The smart building is, in essence, a set of interconnected building systems. The industry that surrounds those smart buildings, however, is epitomized by its disconnectedness. This irony is more than just an amusing fact. It highlights a serious issue in the smart building sector, one that holds back growth and limits the understanding of the benefits of Internet of Things (IoT) technology in the building community. Take energy efficiency in isolation, for example, the most straightforward application offered by smart building technology, in terms of return on investment (ROI) at least. Assess current energy use in lighting, HVAC and other systems, feed those figures into a model and receive an accurate ROI figure to weigh up against capital expenditure for the smart technology. It sounds simple but adopting this technology still appears to be a difficult decision for many businesses. There is a “lack of accountability for energy costs” in corporations, says Bert Valdman former […]