1. Think Smart for a
Sustainable Future.
Creating the buildings
of tomorrow, today.
2. Consider this scenario: You arrive at work, a little later than usual, and before you enter
your work area you notice the lights are at a low level and your team is nowhere to be
seen.As you enter the floor and approach your desk, your phone notifies you that your
team is in a meeting up on Level 4.You cross the room, and the lights automatically
brighten and adjust to a comfortable level while the temperature acclimates to an
appropriate level based on factors including your own personal preferences, the amount
of sunlight streaming through the nearest window, and the number of other people in
the vicinity.You head up to Level 4 to meet your team, feeling comfortable and ready
to start the day, with the building responding accordingly as you make your way.
This is a smart building in action.
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When we look to the future, it is easy to
see that the way humans engage with
energy and infrastructure needs to change.
Over the past decade, the unit price of
electricity has risen in real terms by 56%,
while the demand for more responsive
and flexible working conditions has
skyrocketed.
Given environmental sustainability,
energy efficiency, occupant comfort,
and productivity are front of mind for
many commercial enterprises, it was only
a matter of time before building developers,
engineers, owners, and managers
discovered the benefits of partnering
with technology professionals.
Leveraging technology for a smarter future
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Thanks to these new relationships, smart building solutions are
being designed and developed in a way that will ultimately
change how we occupy and work within the built environment.
We are now able to connect embedded devices and systems into
broader networks using Artificial Intelligence (AI) insights to design
environments in which infrastructure systems integrate seamlessly.
We are unlocking a world of potential for operational efficiency
improvements not previously thought possible.
And, that is only the beginning.
5. The flow of data from sensors and systems
is drastically changing the way buildings
are designed and constructed as the
many benefits of implementing automated
services begin to be understood. By using
data collected from thousands of sensors
located around the building, we are able
to make more informed decisions about
how to optimise the occupancy experience,
enhancing people’s connection to the
buildings in which they work.
In the past, almost all new buildings were
fitted with a low level of intelligence in
the form of heating, ventilation, and air
conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and fire safety
- but today it is possible to extract much
more building-specific data, ultimately
leading to better decisions being made
about day-to-day operations, and
subsequently building optimisation.
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Where we are now:
A building that seemingly listens
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We are now witnessing building services evolve well past the basic building blocks seen in the primitive
automation of yesteryear, with smart buildings providing improved asset and facilities management.
Intelligent buildings are emerging using AI driven insights to deliver human-centric services which increases
wellbeing and productivity.
Automated Buildings
Basic building blocks
Smart Buildings
Improved asset &
facilities management
Intelligent Buildings
People centric
AI
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Smart HVAC
Responds automatically to changes in weather and occupancy levels detected
within the building.
Smart Lighting Sensors
Adjust lighting levels in response to occupancy movement, changes in external lighting
conditions, and usage requirements; circulating all of this data for integration into other
systems, such as HVAC to act on occupancy data.
Space Optimisation
Occupancy sensors embedded in lighting throughout the building detect
and report presence patterns over time. Sharing this data across a secure
application programming interface (API) enables AI or third-party
systems to provide analytics that inform tenants or building owners
about how to most efficiently use the spaces they occupy.
How smart buildings can respond
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Access Control
Recognises individuals via radio-frequency identification or biometrics and permits
automatic access as required.
Location Awareness
Utilises beacon technology embedded within the lights to provide location-specific
information that activates wayfinding navigation powered by smartphone applications.
Asset Tracking
Employs Bluetooth scanning capabilities of the lights to enable monitoring and tracking throughout
the location of critical assets.This facilitates accurate asset management inside the building.
Utilities
Sensor networks embedded within these utilities, monitor electricity and water consumption
in real-time and adjust usage or supply in response to surges in pricing or demand.
As a result, smart buildings are radically improving safety, security, sustainability
and the provision of maintenance services, while simultaneously reducing costs
and increasing profits for tenants or building owners.
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Australia’s biggest telco is connecting
people and buildings in new ways in the
heart of Melbourne.A major upgrade, in
collaboration with Investa, was designed
to support Telstra’s transition to Future
Ways of Working – facilitating a more
flexible and collaborative work ethos
and environment.
The building, at 242 Exhibition Street, incorporates
next generation working solutions for a dynamic
work environment that puts people at the centre.
With the support of Organic Response, employees
enjoy a more flexible, agile, and comfortable
workplace. Smart devices and Internet of Things
(IoT) services, including our cutting-edge Organic
Response lighting control platform, delivers an
autonomous, sustainable facility that learns
and adapts as the spaces are utilised.
Telstra HQ is a hub of connectivity
10. As we know, any journey to innovation will meet
with certain limitations. Building owners may be
slow to adopt new systems due to the high costs
of replacing legacy ones, or face the restrictions
imposed by traditionally siloed business models.
They may be relying on after-the-fact reporting, or
simply not understand how to move towards more
sustainable systems without blowing the budget.
Going smart with an existing structure does require
installation of a high speed, robust sensor network
to allow tracking of occupancy and movements,
and so, in order for asset owners to reap the benefits
of smart building design, they must first become
clear on what it is they want to achieve and ensure
their current hardware and software solutions can
meet the challenge head on.Transforming an older
building into a smart one can be expensive, so
budget plays a large part in an organisation’s ability
to change with the times. On the other hand, some
older buildings can present restrictions for traditional
networks and it is for this reason that a wireless sensor
network may be considered more optimal. Such
a network is embedded into the luminaires within
the building during a lighting upgrade, thereby
minimising the impact on both the total cost
and the workers occupying the space.
