Lucy Han and Raimondo Salandra of ABB Electrification’s Smart Buildings Division explain why the future of intelligent buildings depends on technology partnerships and interconnecting systems and standards. In this article they outline how smart home connectivity has been accelerated by recent innovations such as Matter and Thread and is being driven by global megatrends such as decarbonization, digitalization and electrification.
By 2050, more than two-thirds of the world's population is expected to live in cities[1]. That’s an extra 2.5 billion people, adding to the pressure on urban built environments. At the same time, businesses and homeowners – mindful of the need to decarbonize infrastructure – are demanding more control over their energy use and emissions, while also enjoying the comforts of modern living at their fingertips.
Alongside increasing urbanization, sustainability and energy efficiency are megatrends that are shaping the future of buildings. Buildings are responsible for 30% of final energy consumption and 26% of global GHG emissions[2]. The EU has set a target to reduce the average energy use of residential buildings by 20–22% by 2035 and for all new buildings to have zero emissions by 2030[3].
Against this backdrop, smart, integrated management systems that can predict, adapt, and learn will continue to grow in importance, helping buildings achieve optimal performance by offering visibility into energy use, optimizing consumption and enabling the integration of renewable energy sources.
Smart buildings that leverage digital and automation technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things (IoT) are already an established part of the urban infrastructure. By 2028, 3.3 billion IoT devices will be installed in commercial buildings, almost double the number in 2023[4].
The electrification of buildings is another key driver worldwide. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), electricity is set to account for almost a third of final energy consumption by the end of this decade[5]. Smart building innovations that can help make this happen are therefore at a premium.
A new era of open standards
In all of the scenarios outlined above, open, interoperable technologies are the key to creating the smarter, more sustainable homes and buildings of the future. Interconnecting systems such as the KNX open standard for commercial and residential building automation enable broader connectivity and greater interoperability, as well as more comfort and energy efficiency.
Integrated, web-based platforms allow everything from heating, ventilation and air conditioning to energy management systems to integrate seamlessly with each other, generating a single view of how efficiently and effectively a building operates. Armed with this granular data, facility managers can then take proactive steps to reduce energy usage, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and costs.
In the residential space, meanwhile, a new generation of ‘prosumers’ are disrupting established models of energy production and consumption by demanding more flexibility and autonomy.
Using innovations like Matter and Thread – the new smart home connectivity standard and wireless protocol – devices including iPhone and Android phones can be intergrated into a seamless ecosystem saving money, time and energy. Residents can monitor and control various devices, from washing machines to home security systems, using an app that can be accessed across multiple mobile devices. The level of control may vary depending on the app and device integration, with brand-specific apps often offering more comprehensive control.
The benefits of interoperability
‘Vendor-agnostic’ building automation enables technology specialists to develop solutions that can communicate with those from other companies, simplifying commissioning, planning and device selection. As a result, more and more companies are switching on to benefits of complementary systems such as KNX and ABB-free@home, including energy savings and smart decision-making.
ABB-free@home is an advanced home automation system that enhances convenience, comfort, and energy efficiency. It transforms homes into intelligent spaces by enabling control of lighting, heating, air-conditioning, blinds, and door communication through switches, smartphones, tablets, touchscreens, and voice commands. Designed for ease of use, ABB-free@home offers homeowners unparalleled flexibility to customize their living environment for a smarter, more sustainable lifestyle.
ABB i-bus KNX is a smart home and intelligent building control system, in which all devices and electrical functions are connected and communicate with one another via a single bus cable. This makes buildings easier to manage and control, improving security and saving on costs.
At the Panorama Landscape Hotel in Finland's Tahko Hills, the ABB i-bus® KNX electrical installation covers components ranging from lighting, shutter, and temperature control to energy management. In addition to reducing energy use from lighting and room heating by up to 40 percent, the system enhances the comfort of interior and exterior spaces for guests and hotel operators.
Pushing boundaries through partnerships
Collaborative projects like this one between technology specialists can help deliver integrated, holistic and reliable power distribution and energy management solutions that evolve to offer a variety of home and building services under a single property management tool or interface.
ABB’s partnership to advance smart lighting and building solutions and direct current (DC) industry applications is one such example.
Integrating Zumtobel Group's advanced lighting management systems with ABB's comprehensive building automation solutions is expected to create more efficient, sustainable, and user-friendly smart building environments. The two companies will help to accelerate the adoption of sensor-based lighting solutions that enable businesses to optimize energy efficiency, increase occupant comfort and maximize the effectiveness of heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) control.
All of these projects are intended to meet the increasing global customer demand for integrated, easy-to-use, and flexible products and solutions, illustrating how collaboration and knowledge-sharing can lead to greater energy management, lower energy costs and improved quality of life.
In summary, the role of partners in providing value-added services such as electrical and mechanical systems integration is a priority, as is making life easier for both installers and operators through the use of optimized design and engineering tools. For technology vendors in the smart buildings space, that means providing total solutions that meet the needs of project partners and end customers.
Market focus and innovation
With pressure on our planet’s urban environments set to increase in the coming decades, particularly in Asia and Africa[6], success in the rapidly evolving smart buildings space relies on market focus and continuous technology innovation; for example, in smarter devices.
ABB continues to innovate and develop its entire building control portfolio to simplify planning and commissioning for system integrators and electrical installers.
The ultimate goal, of course, is to make commercial buildings more energy-efficient, healthy and comfortable, and to ensure that the smarter homes of the future will be sustainable, cost-effective, comfortable human-centric buildings.
[1] https://www.un.org/development...
[2] https://www.iea.org/energy-sys...
[3] https://energy.ec.europa.eu/to...
[4] https://memoori.com/wp-content...