The Democratization of Building Technology

The democratization of buildings hails an opportunity to make drastic improvements in reducing the energy use in buildings.
Access to building automation can be drastically increased through simplifying the engineering and operation of such systems.

Description

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Speaker

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When & Where

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Tue, 08.10.2024, 16:20 – 16:40

place

Hall 8 / 8-516

Details

Format: Lecture

Language: English

Description

Today, about 80 % of all commercial buildings still need a building automation system. Democratization is the action of making something accessible to everyone. By making technology that enables easier to deploy and use systems, building information becomes more accessible to a wider audience. We will continue to see the expansion of BAS to small buildings, leveraging the convergence between edge and cloud.

The rise in energy cost and the necessity to drastically reduce society’s carbon footprint will push the need to upgrade also simpler and smaller buildings with building management software; and at a higher pace than today.

Isn't it odd that you have more transparency and feedback on fuel efficiency when driving your car than energy usage when managing a building? For example, when you drive your car on the Autobahn, you know exactly how many liters per kilometer you've used. But do you have the same level of transparency in your building? Most building owners would say no. And that's surprising because we all know that buildings consume 40 % of the earth's global energy. So there are many reasons to care, not just for you individually but also for the impact it has on the planet, the environment, and society.

Going back to the car, I use more fuel per kilometer if I'm speeding down the Autobahn. I know this because, since the early 2000s, cars have provided feedback about the decrease in fuel efficiency when driving fast. If you drive faster, you spend more energy. In commercial buildings, if you increase the amount of heating by a few degrees, do you know how much more energy it costs? Do you know what that means for you and your business? Many don't. Another example of building awareness could be as simple as not knowing a window is open while the heating system is running. This results in a very inefficient use of energy.

Industry professionals often discuss improving the building shell through better insulation and windows. We also talk about HVAC equipment efficiency a lot, which is essential. Some of this has happened in the last 10-15 years due to the regulatory environment. And that's great. But what we haven't talked much about is actually managing the building.

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