Specifying smart — the future for consultants

Honeywell Building Solutions, Snart buildings
All-round cost savings — Matthew Eastwood.

Smart buildings have the potential to reduce costs at all stages of the project cycle and deliver buildings that are smart. Matthew Eastwood of Honeywell Building Solutions explores the future for consultants and the substantial cost savings at all stages of a project and building life.

According to market intelligence provider IDC, the global market for smart buildings is expected to triple in size over five years to around £14.5 billion per annum as a growing number of organisations take advantage of the benefits that smart technology creates across their business.

A smart building hosts and integrates a broad range of systems required for the management of the building and enterprise operations on one powerful IT network. Building management, fire, security, energy management and business systems are all brought together via a single user interface to provide a facility that is secure, cost-effective, energy-efficient and easy-to-operate. This approach also lowers the cost of installation; integrated systems require less cabling and hardware up front, for example, and reduce total cost of ownership.

As the demand for smart-building solutions increases so will their importance to specifiers and consultants. Being aware of the key drivers in the market and acquiring the expertise required to deliver innovative designs and comprehensive specifications will be vital to securing major projects.

Seamlessly integrating an organisation’s building, IT and business systems onto a single, powerful and resilient network makes a significant contribution to building operators’ efficiency, performance and profitability.

It enables them to meet budgetary constraints, satisfy regulatory requirements, enhance staff and customer well-being, boost business effectiveness, future proof the facility and even increase the value of the asset.

Reducing system installation costs by up to 12% is just the start. Using the data collated by the system from several sources to identify and implement energy-saving measures can cut energy use by as much as 50%. Upgrading and maintaining one system interface rather than several can save 10 to 35% of operational costs and up to 60% of labour costs over the life of the building — including lower training costs, fewer equipment issues and reduced downtime.

A smart building also ensures the client gets what they want from the system, both now and in the future, thanks to the flexibility of the shared network infrastructure. The single backbone future proofs the system, allowing facility personnel to easily incorporate enhancements and new technologies.

However, the power of a smart building to generate savings, create value, enhance operations and improve results within an organisation isn’t limited to building operators and end users.

Honeywell Building Solutions, Snart buildings
Bringing together the wide range of systems required for the management of the building and enterprise operations on one powerful IT network provides a facility that is secure, cost-effective, energy-efficient and easy-to-operate — and which also lowers the cost of installation.

It offers similar benefits to contractors, enabling them to streamline project implementation by simplifying installation and reducing engineering time, to mitigate risk by attributing clear accountability to a smaller number of suppliers and to add value by using the technology and the consequent savings to enhance the overall solution.

The potential of smart buildings has undoubtedly been hindered during the recent recession by perceived costs and by the reluctance to deviate from traditional practices. Paradoxically, the requirement to drive down costs has also focused attention on the technologies, services and commercial propositions that enable them to do exactly that.

Despite the slow burn, the critical mass of evidence that has built up illustrating the benefits derived from deploying smart solutions is starting to impact the market.

For consultants and specifiers, integrating building management systems with human resources, supply chain, financial and marketing processes provides the end user with greater strategic control over their entire operation.

Delivering bespoke solutions that offer both the client and the main contractor the maximum level of immediate and prospective benefits provides a greater chance of commissions and the opportunity to build a competitive edge.

The initial challenge is to fully understand the smart-building proposition, to apply it to the client’s specific requirements, and to develop the required models and specifications. That’s where a specialist systems business with substantial smart building experience and expertise can help — enabling you to provide the solutions being increasingly demanded by the market and future-proofing your own business as a result.

Matthew Eastwood is UK general manager with Honeywell Building Solutions.

Related links:
Related articles:



modbs tv logo

New Sustainability Director for Wates Group

Wates Group, a family-owned development, building and property maintenance company, has appointed Cressida Curtis as its new Group Sustainability Director.

Domus Ventilation appoints new contractor sales managers

Ventilation systems manufacturer Domus Ventilation has announced the arrival of three new Contractor Sales Managers.