Buildings are significant sources of energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, but they also present great potential for energy efficiency and sources for distributed renewable energy. The energy grid is undergoing a metamorphosis, with distributed energy resources making up a bigger portion of our energy sources than ever before in the modern age. The impact of occupant comfort on productivity has also gained recognition. To this end, smart technology that automates processes and integrates systems for interoperability has quickly evolved and come into the forefront for existing building retrofits as well as new construction.

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the focus of health and wellbeing of building occupants sharply into focus. Many technologies already present in buildings have seen accelerated deployment and/or adaptation during this time.  Buildings already equipped with some degree of smart technology, starting with building automation systems, have manifested easier adaption and more resiliency to business disruptions caused by the pandemic. COVID-19 has forever changed the way buildings will operate, given this renewed focus on the health and safety of occupants. Born of necessity, this is an opportunity to reap the tangential benefits of smart building technologies, including increased efficiency, security, and better user experience.

This presentation will discuss a sampling of smart technologies currently seeing a rise in deployment, as well as those on the horizon, to address environmental factors, occupancy/density, system maintenance, custodial, and occupant trust.