Episode 127:
Hello and Welcome to the Part3 with me podcast.
The show that helps part 3 students jump-start into their careers as qualified architects and also provides refresher episodes for practising architects. I am your host Maria Skoutari and this week we will be talking about Smart Buildings. Today’s episode meets PC1 & 2 of the Part 3 Criteria.
In February of this year, the RIBA put together a guide called Smart Building Overlay which is intended to be read in conjunction with the RIBA Plan of Work by anyone involved in the design of new-build, retrofit or refurbishment projects where Smart Building Technology is a consideration. It can be applied to all scale and sector projects whether residential, healthcare, education, commercial or industrial.
So what do we mean when we say Smart Building:
A Smart Building is a term used to describe a building which has been designed and built or retrofitted to include technology gathering and sharing operational data, providing opportunities for integration or automation to enhance the operational phase of the building. It offers improved outcomes created by the interaction between the people using the building and the technology. It is most efficient when underpinned by a clear Digital Strategy, robust processes and appropriately skilled people using the data generated by a Smart Building.
As systems such as zone-based temperature control and access control solutions become increasingly reliant on data rather than physical interaction devices like thermostats and keys, building users will also rely more and more on the smart aspects of their buildings. This increased connection between building users and building systems can enrich user experience and improve the efficiency of facilities management, but also increases the importance of ongoing rigorous Information Management to ensure the accuracy and functionality is preserved, which is where Smart Buildings are becoming increasingly the norm.
Why are Smart Buildings becoming so popular:
What separates Smart Buildings from traditional buildings is their digital integration capabilities and the ability to exploit their connectivity. This integration offers new opportunities for building operators and building users to interact with building systems using digital control systems and applications which may even allow these interactions to be automated remotely.
Although the Asset Management Team running the building will use applications to optimise building performance and utilisation, the building user’s interactions with Smart Building Technology will vary depending on the building type and user type. These for example can range from offices that allocate desks to employees when their mobile phone is approaching the building, to navigation support for hospital patients which is game changing.
The application of Smart Building Technology and the analysis of the data it can generate, has the potential to transform the way we approach the spatial and services’ design of a building. For example, analysing building usage trends combined with plant and equipment tuning, could significantly reduce energy consumption, allowing for new typologies in plant and distribution design that requires less floor space and capacity to become the norm. Another example could be improved utilisation of space through improved understanding of building user needs, allowing for rationalisation of space requirements and potential build cost reduction.
As smart buildings become increasingly powerful and complex, the need for timely decision-making and clear requirements aligned with the RIBA Plan of Work will become paramount for successful delivery.
What are the key benefits Smart Buildings offer:
The benefits of deploying Smart Building Technology can be significantly amplified when systems are integrated to work together and can provide key insights to support optimised operation. These insights can contribute to achieving business goals as well as contributing to delivering sustainability ambitions. For example in Heating, Ventilation & Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems, integrating HVAC with occupancy sensors means temperature and airflow can be automatically adjusted based on room occupancy, reducing energy demand and thereby saving cost and carbon. Using sensors to track space utilisation and optimise room scheduling or facilities management resource allocation, enables a smoother functioning office or education building. Similar systems can be used with wayfinding to manage people flow in museums or transport hubs.
Many benefits of delivering a Smart Building are realised as soon as the building is occupied, for example building users can check if meeting spaces are available or the canteen is busy, or efficient space utilisation and ventilation control provides energy savings. However, the major operational benefits can only be effectively harnessed once the building is up-and-running and when a full cycle of data has been generated and analysed. The Stoddart Review ‘The Workplace Advantage’ shows that a 1% increase in productivity through a better office environment would equate to an additional £20bn in national output. Productivity gains, along with improvement in building lifecycle cost can be considered as individual benefits or together under the umbrella of commercial benefits as part of the business case for investment in a Smart Building.
This means anyone who interacts with a Smart Building has the potential to benefit from it being Smart. At a building user level, a visitor for example could benefit from Smart Building Technology through personalised wayfinding - directions to points of interest, or step-free routes. Someone working in a building could have customisable settings for workstations or real-time information on hyperlocal control over lighting and temperature.
