LQS-ESS-211

ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & SERVICES 1

SMART BUILDINGS
MRS CATHY MPANGA KOWET
12 JULY 2024
BUILDING SERVICES – BUILDING MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

RECAP
• Building services are systems installed in buildings to make them comfortable,
functional, efficient and safe.
• Building services can be controlled by
Simple mechanisms such as
** Manual switching
** Clocks or detectors
** Thermostats
** Motion detectors
** More complex building management systems (BMS)
BUILDING MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS
• Building management systems are computer-
based systems used to monitor and control
building services
• BMS systems are an effective solution for
monitoring numerous sub-systems of a
building’s day to day operation from the
comfort of a centralized control room
• A user-friendly control interface allows the
operator to observe process parameters in
real time, detect abnormal operating
conditions and respond to alarm conditions
FUNCTIONS OF BMS

• Building Management Systems can be utilized for monitoring a broad range of

building systems including but not limited to fluid inventory levels, pumping systems,
water treatment, fire protection systems, fire alarm systems, utility systems, kitchen
cold storage, electrical systems, generators, HVAC systems and elevator operation.
BMS systems help building managers
• understand how buildings are operating and allow them to control and adjust systems
to optimise their performance.
• collates data, allowing ease of control,
• visualise data,
• automatically generate reports and create alarms and alerts when parameters are
exceeded, failures occur, or with prognostic systems, when failures are likely to occur.
• allows comparison between spaces, buildings and benchmark data.
BENEFITS OF BMS

• Gives better control of systems and conditions.

• Data gathering and report generation.
• Increased productivity.
• Allow better-informed response to complaints.
• Allow allocation of operating costs within a business or to tenants.
• Allow more targeted use of resources for replacement and maintenance of equipment.
• Early detection of issues.
• Reduced operating costs and carbon emissions.
• Improved equipment life.
• Improve safety
INTERNET OF THINGS
(IOT)
IoT describes the network of devices
connected to the Internet and the
technology that enables
communication between devices and
the cloud.
Devices are often embedded with
sensors, software, and other
technologies that allow them to
connect and exchange data over
the internet.
IOT APPLICATION IN THE CONSTRUCTION & OPERATION
OF BUILDINGS
• Asset management systems.
• Building management systems.
• Remote operation of appliances eg plant, security systems
• Energy use and conservation
• Monitoring equipment and diagnosing faults or prognosis of future potential problems.
• Targeting maintenance activities.
• Monitoring, ordering, directing and tracking resources such as materials, vehicles, plant and labour to
maximise productivity.
• Inventory control and storage management.
• Building information management.
• Knowledge management.
• Condition monitoring for comfort, safety and efficiency.
• Performance monitoring and tracking key performance indicators (KPIs).
• Preventing theft.
• Obtaining up-to-date information for bid preparation.
• Providing feedback on building behaviour to improve the accuracy of modelling, analysis and simulation
techniques.
• Verifying worker skills.
• Payroll management.
SMART BUILDINGS
• Smart buildings use Internet of Things
(IoT) devices to monitor various building
elements, analyze data, and generate
insights on usage patterns that can be
used to optimize the building’s
operations.
• Smart homes are homes operating a
building control system, which provides
integrated, centralised control of two or
more individual systems
CHARACTERISTICS OF SMART BUILDING

• Connectivity - All crucial intelligent building systems are “smart” and interconnected. Building
managers can access control systems remotely from a centralized digital platform called a
building management system.
• Sensors - Smart actuators and sensors are built into the building’s physical parts and can
serve to control or track any aspect, like lighting, air conditioning, security cameras, and
building resources.
• Automation - IoT devices are set to automate building operations. The building systems can
function independently and manage themselves without human intervention: automatically
adjust the temperature, turn on and turn off the lights, open and close the doors, and more.
• Visualization dashboard - Smarter buildings can also have a centralized building
management system to visualize the smart building data and give the tenants insights into the
energy consumption, building efficiency, or maintenance required.
HVAC management
The system allows maintaining the pre-set temperature not only in the whole building but also in specific
sub-zones. For instance, if the temperature near a window is lower than expected, the smart HVAC systems
will automatically adjust it only in that particular place and use only the resources necessary for this
purpose while increasing energy efficiency.
Air quality monitoring
The smart sensors can check the carbon dioxide level in a room to ensure a healthy environment. When the
level increases, the system increases the airflow accordingly so that the air quality is comfortable and safe
for the people. This is especially convenient during meetings when large groups of people gather in a room
and spend several hours there.
Lighting management
The daylight sensors can adjust the lighting levels more precisely and either turn on or off the light
accordingly, depending on the daylight. This maintains the optimal lighting level all day long which meets
two principal needs: energy saving and keeping the necessary illumination levels for the comfort work of the
occupants.
Occupancy and optimizing space usage
Occupancy sensors collect data on the presence of people in a spot. When properly analyzed, the sensor
data can show if the building space and resources are used optimally. Furthermore, if the occupancy sensors
are integrated into a smart system, they can communicate with other sensors and switch off the lights,
adjust ventilation, turn off heating, etc. as soon as they detect nobody using the resources.
Smart parking
Wireless sensors inside pavements, car counting tools, and cameras help car drivers find parking spaces
faster or even book one beforehand. Looking for a parking space may distract drivers and lead to an
accident, and smart parking minimizes the risk. This way the system solves several of the biggest drivers’
pain points.
Smart elevators
It’s not only about calling the elevator from the smartphone. Smart elevators can detect how many people
are in it, and if the cabin is at capacity, the elevator won’t stop at another floor in vain. It’s also safer than a
usual elevator: if anything isn’t right, it will notify the maintenance team beforehand so people aren’t stuck
in the cabin.
Security and access
The digital cards are integrated into mobile apps that may have various functionalities. Apart from accessing
the room, the app allows users to remotely lock the door and control other systems like air conditioning or
water temperature.
Smart room
The smart room encompasses a huge variety of IoT-enabled devices: lightbulbs, air and water temperature
controllers, curtains, TV, digital food menus, and more. Such systems allow guests to customize the room to
cater to their specific needs. Sometimes it’s even possible to remember the guests’ preferences for future
visits.
BENEFITS OF SMART BUILDINGS
Sustainability
• Due to improved smart building technology and better maintenance, the intelligent facility will serve longer.
Resource-efficiency
• Intelligent building technology helps allocate only the necessary resources and reduce energy costs.
Carbon neutrality
• Smart buildings help decrease greenhouse gas emissions since they use the minimum required power to function.
Higher safety
• Smart tech helps prevent accidents caused by human error and devices like robots can take over dangerous tasks.
Higher competitiveness
• Modern tenants value comfort and digitization so smart technologies are a benefit for building owners.
Long-term perspective project
• Smart buildings are at the dawning and the project started now will still serve well the future generations.
INTERSECTION BETWEEN GREEN BUILDING &
SMART BUILDING
Through the utilization of green building materials, energy-
efficient systems, and renewable energy sources, buildings can
significantly reduce their carbon footprint while promoting a
healthier indoor environment.

Smart technologies further enhance this sustainability by

enabling real-time monitoring, control, and optimization of building
operations. From automated lighting systems to intelligent HVAC
controls, these technologies empower buildings to adapt to
changing environmental conditions, maximizing efficiency and
minimizing waste.