HR Magazine spoke with Brian Turner, CEO, Buildings IOT, to get his take on why healthy buildings are back on the HR agenda. Healthy buildings are complex and dynamic. With a gradual, albeit hybrid, return to the workplace and increasing focus on being an environmentally responsible employer, building health is gaining more traction for HR.
Turner explained, “When we talk about building health, it is not just about what is going on inside a building. It is also about what is going on outside of the building.”
Outside the workplace
As building environments and working conditions continue to evolve due to the ongoing pandemic, one thing is evident: buildings use a lot of energy. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), “The buildings and buildings construction sectors combined are responsible for over one-third of global final energy consumption and nearly 40% of total direct and indirect CO2 emissions.”
In terms of what organisations can do to mitigate this, Turner noted, “We clearly see the effects of climate change with the influx of global weather events, but what can business owners, tenants, and their employees do on a personal level to combat climate change and create a greener world for future generations? The answer lies within smart building technology.” He added, “Smart building technology integrates hardware, software and systems within a building to create optimal conditions. Data collected is combined, analysed, and context is provided for suggested and automated actions, which all add up to make the building ‘smart’.”
According to the report, Smart Buildings: Using Smart Technology to Save Energy in Existing Buildings, published by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, smart buildings save energy by automating controls and optimising systems. A smart building with integrated systems can realise 30 – 50% savings in existing buildings that are otherwise inefficient.”
Turner noted, “Like any good relationship, communication is key, and when building assets don’t work together and talk, it creates a lot of waste and pollution. Business owners and their employees first need to become aware of the harmful effects of where they are working and know that positive change is possible, but they will need to rally for it. Being informed and requesting smart building technology from building owners and managers is vital. That demand can directly relate to reductions in energy use and pollution.”
Inside the workplace
Smart building features go beyond conserving energy and reducing pollutants. Buildings with smart building technology create healthier indoor environments for employees, both mentally and physically.
Turner cited a typical example where an employee, Johnny, was about to enter his smart building office space for a typical day at the office,
“With the recent onslaught of the Delta variant, Johnny is once again nervous about going into his office. Yes, there is a mask mandate, but he often sees his co-workers with half-on, loosely-fitted masks. He knows that regardless of vaccine status, people are gathering to escape the last year of lockdowns. So, yes, there are masks and vaccines, but Johnny is still nervous. He needs more reassurance for his health.
As Johnny walks into his office space, within a seven-story building, sensors detect his presence. Those sensors transmit that data back to the smart building system, resulting in increased fresh air ventilation.
The US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention state that improvements in building ventilation are one of the mitigation strategies that can help reduce the spread of disease and lower the risk of exposure. Johnny can’t open the window, so the sensor and HVAC communication is critical to maintaining a healthy environment.
Johnny sits down, logs into an integrated system, and sees the state of the air in his space. While COVID cannot be detected from the smart building management system, he knows the ASHRAE standards are met to minimise adverse health effects. Johnny is then a little more at ease in his workspace.
After a while, Johnny has to use the restroom. He wonders … “Is it clean in there?” So, he logs into the system again and sees that the restroom was cleaned and sanitised ten minutes ago. He also sees that the soap, paper towels, and hand sanitiser are fully stocked in the restroom.
As Johnny re-enters his office workspace, he notices the lighting has changed. The sun is bringing more natural light into the room, so artificial lighting is dimmed. Johnny feels more relaxed.
At the end of the day, Johnny logs back into the system and sees that the building where he works had low energy use and emissions that day. Johnny feels a sense of purpose and that he contributed to positive change for the world.
Johnny then heads home. After walking in the door, he thinks he forgot to turn off his computer at work but then remembers to do it remotely. Johnny feels better that his computer won’t get hacked overnight.
Johnny kicks his feet up on the couch, relaxes, and thinks ... I had a good day.”
With the integration of smart building technology, both indoor and outdoor environments are enhanced and made healthier. The evolving workplace requires smarter buildings that incorporate indoor environmental health and energy efficiency strategies to be truly sustainable. Smart building technology helps keep Johnny safe while working in the office, and it also helps protect future generations of workers by creating a cleaner world.
Paul Arkwright
Publisher
