Once upon a time, smart buildings were all about energy management. Continuing pressure to cut costs and growing pressure to tackle climate change had converged to drive an energy efficiency revolution in buildings. At the heart of that revolution was smart technology, where sensor networks and big data software processed masses of information about the building and its occupants to find new efficiencies that reduce energy consumption. This information also proved useful for a range of human-centric applications too, and the value of those applications has come to the fore in recent years. Today’s smart buildings strive to be human-centric but shifts in the energy mindset now signal a change from energy efficiency compliance to full-lifecycle net-zero ambition. “In recent years, many companies have worked to cut costs and reduce their environmental footprints. Now, with research showing that the physical risk from climate change will continue to accelerate unless the world achieves net-zero emissions by 2050, no business […]