Therefore, at an operational level, data generated by Smart Building Systems can be used to monitor building performance, improve efficiency, and predict maintenance requirements. At an organisational level, a Smart Building could attract and retain staff/ visitors/residents who enjoy the benefits of working or living in a Smart Building. Improved energy efficiency and lower running costs can also benefit the owner, tenant and/or landlord, and organisation-wide trends can be identified by comparing data from one Smart Building with another. And from a societal perspective, a Smart Building is an optimised building that may be smaller than previously envisaged, thereby having reduced embodied carbon by reducing construction materials, and which through its energy efficiency and smaller volume also minimises operational carbon.
The key is to consider it from the outset of a project as Smart Building Systems need to be designed in a coordinated manner to avoid potential interoperability or compatibility issues between technologies and to allow the opportunity to implement User Interface Platforms which will reduce the need for multiple standalone applications to manage the building.
Ensuring technical feasibility is not the only reason to engage early. There is also a need to start developing the aspirations and business case for Smart Building Systems and defining who will benefit from each system and how they will benefit. This early stage outlining of the User Journeys for the eventual use of the building systems will identify the key User Personas which need to be referenced from inception of a building in developing great experiences. This approach identifies potential systems and user experiences which will link building users to the Smart Building which will inform key design concepts and constraints.
So how can Smart Buildings start to be integrated into the design and project progress and more relevantly with the RIBA Plan of Work:
Starting from Stage 0: Strategic discussions at this stage will determine factors that influence whether a Smart Building is the required outcome for the project. Stage 0 is the ideal time to start understanding User Personas, User Journeys and critical dependencies around the key concepts and requirements which inform whether a Smart Building is a desirable solution. This can be used to support a Stakeholder Engagement Plan. Discussions in Stage 0 are also likely to identify the need for specialist involvement in the project – at this point, it is then valuable to consider who can meet the competence needs and ensure there is budget to support their input throughout the works stages.
The client’s aspirations may be driven by making a unique offering to the market (residential, commercial or industrial), providing a state-of-the-art product and Smart Building beyond competitor’s products. A business case, justifying investment and inclusion will therefore need to be developed during Stage 0, with desired outcomes identified that support the Smart Building Strategy. This should be developed in consideration with smart-related issues such as energy consumption and whole life cycle costing.
Then at Stage 1: If not agreed upon in Stage 0, at the outset of Stage 1 there should be a high-level business agreement that a Smart Building is desirable and aligns with the identified needs of the client, the building operator/owner, and end user. It should be recognised that for some projects it may involve going from zero to Smart, whereas others will go from Smart to smarter.
Whether the brief includes a Smart Building or a degree of Smart Building enablement, it is advisable at this stage, to engage with a Smart Building Specialist to support the client team to ensure that the latest information regarding technology advancements can be included in the feasibility studies. They can advise on the potential impacts on key design parameters and other obligations such as the Golden Thread of Information, and guide the production of User Personas and use cases. A Smart Building Specialist will also be able to advise on specific opportunities and risks related to the Smart Building for capture within the brief ensuring the client’s aspirations and requirements are understood and feasible.
Stage 1 is the ideal time to refine and define these aspirations into design objectives, User Personas and Information Requirements which will underpin the feasibility of delivering a Smart Building. Most importantly, a high-level budget should be agreed to feed into the cost plan, to include not only the Smart Building Technology costs, but fees associated with any specialists to support the project aspirations.
Then at Stage 2: As the design starts to develop, the impact of the Smart Building Technology will become better understood, and the strategy for how passive or active the technology should be can be considered. The key to successful Stage 2 integration is to form a deep understanding of three critical elements, end users, technology and proposed building space functionality. Early relationships between these three elements is recommended to be identified within the concept design stage by the creation of Smart Building User Journeys based on User Personas identified in Stage 1. This is so that technology selection is measured against and driven via end user and space requirements. Smart Building User Journeys in return shall be utilised to build out an early Use Case Matrix.
Stage 2 offers the opportunity to consider a wide range of technologies (physical and software) whilst reviewing their opportunities, advantages, disadvantages, and priority. It is also valuable at this stage to consider the potential for the extension of Smart Building systems by considering areas such as how easy is it to add or remove sensors from the building, and how likely is this? This type of design concept testing at Stage 2 will generate valuable design constraints and parameters to inform future stages.
