A room that adjusts itself to your preferred temperature. Windows that tint on demand. Robot security guards patrolling at night. These might sound like something out of science fiction, but they're increasingly commonplace features of the modern "smart building". Here we look at five of the most impressive examples, each using technology to significantly improve energy efficiency and the everyday employee experience.
122 Leadenhall Street, London
The Leadenhall Building features a range of intelligent energy-saving systems. Central to its sustainability is a triple-layer glass "skin": the outer layer is separated from an inner double-glazed layer by a cavity containing blinds that respond automatically to the sun's movement, keeping the office comfortably cool throughout the day.
The building has 293 energy meters installed to monitor lighting usage. Its external glazing also features vents on every seventh floor to allow natural air circulation, reducing reliance on air conditioning.
Cisco Canada HQ, Toronto
This glass-and-metal building uses a lobby touchscreen that registers your requested floor and directs you to the lift that will minimise your wait time and maximise energy efficiency. Customisation of the working environment goes beyond lighting and temperature, extending to the height of individual desks. Conference rooms can be merged by electromechanically lifting the dividing walls into the ceiling. A pool table and ping-pong table complete the picture.
Capital Tower, Singapore
One of the earliest true smart buildings still setting standards today, Capital Tower was completed in 2000 and features a fully integrated Intelligent Building Management System (IBMS) for its services and facilities. At 254 metres tall, the building includes a highly intelligent car park management system with real-time status displayed at the entrance.
Lifts serving its 52 floors display real-time news bulletins on dual LCD panels. Energy efficiency was designed in from the start, putting Capital Tower ahead of many later skyscrapers on eco-friendly building management.
The Crystal, London
Among its headline features, The Crystal consumes around 45% less energy than a conventional building of comparable size and produces around 65% less CO2. The building harvests and reuses 100% of its rainwater, and roughly two-thirds of its surface is covered by solar panels, which generate approximately 20% of the total energy the building needs to be self-sufficient.
The Edge, Amsterdam
Often described as the world's smartest office building, The Edge was designed for its main tenant, the global financial and professional services firm Deloitte. The building draws on data from around 40,000 sensors to understand patterns of human behaviour, making real-time decisions about heating, cooling and which spaces are best suited to different activities each day.
The building can detect an approaching car, open the parking barrier automatically and guide the vehicle to an available space. It also tracks bathroom usage, down to individual cubicles, purely for cleaning efficiency. The Edge produces more power from its solar cells and gym exercise bikes than it consumes, and uses reclaimed rainwater to flush toilets and irrigate its gardens.
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