Since the start of AutomatedBuildings.com over four years ago and the three years of writing articles, columns, and supplements for Engineered Systems, my mind has been greatly expanded; actually, it has been blown away. The nature of today’s Web-based anywhere world has created the phenomenon of global convergence in building automation and building intelligence.
I have started my own global marketing crusade on behalf of our industry by strongly suggesting that the “greening” of buildings is possible with Web-based automation.
As I write this column, I am preparing for the presentation of “The Greening of Buildings with Automation” at the CIBSE/ASHRAE Conference to be held in Edinburgh, Scotland, September 24-26. The conference title is “Building Sustainability, Value and Profit.”
In addition, this paper has been accepted for the Asia Pacific Conference on Built Environment 2003 November 18-19 , Kowloon, Shangri-la Hotel, Hong Kong (www.ashrae.org.hk/apc2003/).
I am also pleased to be speaking and part of the “Intelligent Building, Building Intelligence” China Forum Nov 13-14, Shanghai, China (www.dgievents.com/IB/conference.htm).
My congratulatory message to the participants follows:
“I am extremely pleased to be part of the International Intelligent Building and Business Facilitating China Forum as a speaker and media sponsor.
My message to the forum is that Web-based networked control systems can greatly enhance buildings while increasing their intelligence and reducing their environmental impact. This provides a significant greening effect to both new and existing buildings. The new networked control systems are extremely cost effective when total value and ability to reduce the environmental impact of a building is considered.
The North American, European, and Australian intelligent buildings are rapidly evolving to sophisticated network controls that follow the example set by the Internet or World Wide Web.
Well-executed network control concepts can reduce HVAC energy use by 30% to 50% below the energy requirements for the same equipment with conventional controls.
The reach and the value of control networks in intelligent buildings is increasing daily, connecting interrelated infrastructure functions such as lighting, HVAC, security, energy management, energy accounting, facilities management, etc.
There are additional strengths in the fact that these Web-based networked control systems can ensure that building energy is purchased at the lowest cost from the environmentally correct source.
Once the energy arrives at the building, expert operators can ensure that this energy is used to create the greatest comfort for the least environmental impact. To ensure that the original system design intent is achieved this same system can provide real time feedback and interaction to the original designers. The ongoing virtual interaction with the building by both occupants and designers will lead to improved sustainability while increasing the overall real and perceived value of the buildings.
The acceptance of many new communication and automation concepts has radically changed the function of our large buildings. Office hotelling has allowed the sharing of expensive office buildings with an increased number of telecommunicating occupants. To effectively manage this phenomena coordination of everything is required, e.g., phones, workstations, data links, security access, and so forth. Occupants also must have the ability to interact virtually. The greenest of buildings extends beyond sharing office space; it includes sharing the total transportation and support infrastructures while making home units more efficient.?
I applaud the “Intelligent Building, Building Intelligence” event’s scope that includes not only intelligent buildings, but also intelligent communities, and intelligent facility management.
I believe that China has the opportunity and potential to lead the world with exciting new fully implemented intelligent communities, as they expand their large building infrastructures during a time of previously never before available new technologies. It will require careful planning and global communication with many new players to achieve the goals, but events like this will be the catalyst to start the process.”