Overall Stage 2 should be treated as an opportunity to brainstorm multiple user-centric technological possibilities in a managed way, considering yesterday’s, today’s and tomorrow’s requirements, needs and wishes.
Then at Stage 3: It is of fundamental importance to identify the success of a Smart Building delivery as the defined list of user journeys will be tested against a spatially-coordinated set of federated design models and the cost plan. Whilst Smart Building Technology is typically relatively small compared to other building services, coordination is important to ensure there is sufficient space, range and connectivity for hardware and end-user devices. Managing coordination effectively in Stage 3 will minimise the impact on design changes and also represents an ideal point in the project for a Smart Building design freeze.
Stage 3 shall be utilised to agree the final list of preferred Smart Building Technologies, whilst also establishing scope, quantities and high-level technical requirements for each type of technology to enable costing. It is also an opportunity to consider whether the project would benefit from a Master Systems Integrator, to coordinate multiple solutions effectively. At this stage, Change Management can also be utilised to understand the impact on the overall proposed design, this may include but is not limited to new ways of working for end users and new process/approach introductions for the Asset Management Team. Wherever possible, such stakeholders shall be consulted and taken along the Smart Building journey, as they are the ones who will use and operate it. The Smart Building User Journeys shall then be progressed and built into a Use Case Matrix which captures all Use Cases, Personas/End-Users, technologies, systems, software and business drivers in a single matrix, to achieve a relationship matrix and highlight overall performance requirements of the smart building. Ideally, the Asset Management Team will be appointed at this stage to support these developments.
Additionally, a high-level Smart Building Architecture encapsulating the overall smart ‘ecosystem’ of solution, hardware and software, shall be produced at Stage 3. This should include service zones, general positioning within the building fabric and future system extension capacity planning.
Then at Stage 4: The completion of the technical design and definition of required standards, processes and methodologies for a Smart Building will require significant Smart Building Specialist input at this stage. Therefore, the appointment of a Master Systems Integrator (MSI) to work alongside the Smart Building Specialist and the wider design team is vital at this stage and will ensure the technical viability of the Smart Building design.
At this stage, the contractor shall ensure their proposals align with the Smart Building Strategy and any necessary revisions made as soon as possible as it is extremely challenging to make changes to this strategy during the construction phase.
If not already appointed, an Asset Management Team must be nominated at Stage 4. It is likely that through the implementation of a Smart Building, the Asset Management Team will need to adapt to different ways of working, and a level of upskilling may be required. In addition, the Asset Management Team will play a vital role in the Plan for Use Strategy. At this stage, the Asset Management Team will need to begin engaging with their various systems and trialling data exchanges where possible for integration and suitability.
Regardless of the chosen procurement route it is advisable to deliver descriptive information rather than prescriptive information where possible about Smart Building systems in the final specification, however, this information should be sufficiently detailed to fully communicate compatibility constraints. It is also advised that the specified Smart Building Technologies are prequalified by the Master Systems Integrator either through a rigorous desktop exercise or through factory mockups by the supply chain to ensure compliance with the security and performance requirements of the Smart Building Strategy. Additionally, specialist subcontractors should be appointed as soon as possible to ensure all Smart Building System designs are prepared and coordinated during Stage 4.
Then at Stage 5: With the detailed design and prequalification of systems and components completed during Stage 4, the priorities for Stage 5 are ensuring the installation of Smart Building Systems is highly controlled and the collection of Structured Information to meet the commission and operational requirements.
In many scenarios, it is appropriate to build and test Smart Building Systems in a factory environment before site installation. This allows for entire systems to be tested prior to delivery and this activity should be included in the construction programme to ensure that delivery of this specialist equipment is optimised.
A high level of Information Management is required at Stage 5 to ensure accurate asset information is captured, validated and verified. A professional and planned approach to Information Management is especially important where Smart Building Systems are concerned as once installed it can be challenging to survey and recapture information. To ensure sufficient quality and completeness of the data needed to allow the Master Systems Integrator to commission the Building Operating System and populate end-user systems such as Computer-Aided Facilities Management, it is recommended that a client-side Information Manager is appointed to work with the Contractor’s Information Manager. Together they will ensure the Information Requirements are not only being met but the Information Exchanges are supporting the necessary client needs ahead of handover.
