Amid climate change and resource scarcity, a fast-growing global population poses a serious challenge that requires an immediate response. The role of the built environment in promoting sustainable lifestyles is among the areas getting attention.
It is then not surprising that the global smart building market is growing fast, with estimates showing that it will be worth $328.62 billion by 2029, up from $80.62 billion in 2022.
In today’s article, we find out how smart transformation is impacting the built environment sector.
Smart Technology in the Built Environment
The built environment transcends all aspects of our lives, covering the transport systems we use every day, the water pipelines across the countries, and the structures we live in. We play and work in this environment all the time.
It is easy to think that everything in this sector has always been existent; that they have always been functioning smoothly. However, history books reveal that the built environment has undergone a long transformational journey.
The traditional built environment was not as energy-efficient and sustainable as today. The environment consumed excessive energy and water and was highly wasteful. Generally, it offered poor living conditions to users.
Today, digital and smart solutions are transforming how we interact with the built environment. A smart built environment is about the environment combined with information technology to solve social, economic, and environmental challenges. This technology has a lot of influence on how people use and interact with the environment.
Benefits and Examples of Smart Transformation
Overall, the built environment can benefit immensely from smart transformation. The following are examples of how this transformation is influencing the sector:
- Optimized service provision
- Contribution to the net-zero goals through reduced greenhouse gas emissions
- Enhanced quality of life
- Enhanced capacity for the built environment to adjust according to user needs
- General improvement of the built environment
Owing to the transformation evidenced by such benefits, governments and societies are urging for accelerated adoption of a smart built environment. This calls for a radical change in the sector.
There is already technological application during construction. Drones are used in land surveying, Building Information Modelling (BIM) has rendered blueprints irrelevant, and Augmented Reality (AR) has introduced instant sharing of information.
In recent times of the covid-19 pandemic, the smart transformation has particularly been extensive. Telehealth and contactless delivery of items are just examples of the innovations in the sector during this time. Don’t be surprised if such trends go well beyond the crisis.
While the built environment sector still faces numerous problems in implementing smart transformation, several successful cases exist.
Fukuoka in Japan is an excellent example of the smart transformation of the built environment. Its urban landscaping and green architecture efforts are noticeable. With an emphasis on water sustainability, the city continues to develop its smart built environment strategy. Now the city has developed a monitoring and control system for water parameters.
Singapore is also doing a remarkable job since the construction industry brought the Green Mark certification scheme. While the initial focus of this scheme was environmental sustainability awareness, it has now expanded to educational institutions, industrial parks, and such districts. Some of the technological firms at Televes Corporation like TRedess, Gsertel and Televes are excited to see the developments that the Building and Construction Authority (BCA) and partners have managed to achieve in the sector in places like in Singapore, for example.
The Future of the Smart Built Environment
With at least 2 billion people speculated to stay in cities by 2050, demand for more smart equipment and solutions will increase. If the sector is to be resiliently smart, the players must also play their part to satisfy the demand. As planners, engineers, designers, and builders, we must all recognize the opportunity to tackle the challenge by adopting and promoting smart technologies even further.
First, we need to accept the smart transformation of the sector. When we deal with the built environment, we cannot afford to be restricted to the geometries. We must appreciate the increasing significance of smart technologies.
For any major transition to succeed, there is a need for policy input. So how do stakeholders in the sector develop and implement regulations for this space? How will we know the kind of response coming from the sector? Analysis of user consumption data may also be necessary during this transformation.
A coordinated approach will be necessary to synergize the knowledge, skills, systems, and technologies needed to complete the transformation.
Accelerate Your Smart Transformation with Televes Corporation
As leading producers of equipment used to equip homes, buildings and cities with optimum telecommunication infrastructures, key technological firms within our Corporation are fascinated by the entrenchment of smart technologies in the built environment sector. And we are actively engaging the sector and offering support.
Our products and services can help hasten the transformation in your facility. Our IoT technologies coupled with optical transport solutions and much more have notable use cases in the built environment.
To begin this journey with us, get in touch today.
LEAVE THE COMMENT