Smart Building In Construction Industry

Contents
Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 1
Energy Consumption of the World ................................................................................. 2
Introduction to Smart Buildings ..................................................................................... 4
Benefits of Smart Buildings ............................................................................................. 5
Features in Smart Buildings .............................................................................................. 6
Lighting Control System.................................................................................................. 6
Smart HVAC System........................................................................................................ 7
Components of HVAC System ......................................................................................... 7
Thermal Sensors ........................................................................................................... 7
CO2 Sensors ................................................................................................................... 7
Occupancy Sensors ....................................................................................................... 7
Light Sensors ................................................................................................................ 8
Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV) ........................................................................ 8
Variable speed fans ...................................................................................................... 8
Control System in Smart Buildings ................................................................................ 9
Conclusion ......................................................................................................................... 10
References ......................................................................................................................... 10

Table of Figures
Table 1 Distribution of Energy Consumptions In Malaysia Buildings............................. 2
Figure 1 Bar Chart of Energy Consumption In Malaysia Buildings ................................ 2
Figure 2 Pie Chart of Electricity Consumption of Typical Home ..................................... 3
Figure 3 Pie Chart of Electricity Consumption For Typical Office ................................... 3
Figure 4 Common Features In Smart Buildings ............................................................... 4
Figure 5 MIDI Light Controller .......................................................................................... 6
Figure 6 Diagram Of A Efficient Residential HVAC System ............................................ 8
Figure 7 Internet Of Things ................................................................................................ 9

1
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Introduction
Energy Consumption of the World

The rapidly growing world energy use has already raised concerns over supply
difficulties, exhaustion of energy resources and heavy environmental impacts (ozone
layer depletion, global warming, climate change, etc). The global contribution from
building towards energy consumption, both residential and commercial, has steadily
increased reaching figures between 20% and 40% in developed countries, and has
exceeded the other major sectors: industrial and transportation. Growth in population,
increasing demand for building services and comfort levels, together with the rise in
time spent inside buildings, assure the upward trend in energy demand will continue in
the future. For this reason, energy efficiency in buildings is today a prime objective for
energy policy at regional, national and international levels. (Perez-Lombard, Ortiz and
Pout, 2007)
RESIDENTIAL H OTELS S HOPPING OFFICE
COMPLEX
LIGHTING 25.3% 18.0% 51.9% 42.5%

A IR 9.3% 38.5% 44.9% 51.8%

C ONDITIONING
TOTAL 33.6% 56.5% 96.8% 94.3%

T ABLE 1 DISTRIBUTION OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION IN MALAYSIA BUILDINGS ( BY PTM 2003)

Energy Consumption In Malaysia Buildings

60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Residential Hotels Shopping Office
Complex

Lighting Air Conditioning

F IGURE 1 BAR C HART OF E NERGY C ONSUMPTION I N MALAYSIA BUILDINGS

2
Smart Building In Construction Industry

Electricity Consumption Breakdown (Home)

11% 5%
2%
4%

7%

4%
22%

45%

Cooking Washing Machine Entertainment Lighting Others Cooling Refrigerator Heating

F IGURE 2 PIE C HART OF E LECTRICITY CONSUMPTION OF TYPICAL HOME

Electricity Consumption Breakdown (Office)

Equipment Lighting Air Conditioning

F IGURE 3 PIE CHART OF E LECTRICITY CONSUMPTION FOR T YPICAL OFFICE

3
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Introduction to Smart Buildings

A smart building is any structure that uses automated processes to automatically control
the buildings operations including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, lighting,
security and other systems. A smart building uses sensors, actuators and microchips, in
order to collect data and manage it according to a business functions and services. This
infrastructure helps owners, operators and facility managers improve asset reliability
and performance, which reduces energy use, optimizes how space is used and minimizes
the environmental impact of buildings.

Buildings that arent connected are the same buildings they were decades ago. They
have provided the essentials: shelter, temperature control and safety at the same
efficiency level for years. But newer buildings, or older structures that have been
converted to smart buildings, are constantly changing. They are living organisms
connected to a network with intelligent and adaptable software.

