When IoT brings augmented buildings to life.

At a time when well-being and ecology are at the heart of concerns, buildings must also meet service and environmental needs. How? By bringing together the benefits of IoT, AI, and data to bring the Smart Building to life.

IoT… Behind this acronym, now part of everyday language and meaning Internet of Things, lies the process that allows a physical object, seemingly ordinary at first glance, to be connected to the Internet. This is how a connected light bulb, for example, can be turned on, off, or change color simply by the sound of your voice. But IoT is not limited to hardware. It also includes connectivity (data transmission) and software (data analysis). The general idea: to bridge the gap between the virtual world and the real world to support, or even improve, our daily lives. A universe with almost infinite applications, which today, according to a recent report from IoT Analytics, counts 11.3 billion connected devices worldwide, of all types. This number is expected to reach more than 27 billion devices by 2025.

And the general public is not the only one to have embraced IoT. Various sectors have adopted it in order to better "augment" themselves. This is the case for the building sector, which has also undergone its revolution to become the Smart Building, literally "Intelligent Building," since the early 2000s. By taking advantage of the convergence of IoT, AI (artificial intelligence), and Big Data, buildings have become more virtuous, safer, more agile… It’s a fact: constructions today are service platforms for the benefit of both users and operators. And the possibilities are almost limitless!

The key to a successful energy transition

Let’s take energy concerns as an example. Under the energy transition law, today, not a single building, whether for commercial or domestic use, can be constructed without at least optimizing its energy consumption.

To achieve this, buildings using IoT are equipped with sensors that allow, among other things, monitoring and regulating the temperature in spaces. In practice, thanks to IoT, devices collect ad hoc data. This data is then analyzed and allows artificial intelligence to manage electricity consumption (according to, for example, the occupancy rate of rooms), and by extension, the maintenance of heating or air conditioning equipment. The reliability of this type of system is such that, already, a report published by Transforma Insights and 6GWorld’s estimates that by 2030, IoT solutions will reduce electricity consumption by more than 1,600 terawatt-hours (TWh), enough to cover the energy consumption of more than 136 million households for a year!

From Smart Building to Smart Cities, the road is still long

These promising figures leave the door wide open to Smart Cities, those cities straight out of a science fiction novel whose sole purpose will be to improve the quality of life of city dwellers by making the city more adaptable and efficient. But the road is still long. While some buildings have become benchmarks in smart building, such as the Cube in Berlin, The Edge in Amsterdam, or more recently, the Alto Tower in La Défense, it is clear that they are not representative of the majority of buildings or of what is achievable for the average building in the coming years. In fact, according to IoT Analytics, 58% of commercial and residential buildings worldwide have a technological infrastructure that allows for building automation. Among these 58%, only 36% have already implemented a management and digitization system such as access and/or security systems. Yet tomorrow, analysts believe that Smart Building will be the norm if humanity wants to consume less and better. But as the saying goes, patience is a virtue!

In this context of digitalization of construction, we have developed a new ecosystem called EntriWorX which fits perfectly into this approach and allows for better communication and increased productivity at every stage of the project. To learn more click here.