MORE THAN BIG DATA & TECHNOLOGY

Big data & technology, or a Smart Building, are all the rage!

But is big data and all the surrounding technology truly the magical solution for actual user needs? Or are data and technologies being pushed on us by the market? Do we rely more on measurable (cold) data rather than non-quantifiable data like emotions and stories?

To address these relevant questions, it’s important to first get a clearer understanding of what a Smart Building actually is. What can it deliver? What are the major challenges?

What will reading this blog provide for you as an HR, CEO, CTO, or COO professional? A comprehensive overview of the opportunities and challenges involved in choosing and implementing a smart building strategy.

1. A Smart Building is more than just data and technology

Ask your colleagues, family, and friends: what is a smart building, really? Chances are, they might answer something like this: "Isn't it a building developed by tech experts, filled with gadgets, apps, and sensors that I can control with a smartphone (IoT - Internet of Things)? Sensors and systems continuously collect data (big data) about users and building activities. It's like Google Analytics for buildings." If you asked the question and the answers are somewhat accurate, does this capture what a smart building should be?

''A building infrastructure that facilitates automatic process and product management and central access."''

Is this what a smart building should be?

In my view, a smart building is much more than that. Ideally, a smart building should consist of the following five main pillars:

1. People centered: 

An environment where the user value, (work) happiness, and health of people and the environment are paramount. Designing and managing an energy-neutral and healthy lifestyle environment where people want to be.

2. Urban innovation

Seamless transition between public and private environments, creating livable, smart, social, and safe connections. Integrating and utilizing shared infrastructures and communities in the areas of mobility, energy, and local amenities.

3. Lean & mean process management

Focus on chain integration. Integrate data and digital techniques to achieve the most efficient and effective process possible. This is achieved through the integral application of blockchain, robots, VR/AI, BIM, and similar technologies. Result: 40% faster turnaround time and 25% cost reduction.

4. Building as a service 

Determining the main goal and performance (KPIs) while keeping the path to it flexible. Paying for services and performance instead of products. The products must prove their value during the use phase. "Pay per lux" is a good example of this.

Is this realistic? I am convinced. After all, we live in a world where technology, data, and knowledge are available. The real potential now lies in making the connections.

Are these easy steps? No! Culture, behavior, and system change are crucial for success. This requires courage, partnerships, perseverance, and long-term thinking based on new business models. Being able to let go of old patterns and habits.

5. New product standard

A circular, efficient, and flexible mixed-use building with future value. This is achieved by connecting smart and modular technologies, design, and construction methods at an early stage. Think in terms of value instead of costs. Use data collection smartly by not only focusing on current (building) data but also on accurate predictive data (machine learning). A good example is the project of the Dutch Mountains.

2. What does a Smart Building deliver?

In my previous blog, The Future of Work, I mentioned that it is crucial for a work environment to adapt to the needs and pulse of your organization. What insights and contributions can smart buildings provide in this regard?

At tcentral building level:

• Insight & Overview of Temperature and Energy Consumption: 
• Insight & Overview of Building Usage and Occupancy: 
• Insight & Overview of Building Systems Status and Potential Issues: 
• Insight & Overview of Elevator Usage and Waiting Times: 

At the decentralized user level:

• Personal Lighting and Climate Preferences: 
• Space Reservation System: 
• Automatic Localization and Control of Audiovisual Equipment: 
• Quick Location of Spaces & Colleagues (3D Map): 
• Digital Personal Identification: 
• Insight & Overview of Consumption and Inventory Management: 
• Automation of Distracting Tasks: 

“Innovation is about technology that allows us to collaborate and enhance our potential ” - Michael Zappa

If well and integrally designed, building and user-specific applications will result in:

• Increased employee job satisfaction by reducing annoyances from distracting (extra) tasks
• Enhanced employee productivity
• Lower management and maintenance costs due to automation and timely alerts
• Reduction in (facility) operational costs through more efficient operations
• Less waste and energy consumption
• Availability of smarter, real-time tools for internal decision-making
• Reduction in the amount of building space required

A great example of a company that centralizes user functionalities via an app is Office App.

3. The challenges of a Smart Building

New applications and technologies come with the emergence of new, yet unanswered questions and the potential for errors. If you are a person or organization that prioritizes 100% safety, a Smart Building may not be for you just yet.

