The IoT and Smart Buildings - What You Need to Know

Buildings have been evolving at a steady rate for years, but in recent times technology has given building management a serious boost. Smart Buildings are becoming the new norm. This means buildings where services are managed intuitively through technology, namely sensors and control systems.

The problem is, older building management systems don’t do the full job. The Internet of Things (IoT) has made it possible for smart buildings to become even smarter, and at WideSky, we’re leading the technological charge.

Managing Building Service

When we talk about building services, we’re talking about a few key ones. Firstly, Heating, Ventilation and Cooling (HVAC). Controlling airflow and temperature in large buildings, such as retail complexes and office buildings has been done by technology for a while now. Other services requiring management include water, gas and electricity, lighting, telecommunications and also security systems.

Without a central way to manage these services intelligently, building owners are losing money. Especially with the onset of disruptive energy retailers making it possible for owners to distribute energy more effectively. But only with the right technology behind them.

Limitations of Building Management Systems

Traditional building management systems were developed to manage the most expensive building service – HVAC. However, as we’ve learned, there are so many more services that can be controlled more efficiently. While some management systems can integrate certain other services, the onset of IoT technology has made them appear ineffective.

IoT technology allows millions of sensors to be connected and managed, for example, movement sensors to control lights. Old building management systems weren’t built for this, and they simply can’t manage all the subsystems in a building. That’s where cutting-edge smart building software from WideSky comes in.

IoT Building Management Systems

IoT building management systems are built to handle every subsystem in a building. Not only does it revolutionise the way building managers control the comfort, wellness and productivity systems in a building, but it makes reporting and analytics in real-time extremely easy.

All system data is available on a single dashboard, and can even be made available to tenants in real-time through a mobile app. You can also combine service costs for easy, transparent billing. WideSky for Buildings can be hosted onsite, or for less cost and better scalability, it can be hosted in the cloud.

The Benefits of IoT Building Management Software

With IoT building management software, managers & building owners will enjoy several benefits:

  1. Increased asset efficiency, productivity and competitiveness
  2. Improve tenant retention, personal productivity and wellness through improved environment and comfort
  3. Encourage tenant participation in the operation, efficiency and CO2 reduction process with real-time apps
  4. Increased Greenstar and NABERS ratings
  5. Easy reporting and analysis, allowing better decision making

A good building management system utilising the IoT brings together all the technology available today, making services easy to manage. For increased efficiency and the ability to offer more tailored solutions to tenants, IoT technology is essential. With the capability to integrate both IoT and legacy management systems, WideSky is the only smart building software you’ll ever need.