Technology + Built Environment
Smart Building Magazine Column, The Smart Chronicles
In the not-too-distant future, building owners may hold more than just high expectations – they might use the courts as a tool for enforcing design quality. As KPIs for sustainability, health and wellbeing, and community engagement shift from being woolly should-haves to baseline requirements, accountability in building design will inevitably transform. Miss these critical targets, […]
Our industry is famed for its complexity and intricate collaborations. The idea of a smart building design consultancy running on just two people might sound like a radical proposition. Yet, in our increasingly digital world, where the industry seems to have converged on a standard set of smart building capabilities, the impressive prowess of generative […]
If you’ve been in a meeting or sat through a panel about building technology lately, you’ve probably heard someone mix Building Information Modelling (BIM) with smart buildings. For those not conversant with the nuances, it’s an easy mistake to make. Both terms are steeped in digital innovation, both involve data, and—let’s be honest—are a bit […]
As we look ahead to 2025, the intersection of technology and the built environment promises some steps closer to how we design, operate, and inhabit our spaces. In 2024, a lack of liquidity saw the industry cautiously dipping its toes into some of the tech it promised to. War, elections and lingering inflation prevented much […]
As smart buildings start to enter the mainstream for most corporates, there’s a common challenge that keeps popping up – who should own the smart capability within a company? Today, most offices are more than just desks, a coffee machine and passive-aggressive emails. They’re complex, tech-enabled ecosystems, replete with sensors, data analytics, and automated systems […]
We’ve all seen it happen. Someone had a great idea, but it was a bit last minute. Usually, by the time a scheme gets to RIBA Stage 4 (detailed design), the property developer is focused on what they can do to create the most differentiation in the market. Understandable. We all want to add what […]
It’s a question that keeps coming up: Where does the smart building designer sit in a multidisciplinary design team? The answer has been different every time, depending on the project, the people, and how “smart” the client really wants the building to be. The thing is, smart touches every part of a design —architecture (where the sensor […]
For the past 10 years, I’ve been trying to calculate the same thing that my very first smart building client challenged me on… “yeah, that’s all great. But what’s the return on investment if I spend this much?”. And well, that’s a difficult question to answer. It’s taken me years and lots of trial and […]
Matthew Marson expresses concern about the proliferation of hyper-specific certifications in the smart buildings industry, arguing they complicate the design process and increase costs. He suggests the industry should adopt broader qualifications like Engineering Charterships for better professionalism. Marson also questions the effectiveness of certifications like SmartScore AP, advocating for more comprehensive education pathways.
The author expresses initial skepticism towards digital twins due to factors like cost, complexity, and relevance. However, as technology advances and becomes more affordable, the potential for digital twins to enhance sustainability, efficiency, and innovation is growing. The author envisions future models incorporating actionable intelligence, transforming them from static representations to dynamic, intelligent systems.