At its core, the biggest challenges associated with Smart Buildings are:

1. Privacy & security 

GDPR, Data Breaches at Facebook, and Hacking: Questions We Must Address

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), data breaches at Facebook, and hacking incidents raise important questions:

• Who owns what data?
• What is the purpose of data collection?
• Which data can and cannot be collected?
• How do we prevent sensitive (personal) information from falling into the wrong hands?
• How do we ensure that data models do not discriminate?
• How do we prevent discrimination based on data?

Are these questions intriguing and relevant to you? If so, take some time to watch Elon Musk’s film, Do You Trust This Computer?.

No one wants to be questioned during a performance review about excessive toilet use or lack of productivity due to spending too much time in the restaurant or lobby.

These are all crucial questions that we need to address collectively. Technically, many issues can be resolved through methods such as data anonymization (end-to-end encryption), network segmentation & firewalls, or data mapping. However, this leads to further questions: Does anonymized data still provide enough value? Do network segmentation and firewalls truly simplify security or do they lead to higher costs?

I am keen to discuss these topics with IT experts to find solutions.

2. Human scale, culture & behavior

Technology and big data seem to be reducing human relationships to mere commodities. We live and breathe data and technology, and we appear to be increasingly reliant on measurable and directly quantifiable aspects, such as emotions and feelings. It seems we are losing sight of the human touch and well-being. In my view, this is a concerning situation.

On the flip side, people may resist technological changes out of fear rather than embrace them. Do we really want to work and live in technological machines where we surrender our identity? Will we become obsolete as computers and robots take over our jobs? These are relevant questions and sensitivities that need to be addressed within organizations to build support.

My suggestion: Continue to view technology as a tool rather than an end in itself. The human factor remains crucial for making nuanced decisions and judgments. Smarter tools can contribute positively, but the human element is key.

3. Simplicity, scalability and ownership 

The true value of technological applications lies in their architecture, functionality, and scalability. The core infrastructure, often referred to as the platform, plays a critical role here. The choices and challenges encountered in this area are crucial for achieving the desired goals and ensuring a seamless plug-and-play environment.

Where Do the Real Challenges Arise?

Simplicity: A learning, accessible, and scalable IoT platform is essential. Think of platforms like IBM, Microsoft Azure, or Google. Ideally, this should be an open-source platform where multiple devices and systems can communicate with each other (sending and receiving data) regardless of the chosen provider or devices used. There's nothing more frustrating than systems or devices that do not support the same applications or cannot communicate with each other. Competitive barriers make this challenging. A good example is Tesla, which advocates for an open-source movement. By sharing ideas, Tesla transforms the ecosystem from a traffic light system to a roundabout where everyone can move seamlessly. The focus should be less on immediate processes and short-term goals and more on long-term solutions. Shared ownership will play a crucial role here. Does this fit within our incremental and accountability-focused culture?

Scalability: IP networks, often present in existing work environments, are frequently less scalable due to data point limits within the network. This often leads to customized solutions that introduce unwanted side effects (complexity, a tangle of systems and protocols, increased susceptibility to failures, etc.).

Ownership: There is a need for broad user acceptance within an organization of the chosen platform and its associated hardware and software applications. This often requires cultural and behavioral changes. Failure to address this can lead to the same risks as mentioned earlier. Additionally, issues of reliability and the value of data must be considered.

Behavior: To achieve real impact, it’s crucial to avoid semi-smart solutions that are undermined by convenience-related behaviors. For instance, if sustainability is a key pillar of a corporate strategy, it must be practically implemented, such as through electric charging stations. However, if the electricity generated comes from coal-fired power plants, is this truly sustainable?

4. Urban innovation

As previously mentioned in this blog, a building is part of an ecosystem consisting of multiple buildings within a public living environment. A Smart City where modular infrastructures are interconnected. Significant progress needs to be made in the very near future, or we risk creating a short-term "patchwork metropolis" that benefits no one.

We can achieve this by looking across various domains, investing integrally, and exchanging knowledge between governments, private entities, and knowledge institutions. And this is precisely where the crux lies.

4. Ready for a Smart Building?

Convinced of the added value of a Smart Building?

There's nothing more frustrating than reinventing the wheel and making the same mistakes others have already made, right? To ensure that a Smart Building works for you and not against you, it's crucial to engage with the right expertise early on.

Would you like to have an informal discussion about the possibilities of a Smart Building and the best way to approach it? Feel free to reach out. We are here to assist you.

Based on a self-developed design thinking canvas, think of it as an agile roadmap, we will quickly arrive at a comprehensive (implementation) strategy together.