titled Digital Twin: the Age of Aquarius in construction and real estate, which outlines the technology’s value proposition for building maintenance and operations, environmental impact and sustainability, health and wellness, and “people improvement” and real estate interface.

Drawing on a host of sources and examples, the white paper concludes that the adoption of digital twin can reduce real estate operating costs by up to 35%, decrease carbon emissions, deliver a healthier workplace, and enhance user experiences.

Sustainability and resilence are where digital twin could have its greatest impact on the built environment. Image: EY

“Digital twin technology is able to accelerate corporate evolution, incorporating sustainable design to drive operational excellence” the white paper states. Achieving that acceleration, though, must address challenges that include cybersecurity, occupant expectations of privacy, and the development of the right internal skillsets for implementation.

What construction and real estate firms must also decide is whether they are willing to make the upfront investment required to capture the kind of future ROI that the white paper unambiguously believes digital twin will deliver. “By taking this initiative, the early adopters will reap the greatest benefits and be considered as pioneers in building the next generation of real estate,” the paper states. “It will provide these firms a competitive advantage in the industry while incorporating a user-centric business model. This will transform companies of today and create the now, next and beyond of the digital built environment.”

ACCELERATING PROCESS OPTIMIZATION

This diagram illustrates how a building talks to its digital twin, and how that twin uses that data to improve its processes. Image: EY

To understand what digital twin can offer, companies must first raise and answer what the white paper calls “tactical questions” about their buildings: how are they monitoring performance, what are their largest operational expenditures, how will technology impact sustainability, what impact can digital twin have on planning, design, and construction?

Three business drivers justify the need for digital twin, says EY: creating a centralized database that can serve as a single source of “truth”; supporting investment decision making; and accelerating continuous process optimization.

That last driver is especially relevant because EY sees digital twin for the built environment as beginning at the component level (say, a building’s HVAC), moving through asset and systems levels, and finally reaching the process level “that provides a big-picture model and overarching framework to an organization. It produces insight into the performance of the entire supply chain,” the white paper states.

FOUR WAYS DIGITAL TWIN’S IMPACT IS PALPABLE

Digital twin technology can be beneficial to a building through its entire lifecycle. Image: EY

EY’s paper offers insights into each of digital twin’s value propositions.

Building maintenance and operations: Operations can cost up to five times a building’s capital investment. A recent joint study by Harvard Business School and Microsoft found that two thirds of global organizations are adopting smart technology to control their real estates’ energy use.

Maintenance represents a significant portion of the costs incurred during the asset’s life cycle. The predictive nature of a digital twin can reduce maintenance costs by its ability to collect, monitor and analyze real-time data while utilizing machine-learning models to mitigate future risk.

Communicating predictive maintenance requests is nearly as critical as detecting them. The use of a real-time mobile application that connects to the digital twin has become a common method for relaying information. The white paper points specifically to REScan’s custom scanner technology that can capture 250,000 sf per hour from an eye level point of view. Once digitized, this 3D data enables automatic object finding, which provides contextual information for decision makers, AI algorithms, and robotic applications.

Environmental impact and sustainability. By leveraging digital twins, IoT sensors and IoA augmentation, owners and facility managers can reduce a building’s environmental footprint by decreasing energy consumption from various components and systems.

The white paper singles out Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University, which has explored the use of digital twins to reduce its energy and water use, carbon emissions, and waste across its campus of over 200 buildings. Real time data was analyzed to uncover hidden energy and cost saving opportunities across the various campus utilities.

During the first five years of facility operations, Phase 1 analysis was performed and resulted in a 21% reduction in campus energy consumption, reduced 8.2 kilo ton (kt) of its carbon emissions and provided S$3.9 million (US$2.94 million) in cost savings during this time frame. In the final stage, virtual digital twin models were created using data from Phase 1 and Phase 2 (a total of 10 years) to compare the impact of installing a range of potential technologies. The adoption of these technologies resulted in a total of 31% energy reduction, reduced 9.6kt of carbon emissions and provided S$4.7 million of cost savings over the decade, placing NTU on track toward achieving carbon neutrality.

Health and wellness. Digital twins are expected to play a pivotal role in ensuring workplaces are healthy and safe, by providing organizations with an “advanced toolkit”—deploying sensors, thermal screening, and computational fluid dynamics—to reduce the spread of airborne viruses. By monitoring carbon dioxide levels, owners also meet multiple requirements detailed within the WELL building standards.

