Energy efficiency, increased security, improved comfort at home – these are probably the first things we associate with ‘smart homes’ or ‘smart buildings’. Our last article reported on the megatrend of ‘digital transformation in the construction sector’ from an industry perspective (LINK). But what does digitalisation mean for individuals and life in their own four walls? Which benefits come with smart homes and how can we unleash their potential?
“Smart buildings’ – so a smart home or entire smart building complexes – are houses or residential and commercial complexes that come with technical equipment and processes to enable their automatic and self-regulating operation. To do so, they draw on various sensors, extensive communication and information connectivity, real-time data exchange and suitable control and intervention mechanisms. The aim is to provide people with automated and reliable support, particularly with regard to energy use and hence also cost-efficiency, to ease the workload in their everyday lives and to increase living comfort in general. This is achieved firstly through fast, high-performance mobile communication networks and secondly due to precise data collected by the sensors. The real-time communication produced in this way allows ‘things’ (IoT – Internet of Things) to ‘talk’ to each other and adapt automatically to changing circumstances. Among the best known ‘smart home’ solutions are temperature-dependent heating controls, light-dependent dimming gadgets or automatic lighting based on motion detectors and – of course – alarm systems. Sound systems with defined criteria can also be installed in companies. There are virtually no limits to the possibilities. Adding to this is the potential of remote maintenance and its positive impact on operating costs and safety. This brings us to the core benefits of ‘smart homes and buildings’:
If you have configured all your control elements to respond automatically to requirements and conditions, all your worries will be gone (heating too high, lights still on, windows still open). In turn, this reduces your daily workload and you can be sure that resources will only be used if they are actually needed – thus optimising your running costs. The fact that you can look forward to the right lighting and music as you enter the kitchen in the morning and can be sure that the coffee maker will start automatically are just additional aspects that illustrate the creative potential of digital helpers in everyday life.
The earlier the planning, the better the results. After all, ‘smart homes’ begin with the generation of energy, and not with its use and consumption: Where do the electricity and heat come from? Is it possible to achieve self-sufficiency or at least draw on some self-generated, sustainable energy sources? If you have already decided to exploit energy-efficient, ‘automated’ work or home life at the initial planning stage, you can then define which sensors and control elements should be included and where. AND The best way these elements should be connected and used. There are now a large number of apps and internet-enabled devices that can be used to improve everyday convenience and all kinds of amenities in no time at all. WEGRAZ includes the potential of digitalisation from the get-go and makes it an integral part of planning. The aim here is to achieve cost-effectiveness and operation in a contemporary and ideally visionary form and to harness a wide variety of individual options.
Further reading:
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Smart home, IoT and more: Trend terms in the construction industry.