Technology + Built Environment
It feels like most of the smart building investment being planned at the moment is going into buildings that are already smart…and that’s worth paying attention to. For a decade the “cool” work was always new build. A wonderful clean sheet of paper to specify what you wanted and hand over something that was clever […]
In the December 2023 column, Matthew Marson discusses strategies to prevent smart technology obsolescence in buildings, drawing from his experience with Europe’s largest commercial building. He highlights the need for a proactive approach, suggesting lifespan expectations for building elements and advocating for a microservices architecture to enhance agility and relevance.
The Smart Buildings Show discussed the challenges and opportunities of retrofitting. Retrofits have the potential to enhance building capabilities, but face barriers like confusion over the term and resistance to digital transformation. Collaboration among industry bodies and sharing of case studies could help define strategies, while repurposing existing technology can reduce costs and boost sustainability.
WSP: Rethink Retrofit 13 February 2020 http://cdn.wsp-pb.com/2556pw/wsp-rethink_retrofit-2020.pdf