05-06-2025
Smart Buildings Begin With Smarter Strategies
Swapna Sathyan is Principal, Director of Consulting at Blue Cottage of CannonDesign.
The most common challenge organizations face when making their building or spaces more intelligent is knowing where to begin. In conversations about smart buildings or workplace technology, there's often an inclination to jump to the latest tools or features. But the real opportunity doesn't lie in chasing the newest product. It's about stepping back, getting clear on the outcomes that technology could enable and then building a strategy that makes it all work together.
And here's a truth you'll appreciate: Creating a smart building doesn't always mean you have to spend more. It's often more about working smarter with what you have, as most modern buildings already include the necessary technology. Your broader focus should be on integrating systems in a seamless way that can evolve over time, as needed.
Of course, like anything, the concept of what makes a building truly 'smart' can vary based on who you talk to. But at their simplest, these buildings are technology-enabled environments that integrate various systems—such as energy management, lighting, HVAC, security and occupancy—into a cohesive network. Smarter buildings often use sensors, data analytics and automation to adapt to the needs of building occupants. And the smartest could, one day, be powered by AI to read things like human emotions in real time and adjust the physical space in response. Imagine a hospital that adapts its lighting and spatial design based on patient anxiety levels, for example. It sounds far out, but it's really not.
With so many opportunities, it's no surprise that organizations often struggle with where and how to start the conversation about smart buildings. To help chart a clearer path forward, here are three essential steps to take:
This isn't a conversation siloed within your technology team. Smart building initiatives need to align seamlessly with operations, systems, facilities and plans for growth. Early conversations should start with the big picture, exploring perspectives, intersections and dependencies. As the conversation progresses, home in on specific focus areas. One critical role to include in these conversations is an integrator, someone with expertise to provide objective guidance and keep all ideas and solutions aligned with broader systems and objectives.
The possibilities are nearly limitless when it comes to smart buildings, which is why it's important to develop thoughtful evaluation criteria to prioritize use cases. The most effective use cases have clear outcomes tied to them, like streamlined resource management, improved human experiences, cost savings, increased adaptability or reduced environmental impact.
For example, having occupancy-controlled HVAC and lighting systems could not only improve the user experience but also reduce operational costs and help your organization achieve its sustainability goals. These use cases are about future-proofing your organization, not just upgrading systems.
Technology is ever-changing, and the pace of change requires us to be ready to make decisions at the last responsible moment. Hence, any plans or solutions that are developed need to be agile. Once you've created your smart building use cases and you get to a point where you're identifying systems, be sure to focus on tools and systems that don't lock you into your current state. Focus on systems that can evolve with upcoming capabilities, such as predictive energy management and AI-powered analytics for resource optimization. A key consideration is also scalability. Ensure your infrastructure and processes are flexible enough to adapt to emerging innovations while maintaining operational continuity. Flexibility and adaptability need to be built into your smart building plan.
Ultimately, transforming a building or space from merely housing technology to becoming a smart environment can unlock incredible opportunities for organizations across industries. But without stepping back to craft a holistic plan that brings it all together, you risk investing in pieces of technology that never add up, and you miss out on the real impact smart buildings can deliver.
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