Buildings Have Been Getting Smarter for Eons

This is the first post in a new blog series about intelligent buildings, based on content from the CommScope Connected and Efficient Buildings e-book.

Buildings have not suddenly become intelligent. Over the centuries, humans have regularly upgraded their homes to offer new advantages. When we humans settled into an agrarian way of life, our dwellings became permanent and purposeful. With permanence came the need to add utility to our buildings by improving basic needs like security and better lighting. What we now take for granted, such as easily moveable and lockable doors and glass windows, were quite innovative in their time.

Buildings have evolved along a continuum driven by need, but progress is rapidly accelerating because of advances in technology. Today, the cutting-edge of building intelligence involves how we enable people and machines to connect and communicate and how we more efficiently manage the increasingly precious resources of energy and space.

The evolution to connected and efficient buildings has introduced many new technologies, systems and deployment methods to the enterprise. Navigating this complexity can be challenging, which is why CommScope is eager to share our best practices in the Connected and Efficient Buildings e-book. We gathered our building experts to share their very latest insights into what makes a building “smart.” Topics covered in the e-book include:

• New connectivity challenges in the Internet of Things
• Driving forces for converged, common infrastructure
• Using the Universal Connectivity Grid design concept to connect the myriad devices migrating into buildings
• Monitoring and managing the physical layer using Automated Infrastructure Management
• The growing importance of powering device end-points in buildings using Power over Ethernet
• Connecting the latest audio/visual equipment and HDBaseT consumer electronics
• The need for mobility and ubiquitous wireless connectivity in the building – with both licensed and unlicensed RF spectrum
• The latest trends and technologies for low voltage lighting and space utilization
• A holistic approach to buildings via Building Information Modeling
• Safety and security
• The relevant global and international standards affecting buildings

In addition to contributing to the Connected and Efficient Buildings e-book, the authors will write posts for a new blog series based on the same subject. Their blog posts will elaborate further on the topics covered, keeping you as up to date as possible. Look for blog posts to start soon at www.commscope.com/blogs, and in the meantime, let me know what feedback you have about the Connected and Efficient Buildings e-book.