Arup’s Tokyo office improved its occupant health and wellness by analyzing employee concentration, stress and heart rate fluctuations via 16 occupancy sensors that covered meeting rooms, private offices, and open spaces. The building also had 12 environmental sensors to measure temperature, humidity and CO2 concentration, and used AI to categorize human emotions based on voice data.

People improvements and real estate interface. JLL recently estimated that between 30% and 40% of office space is underutilized. EY thinks that digital twins can be a viable solution to track occupancy patterns and understand where these inefficiencies lie.

Path of travel is also a pivotal data point that is often overlooked. The digital twin can assist in designing roads, entrances/exits, and parking diagrams to align with peak traffic flows. Inversely, the digital twin could optimize employee’s schedules to skip high traffic periods.

Building owners can also enhance the security for their employees and assets by installing automated security systems within the digital twin. AI image recognition in the IoT network would monitor areas that are typically monitored by security personnel. Threat detection is substantially improved and no longer requires as large of a security team. Companies can reduce labor costs pertaining to security up to 50% by leveraging a digital twin model, the white paper estimates.

CREATING A TRUE AS-BUILT REPLICA

How a digital twin is constructed. Image: EY

EY’s paper also offers ways that digital twin can be used across each stage of an asset’s life cycle, from “testing what if’s” for financing, planning and design, to “reducing human error and bias” in new construction or renovation, and commissioning and “calibration” so that, in essence, “the physics-based twin becomes a true replica of the as-built conditions.”

As business priorities are constantly evolving over the life cycle of a building, a digital twin that improves itself over time can provide dynamic modeling and “an agile approach to decision-making and management,” the white paper states.

The Weekly show: SPIRE smart building rating system, and pickleball court design tips

dbarista — Fri, 20 Nov 2020 16:24:08 +0000

The Weekly show: SPIRE smart building rating system, and pickleball court design tips

dbarista Fri, 11/20/2020 - 10:24

The November 19 episode of BD+C's The Weekly is available for viewing on demand.

BD+C Staff

The November 19 episode of BD+C's The Weekly is available for viewing on demand.

This week on The Weekly show, BD+C editors spoke with leaders from Corning Optical Communications, Laykold Sports Surfaces, and UL about:
• Designing Pickleball courts for multifamily projects
• The world's first smart buildings rating system

WATCH THE SEGMENTS ON DEMAND BELOW

THE WEEKLY SHOW HIGHLIGHTS FOR NOVEMBER 19, 2020

BD+C's Group Director Tony Mancini runs down the highlights from this week's show.

SEGMENT #1

Designing pickleball courts for your multifamily projects
BD+C's Robert Cassidy chats with Randy Futty, Regional Sales Manager for Laykold Sports Surfaces and team leader on the design manual, "Pickleball Courts: A Construction & Maintenance Manual," now in its Second Edition from ASBA, American Sports Builders Association.

SEGMENT #2

Meet SPIRE: The world's first smart buildings rating system
BD+C's David Barista talks with Tom Blewitt, VP and Chief Technical Officer, Connected Technologies, with UL, and Brian Davis, Global Market Development Director, Corning Optical Communications, about the newly launched SPIRE smart building assessment and rating system, the world's first such program. Blewitt and Davis discuss the need for such a system during the rise of increasingly tech-driven work, live, and play environments, and how Corning Optical Communications used the system to drive and verify design decisions on its newest office campus building.

WATCH ‘THE WEEKLY’ EVERY THURSDAY AT 1 PM EASTERN

“The Weekly” is a presentation of Horizon TV, the online broadcast arm of SGC Horizon LLC, publishers of Building Design+Construction, Multifamily Design+Construction, Professional Builder, ProRemodeler, and Construction Equipment.

World’s first smart building assessment and rating program released

dbarista — Mon, 26 Oct 2020 15:46:15 +0000

World’s first smart building assessment and rating program released

dbarista Mon, 10/26/2020 - 10:46

The SPIRE Smart Building Program will help building owners and operators make better investment decisions, improve tenant satisfaction, and increase asset value.

PETER FABRIS, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

The SPIRE Smart Building Program will help building owners and operators make better investment decisions, improve tenant satisfaction, and increase asset value.