Current limitations
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11. We know the future of commercial construction
is smart and that a significant shift is already
underway, changing how businesses connect
systems and processes, and extract data to
propagate continuous improvement.
Things get really exciting when we look beyond a
building that senses, to see a building that is capable
of responding autonomously.This happens when
you combine data from existing building systems
with cloud-based AI. Instead of providing building
managers with insights to help with their decision
making, the building will actually have the capacity
to autonomously make those decisions for them.
This shift has come about organically as we
expand and share our knowledge around the
benefits of installing systems which operate
collaboratively and share information.
Using sensor technology, smart infrastructure
systems are continually collecting, storing and
communicating data about metrics such as
occupancy levels and energy consumption.
This data can then be shared with other building
systems or networks through a simple integration
process.AI will then use these insights to optimise
the relationship between indoors and outdoors
and maximise the health and comfort of the
building’s occupants.
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The shift: A building that appears to learn
AI
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What will a smart building that ‘thinks’ provide?
• Automated service calls
• Real-time, automated monitoring and optimisation
• A step change in energy consumption
• An environment that fosters collaboration through connection
13. AI technology has the potential to learn and predict patterns autonomously, thus
removing the need for human intervention at every turn in order to optimise buildings.
This means internal processes such as system optimisation, maintenance alerts,
energy utilisation, and temperature controls are able to be monitored in real-time.
Also, any improvements or risks identified can be actioned immediately.AI will enable
a building to continually learn, control and predict patterns autonomously.
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The benefits of smart buildings
are significant.With rich data sets
available at the click of a button,
building managers now have the
ability to drill deeper than ever to
achieve substantial cost savings
and increase energy efficiency.
At a high level, integrated smart
systems will help to:
• Reduce energy consumption by optimising
HVAC, water usage, and lighting controls to
the level at which they are truly needed
• Increase productivity and tenant satisfaction
• Increase comfort for occupants
• Increase profits
• Improve safety and security
• Streamline facilities management services
• Offer insights for cost-saving and continuous
improvement strategies
A building that uncovers hidden value
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Many companies around the world are realising
the benefits of going smart.A number of mid-sized
businesses in the USA have also reported savings
of between 10% to 25% upon implementation of
an intelligent energy management system, which
translated to financial savings of between $15,000
and $50,000 per year, with ROI typically occurring
between six months to two years.
Industry-wide research has also concluded that,
once deployed, a smart building will become more
efficient over time as it continuously engages with
the workforce and effectively reduces operational
costs.An intelligent building has the capacity for
learning how to:
• Predict and budget for maintenance and repairs
• Improve overall building operational efficiency
• Allow for better distribution of resources
• Provide business-wide cost savings, allowing
new allocation of funds for business growth
• Increase energy efficiency and sustainability
• Deliver space utilisation and optimisation benefits.
OR Technologies are predicting a surge in demand
for smart builds as building owners and managers
look for value-adding and cost saving opportunities
that also result in a lower carbon footprint and
increased employee satisfaction.We anticipate a
rise in smart construction projects which will disrupt
traditional building methods; leading developers to
include intelligent systems right from the planning
stages of a project, rather than later during
construction, in order to maximise efficiency benefits
as soon as the building is occupied.
16. With advancements in technology
platforms, and software and hardware
progressing rapidly, we, as an industry
envision a future in which various
building systems connect and operate
in sync without needing additional
resources.This will speed up as best
practice integrated solutions become
increasingly scalable, adaptable,
and even more energy efficient.
But at the heart of any business is its
people, and people drive innovation.
It therefore makes sense to furnish a
workplace that aligns with this philosophy
and establishes an ecosystem that fosters
wellbeing and drives creativity.
Smart buildings work when
they place humans at the centre
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As humans we respond positively to well lit, comfortable
and flexible spaces. Employees and management have
ever-increasing expectations for indoor and outdoor
connectivity, as well as flexibility around customising
individual workspaces for maximum productivity.
With a focus on human-centric innovation, smart buildings
will inspire occupants, resulting in increased job satisfaction
and employee retention, which in turn should lead to
increased profits for the business, while delivering lower
costs from reduced utility consumption.
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Smart buildings make for harmonious, efficient workplaces without compromising
on sustainability or design, and ultimately leading to increased wellbeing of staff
due to increased control and comfort.
And for business owners and tenants, cloud-based AI technology connected smart
buildings will generate real-time data that offers insights in systems and behaviours,
allowing them to immediately reap the benefits of additional comfort, cost savings,
and higher productivity levels.
By considering the human factor and working to create functional yet engaging
spaces, we can clear a path to greater innovation and energy-efficient solutions
for a brighter, more sustainable future.
Conclusion: The bright future of smart buildings
19. OR Technologies is the mind behind Organic Response, a wireless ‘plug play’ lighting control
system. Once installed, our product allows each individual light fixture (luminaire) within a building
to make independent decisions based on ambient light levels, the number of people in the
immediate vicinity, and information it receives from neighbouring luminaires. Data is then relayed
back to the luminaire ‘community’ so other luminaires can also individually make more informed
lighting decisions.All collected data is also accessible on the Cloud Portal platform or available
via the Cloud API, which then enables integration with other systems.
OR Technologies are delivering intelligent lighting solutions for the future, today.As an industry
provider with global reach, OR Technologies has a business model that combines detailed
research and development of IoT solutions and a tailored approach for each and every customer.
It is our vision to have a meaningful influence in the lives of individuals through human-centric
innovation, and to leverage technology as it develops to create more personal and sustainably
built environments benefitting both people and the planet.
Want to know more about us? Head to www.organicresponse.com
About OR Technologies