At the most fundamental level, smart buildings make occupants more productive with
lighting, thermal comfort, air quality, physical security, sanitation and more at lower
costs and environmental impact than buildings that are not connected. (Tracy, 2017)

F IGURE 4 COMMON F EATURES I N SMART BUILDINGS

4
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Benefits of Smart Buildings

Reduced operating costs. Smart buildings are usually highly efficient buildings where
operating costs are significantly lower than comparable buildings. Using accurate,
intelligent monitoring and control of energy-intensive systems such as HVAC and
lighting help reduce costs. (Energyworks.com, 2017)

Fast and effective service. Smart building technologies give building management
professionals the tools they need to better serve tenants, occupants, and users.
Accessing building systems via the Internet makes it easier for facilities professionals to
assess real-time conditions, detect problems, and monitor building performance off-site.
Problems are identified early and solved immediately, sometimes prior to the customer
realizing there is a problem. (Energyworks.com, 2017)

Enhanced life safety and security. A fire situation is perhaps the most commonly cited
example of how integrated systems are beneficial. A fire alarm is triggered and the
integrated building systems respond: Smoke exhaust dampers open and fans operate,
the paging and intercom system warns the occupants and issues instructions, the access-
control system unlocks doors for evacuation, lighting is turned on, and security cameras
provide emergency personnel with a view of the fire. (Energyworks.com, 2017)

Mobile security systems. A Web-based security system allows security personnel the
ability to view live video from surveillance cameras on a laptop or portable device.
Future technology. Since technology and equipment are changing rapidly, a building
with an IT backbone utilizing open protocol will be ready to support almost anything
that comes onto the market. Additionally, with tenant needs changing, a smart building
is flexible enough to adapt quickly. (Energyworks.com, 2017)

Environmentally friendly.Monitoring and control of energy use for the purpose of

reducing consumption defines a green building. While it may be possible to have a green
building that isn't smart, all green buildings will have some form of a building
automation system (BAS). The BAS could allow a daylight-harvesting system to work
together through an IT backbone with interior lights and photoelectric and occupancy
sensors to provide optimum light levels and save energy use. (Energyworks.com, 2017)

5
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Features in Smart Buildings

Lighting Control System

A lighting control system is an intelligent network based lighting control solution that
incorporates communication between various system inputs and outputs related to
lighting control with the use of one or more central computing devices. Lighting control
systems are widely used on both indoor and outdoor lighting of commercial, industrial,
and residential spaces. Lighting control systems serve to provide the right amount of
light where and when it is needed. Lighting control systems are employed to maximize
the energy savings from the lighting system, satisfy building codes, or comply with green
building and energy conservation programs. (DiLouie, 2008)
There are two main types of lighting control systems which are:

Analog lighting control

Digital lighting control
Examples for analog lighting control systems are:

0-10V based system.

AMX192 based systems (often referred to as AMX) (USA standard).
D54 based systems (European standard).
Examples for digital lighting control systems are:

DALI based systems

DSI based system
DMX based systems (often referred to as DMX512).
KNX based systems
Those are all wired lighting control system. There is also a
wireless lighting control system that is based on some standard
protocols like MIDI, ZigBee, Bluetooth Mesh, and others.
(Library.cee1.org, 2014)

F IGURE 5 MIDI LIGHT CONTROLLER

6
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Smart HVAC System

HVAC are commonly known as Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning. Like other
types of smart building technology, smart HVAC uses sensors that integrate with your
building automation system. These sensors collect data about the conditions throughout
your building. Other specialized HVAC equipment provides the ability to fine-tune
temperature, humidity, and air flow in various zones (based on data from the sensors) to
optimize comfort while reducing energy consumption. (Buildings, 2017)

Components of HVAC System

Thermal Sensors
Strategically-placed thermal sensors can detect the differences in conditions in each
zone of the installed space in smart building. For example, a crowded conference room
can get warm in a hurry, while an open office area with high ceilings can get chilly (since
warm air rises and people are closer to the floor). A smart HVAC system uses that data
to adjust to changing conditions throughout the day or week. (Buildings, 2017)
CO2 Sensors
According to a recent study by Harvard School of Public Health, high CO2 levels in a
building can have a direct negative impact on thinking and decision making. CO2
sensors can detect the levels of CO2 gas in a space, which can increase to undesirable
levels as occupancy increases. When the threshold is reached, a smart HVAC system can
increase levels of fresh air supplied to the space. This technology can have a significant
impact on workforce wellbeing. (Buildings, 2017)
Occupancy Sensors
Occupancy sensors are useful for office environments (like most) that dont have
uniform usage all the time. Increasingly mobile workers are leaving desks and
conference rooms empty as much as 50 to 60 percent of the time. Meanwhile, youre
heating and cooling space for people who are not there. (Buildings, 2017)
Occupancy sensors detect the presence of people (typically by detecting motion)
currently using individual spaces within an office. That data can be used to adjust
temperatures based on real-time utilization, saving money on energy consumption.
While HVAC system consumes anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of buildings energy
usage, electricity for lighting is also a huge expense. That figure can be 25 percent or
more. In addition to controlling a smart HVAC system, occupancy sensors also control
lighting to further reduce lighting costs. (Buildings, 2017)