The thorough documentation and commissioning of Smart Building Systems prior to handover is fundamental to support training and familiarisation activities as part of the Plan for Use Strategy.
Then at Stage 6: More planning and extra dedicated training is required at this stage compared to a traditional building so that the systems are configured to the end users’ needs as well as fully understood by the Asset Management Team. Providing a Building User Guide will support this. Failure to onboard Smart Building Technologies could result in the building running inefficiently or delivering a frustrating experience for users and operators. A key activity in Stage 6 is to ensure that administrator passwords and other appropriate intellectual properties are included in the handover.
Additionally, earlier investments of time and effort as part of a Plan for Use framework will ensure that there are members of the Asset Management Team who are fully aware of the user journeys the systems have been designed and configured to support. This approach will allow for Aftercare and Post Occupancy Evaluation regarding Smart Building Systems to be aligned with the agreed objectives and aspirations of the Smart Building design.
At this stage, a User Acceptance period of end-user and operational Smart Building Applications and their ability to control the building should be undertaken. If the applications have not been procured through the main contract any issues regarding functionality will need to be analysed to determine whether it is the Smart Building Systems or the software applications which require adjustment.
If the Smart Building offers applications to visitors or other building users, a dedicated system for gathering feedback should be considered, along with the task owner.
And lastly, at Stage 7: This is where Smart Building Systems can start to generate visible benefits for the building operator as soon as they are in use, whereas many other building systems go relatively unnoticed until they require maintenance. To maximise these benefits there is a need to focus on tuning and monitoring over a period of at least 15 months to ensure there is a minimum of three months of baseline data, plus 12 months to allow all seasonal impacts to be considered. This tuning may require the appointment of specialists, however, the Asset Management Team should be involved in the process to ensure that asset-specific knowledge is transferred.
Through analysis and use it may become apparent that additional technologies or adjusting the usage of spaces or equipment could add further benefits. One of the key benefits of a Smart Building is that all manner of data points - from building occupation statistics to CO2 buildup areas – can be analysed and acted upon more effectively than possible in traditional buildings. This allows for more responsive management and automation of systems which can yield significant savings and improvements in occupant comfort and wellness. Although this may be driven by machine learning applications in the future, much of this analysis currently requires manual data interrogation. As such, it is important to fully train and resource the operational team as well as working closely with any software providers to ensure the User Experience is meeting expectations.
The upkeep and maintenance of the asset information, information models and associated statutory and operational and maintenance documentation, should be planned for and resourced appropriately, as well as being a fundamental aspect of any future refurbishment or extension.
So looking forward:
It is vital to recognise that Smart Building Technology is advancing rapidly and with a short iteration time by comparison to more traditional aspects of the building design. Consideration should therefore be given to the potential for future retrofit of Smart Building Technology relatively early in the project’s life: system capacity and physical capacity can be designed-in to allow future installation or upgrade as technology develops further.
The design and construction programme may also be a factor as major construction projects can exceed five years from design to occupation. The technology available at project conception may be obsolete by the time it comes to be installed, therefore final selections may be best made at the latest practicable time. Furthermore, the updating and change management of software solutions may have a significant impact on the management of a building and should be fully assessed and understood prior to installation.
As well as technological change, building users, operators, owners and suppliers may change and new suppliers and software may come on board. Therefore, it is important to consider an independent data layer which retains ownership of that data but democratises it and ensures it is secure and in the right format.
Therefore, understanding and planning for the potential for change should be a key consideration when delivering a Smart Building. The capacity to start simple and extend later can be built into a design if the aspiration is made clear at an early stage. Futureproofing for Smart Building Technology should be considered as part of the overall futureproofing strategy for the project. Physical capacity may have implications for the architectural and structural design and will affect building services coordination, but primarily it is inextricably linked with building services design and any futureproofing measures affecting one is likely to affect the other. It should also be noted energy demands and heat generated by IT installations at the time of commissioning and in future refit may also need to be factored into the futureproofing strategy.
As with all maintable assets, safe access to service, upgrade and replace sensors or other equipment will need to be considered.
To sum up what I discussed today: