ASHB’s Landmark Research Project, Intelligent Buildings and COVID-19, will be conducted by Frost & Sullivan. Earlier this summer, Konkana Khaund from F&S led an illuminating webinar on the topic, providing insights on the global economic forecast given the impact of COVID-19, the impact on key industries, the transformations that can be expected during the recovery period, potential implications for organizations, and the work scenarios that are most likely to emerge. Here are six key predictions Khaund outlined for the industry environment:
Building managers will look for EMS solutions that are powered by AI and completely leverage the full potential of IoT devices to optimize building performance. Beyond occupant comfort and sustainability, synchronization with emergency response support and ability to recalibrate environmental quality is critical from the EMS to support “pandemic-ready” needs.
The implementation of stringent safety standards and increased penetration of IoT-enabled cybersecurity and compliance detection systems to improve emergency response and reduce risks during pandemics. City surveillance projects will increasingly link with the built environment for input sharing and planning response strategies.
Buildings will also feature new use cases driven by government mandates. The ability to support pandemic-ready “pop up” medical infrastructure, either as a dedicated wing or a standalone unit in the campus, complete with environmental calibration, will be necessary to maintain their accreditations. Suppliers will tailor solutions to meet these changing requirements.
Khaund noted that while economic headwinds will delay enterprise 5G rollout, its larger benefits will keep 5G implementation on track. Trends in favor include the spike in bandwidth demand due to growth in teleworking and remote operations, post COVID-19, including 5G’s support in Singapore’s and China’s monitoring and controlling efforts to triage the pandemic.
In addition, leading building technology companies such as IBM and Siemens will integrate disparate building automation and management systems under one AI powered platform. Operating and maintaining buildings with such solutions will be further supported by a digitally advanced ecosystem that can integrate disaster mitigation and rebound services in a non-human supported environment.
And finally, lighting solution providers like Acuity and Signify will lead on the momentum for connected lighting and push for integrated vertical building solutions, including integrated LED luminaires, building energy management, and digital lighting services. Bundling disaster response capabilities in their solution portfolio will characterize value propositions and branding.
To hear more insights from the presentation, CLICK HERE and scroll down for links to the slide presentation and webinar recording. You can also view the research prospectus and other information about this Landmark Research Project in the same link. If you are interested in joining the project, please contact Greg Walker, ASHB Research Director ([email protected]).
