Johnson Controls paper outlines future of commercial smart buildings

CORK, Ireland – With calls to meet sustainable growth targets looming over a number of industries, Johnson Controls (JCI) has a plan in mind.

The company recently released "The Smart Building of the Future," a new paper that outlines how smart buildings equipped with advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), IoT, cloud and cybersecurity will help enterprises create a future where buildings integrate with human and environmental ecosystems. Johnson Controls said that smart buildings offer a harmonized environment that prioritizes both well-being and sustainability, using technology to adapt and unlock potential, support productivity and drive peak performance of building occupants.

"Never has it been more important for organizations to consider advanced and efficient ways to reduce their carbon footprint – especially in the buildings industry, which is the single largest source of our planet's greenhouse gas emissions," said Johnson Controls Chief Technology Officer Vijay Sankaran. "The smart building of the future offers new and more effective ways to help companies meet critical climate goals, reduce costs, enhance daily operations to achieve business growth and improve personalized experiences. When a building 'comes alive' with smart technology, all stakeholders benefit from the integrated approach that ultimately creates a healthier, safer and more productive environment."

As for why there is an acceleration of development and adoption of these technologies, Johnson Controls noted several factors involved. For example, as building owners work to respond to challenges such as rising energy costs and changes in occupancy patterns, sophisticated IoT devices and the implementation of data analytics and AI have become more important than ever.

Other highlights from the report include key insights into the major technology enablers of advanced smart buildings, like ubiquitous connectivity through cloud-based services on the edge, AI-enabled autonomous smart buildings, and digital twins.

“As many of the technical foundations required to turn buildings into smart buildings already exist, organizations should take additional action to prepare for and improve their future building operations,” Johnson Controls wrote. “This includes developing a strategy that includes user experience, partnering with IT and cybersecurity teams, establishing partnerships with external consultants, investing in education and training, and running pilot projects.”

"The Smart Building of the Future" report builds on recently announced survey results from Johnson Controls and Forrester Consulting that show widespread acceptance of sustainability as a business priority and a firm recognition that partners are essential to realizing 2030 sustainability commitments. The survey found building operators believe smart buildings are important in helping organizations accelerate sustainability initiatives and that adding or upgrading building automation and digital technologies to optimize energy use are among the most impactful sustainability investment areas.

As a result, Johnson Controls has developed a three-step process to transform buildings into strategic assets – design, digitalize, deploy. First, they design and roadmap solutions for efficiency, sustainability, decarbonization, resiliency and energy transition. Next, they digitalize to make buildings smarter through solutions like Johnson Controls OpenBlue Enterprise Manager - Net Zero Advisor, connecting infrastructure, distributed generation, and the grid so data that is critical to making informed decisions can be accessed. Finally, they deploy their solutions through a one-source, turnkey delivery model that leverages efficient electrification and renewables solutions.

To learn more about how Johnson Controls OpenBlue readers can visit www.johnsoncontrols.com/OpenBlue. The full "The Smart Building of the Future" report can be accessed online at  www.johnsoncontrols.com/digital-solutions.