14 July 2015
By Paul Divall, Managing Director –
Intelligent Technologies at Jasco
Intelligent
technologies have become increasingly common, both within the business and
consumer space. Utilising such ‘smart’ technologies results in reduced costs,
improved efficiencies and enhanced convenience, amongst other benefits. This is
particularly relevant in buildings such as corporate offices and shopping
malls. However, the real value of these smart solutions is only derived when
they are integrated and interlinked, turning a host of disparate smart
technologies into a ‘smart building’.
At
the heart of the smart building is ubiquitous connectivity, which is delivered
through a combination of wireless, fibre and mobile networks. Connectivity is
the backbone of every smart building and last mile connectivity to the facility
ensures that all tenants will have access to the Internet via fibre, ADSL and
WiFi. However, many facilities, including corporate office parks and shopping
malls, face the challenge of poor mobile and Wi-Fi connectivity, as these
technologies are unable to penetrate between floors and through multiple walls.
In order to address this challenge, distributed antenna systems (DAS) are an
important component as they extend wireless and mobile network coverage with additional
antenna nodes.
Furthermore,
smart technology that is IP enabled utilises connectivity and cloud-based
platforms to offer the intelligence, software and applications that deliver
value. This connectivity can be provided to tenants as a value-added service,
negating the need to acquire their own telephone and Internet lines for
applications such as credit card machines and voice calling.
A
‘smart building’ also includes technologies to automatically control a
multitude of functions, such as lighting, heating and cooling, energy management,
security, alarm activation and more. Intelligence is derived from the
implementation and integration of connected technologies, with each system
working together to create a more efficient, effective overall space that
minimises the need for manual intervention. As an example, lighting, heating
and cooling can be linked to access control, surveillance and security, to
automatically switch lights and regulate climate control when people enter a
space or when they leave it. This functionality delivers improved cost
efficiencies due to reduced energy consumption and the requirement for less
infrastructure hardware such as servers and cabling. This in turn reduces installation,
maintenance and support costs as well as operating costs. These tangible cost benefits
are often the quickest win when it comes to the ‘smart building’. However,
there are many other benefits that can be leveraged to aid in attracting
tenants and maximising revenue.
Smart
buildings and smart retail spaces also enable the deployment of Physical
Security Information Management (PSIM), which integrates various security
applications and devices into a single user interface for enhanced security and
control. By bringing together information from a variety of disparate security
and information systems, including video, access control, networks, analytics,
building management systems and more, functionality is enhanced and personnel
are empowered to proactively resolve security situations.
PSIM
also enables organisations to track all security information, including regular
reports, incident logs, continuous process improvement initiatives, training
drills, system healthcare checks. This information can be used not only to
improve security but also for compliance reporting. Ultimately such solutions
offer a competitive edge by improving security intelligence, which in turn
reduces costs. Utilising PSIM, smart
buildings are more secure, and this can provide tenants with peace of mind. A
full service lease not only adds value, but also often delivers these services at
a lower cost than the tenants could arrange themselves, by leveraging economies
of scale throughout the retail space.
Intelligent
integrated technologies can also be leveraged for non-traditional applications
that deliver additional value and benefits. For example, CCTV functionality can
be extended from security and into customer profiling, to provide granular
information on footfall into stores, buying patterns and more. This information
assists building owners to plan their use of space more effectively, and can also
benefit tenants by providing intelligence that enables them to better
understand their customers. WiFi networks can be opened up to consumers
visiting the retail space, allowing outlets to gather information about their
customer to create further depth of consumer understanding, as well as to
target advertising, promotions and so on specifically to the correct target
market. Smart technology enables building owners to better measure people flow
and provide more active, targeted advertising concepts.
Energy
optimisation and management tools, energy continuity such as UPS and
generators, renewable energy solutions and fire detection and suppression also
create more value proposition and form an important component within a ‘smart
building’. Given the current power situation in South Africa, renewable energy
is increasingly becoming a competitive differentiator. Utilising the available
rooftop real estate, retailers can implement solar farms, offsetting utility
costs and keeping the lights on during load shedding.
By
automating and integrating these solutions using a common network, connectivity
and cloud-based software and solutions, ‘smart buildings’ deliver a host of
value-added benefits that make smart business sense for all parties involved.