7
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Light Sensors
Todays modern office spaces are being designed to let in more natural light. However,
the variation in daylight from morning until evening, and from one part of the building
to another, can wreak havoc on the operation of your HVAC system. As a result, sunny
spaces wind up too hot while areas with less natural light can become too cold. For the
solution, sensors that detect ambient light in a space will adjust both smart HVAC and
lighting accordingly. (Buildings, 2017)
Demand Controlled Ventilation (DCV)
Smart HVAC technology that lets occupier fine tune building conditions based on input
from occupancy sensors. When utilization levels drop below design-based occupancy
rates, this specialized ventilation equipment reduces your outdoor air intake which
decreases energy usage. (Buildings, 2017)
Variable speed fans
Traditional HVAC fan motors run at only a single speed: full blast. Variable speed
motors can adjust fan speeds to appropriate levels based on occupancy levels or current
conditions. Variable frequency drive kits can also be installed to retrofit existing single-
speed fans. (Buildings, 2017)

F IGURE 6 DIAGRAM OF A EFFICIENT RESIDENTIAL HVAC SYSTEM

8
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Control System in Smart Buildings

The building control system (BCS), also termed building automation system (BAS) or
building management system (BMS), has in no doubt led to the general specifications of
building monitoring and metering systems. These control systems are generally
centralized, integrated, hardware and software networks; thus, they monitor and control
the indoor climatic conditions in building facilities. The operational performance of the
buildings along with the safety and comfort of the occupants is normally ensured with
these control systems. Building controls are normally instigated with mechanical,
electrical and plumbing (MEP) system controls. (Web-based Building Automation
System using Embedded Linux, 2004)
One of the most popular control system is Internet of Things (IoT)
The Internet of things (IoT) is the network of physical devices, vehicles, home
appliances, and other items embedded with electronics, software, sensors, actuators,
and network connectivity which enable these objects to connect and exchange data.
Each thing is uniquely identifiable through its embedded computing system but is able
to inter-operate within the existing Internet infrastructure.
The IoT allows objects to be sensed or controlled remotely across existing network.
infrastructure, creating opportunities for more direct integration of the physical world
into computer-based systems, and resulting in improved efficiency, accuracy and
economic benefit in addition to reduced human intervention. (ITU, 2017)

F IGURE 7 INTERNET OF T HINGS

9
 Smart Building In Construction Industry

Conclusion
Smart buildings are connected and supported by shared and interoperable equipment
and infrastructures, therefore they are compatible with multiple combined services to
the benefit of users, who will gain in well-being, and investors, which will improve the
value of their real-estate assets as new services emerge.
The energy consumption of smart building is most relevant in evaluating the smartness
of a building. Heating and cooling systems are the most crucial factors in reducing
energy consumption. The planning and design phase is the phase of a project where
most smartness-related decisions are made. The biggest impact on the life-cycle cost of
smartness-related decisions occurs in the planning and design phase. Lastly,
construction industry should adopt more technology to conserve human health and the
natural environment. Emphasising the concept of Smart Building would be desirable to
arise the awareness of green building among the society, thus preventing the destruction
of mother earth in the unforeseeable future.

References
1. Perez-Lombard, L., Ortiz, J. and Pout, C. (2007). A review on buildings energy consumption
information. [online] Esi2.us.es. Available at:
http://www.esi2.us.es/~jfc/Descargas/ARTICULOS/PAPER_LPL_1_OFF-PRINT.pdf [Accessed 3
Dec. 2017].
2. Tracy, P. (2017). What is a smart building and how can it benefit you?. [online] RCR Wireless
News. Available at: https://www.rcrwireless.com/20160725/business/smart-building-tag31-tag99
[Accessed 4 Dec. 2017].
3. Energyworks.com. (2017). Bio and wind power and energy infrastructure management,
outsourcing, central plant optimization and efficient operations - EnergyWorks - Smart Buildings.
[online] Available at: http://www.energyworks.com/index.php?page=smart-buildings [Accessed 5
Dec. 2017].
4. DiLouie, C. (2008). Lighting controls handbook. Lilburn, GA: Fairmont Press, p.239.
5. Library.cee1.org. (2014). CEE Residential Lighting Controls Market Characterization. [online]
Available at:
https://library.cee1.org/system/files/library/11458/CEE_LightingMarketCharacterization.pdf
[Accessed 5 Dec. 2017].
6. Buildings, S. (2017). Smart HVAC & Sensor Technology for Smart Buildings - Serraview. [online]
Serraview. Available at: https://serraview.com/smart-hvac-sensor-technology-smart-buildings/
[Accessed 5 Dec. 2017].
7. Web-based Building Automation System using Embedded Linux. (2004). Journal of Control,
Automation and Systems Engineering, 10(4), pp.334-340.
8. ITU. (2017). Internet of Things Global Standards Initiative. [online] Available at:
http://www.itu.int/en/ITU-T/gsi/iot/Pages/default.aspx [Accessed 7 Dec. 2017].

10