Latin America. Four trends define the evolution of networking technology that will move buildings from smart to super smart.
There are four trends that define the evolution of grid technology that will drive commercial buildings from 'smart' to 'super smart': mobility, cybersecurity, low-voltage power and standards. These trends continue to influence network infrastructure and devices deployed within workplaces, healthcare facilities, hotels, and other public places. As smart buildings become super smart buildings, their operators must consider the bandwidth and power distribution available, making the impact of structured cabling and Power over Ethernet (PoE) technologies for networking critical.
"Smart buildings have some of the latest technology deployed inside, such as LED lighting, Category 6A cabling, advanced security systems and other digital infrastructure. A super smart building has all that technology, but it also integrates all those systems into one platform to generate even more benefits: performance analytics, automated operations and infrastructure management, among others," said Ed Solis, VP Enterprise - CALA at CommScope. "Network convergence in a super-smart building leverages data from IT systems, facilities and operations to provide a dashboard where all network traffic is displayed in real time, which could inform in a smart city program about energy use, emissions performance and other highly important metrics."
Current needs demand that a 'super smart' building be able to support shared areas for teams to collaborate and innovate. In fact, major players in the traditional commercial real estate market are also exploring co-working models for their licensees. In all of these scenarios, mobility is a requirement, allowing people to come and go. For this level of mobility, users need reliable, high-bandwidth networks to extract data from the cloud. Such is the importance of this issue, that industry bodies such as TIA/EIA are creating standards that define the necessary cabling networks.
But as mobility becomes ubiquitous within buildings, cybersecurity becomes more critical. For Ed Solis it is essential that smart or super smart buildings guarantee data protection. "As wireless networks evolve to include the Internet of Things, where everyday devices incorporate intelligence and transmit data, more network vulnerabilities appear. For example, a vending machine could be the weak point, since from there someone can enter the corporate LAN. A super smart building must have a plan for cybersecurity in all these systems."
With more smart devices in buildings, there are other challenges, for example, managing energy delivery also becomes key to efficient operations. Power over Ethernet (PoE) technology has evolved, making it feasible to connect many types of devices with a lower voltage direct current instead of supplying alternating current at each workstation, while representing a lower installation and maintenance cost. PoE is a useful technology for providing power and data to a multitude of devices. It's about intelligence in the form of an automated infrastructure management solution, which makes it easy to connect and manage all those devices, making a smart building super smart.
In a hotel consumers have a certain level of expectations about services and access to the network, for this reason some questions that owners and managers of operations in buildings have to ask themselves are: Should I obtain a certification in my buildings to attract and retain tenants? What is the value of these standards in terms of what tenants or prospective tenants are willing to spend? The answers to these questions will influence the growth of super smart buildings.
"In 2018 we will see continued growth in the deployment of advanced technology in state-of-the-art buildings. High broadband networks with integrated systems and feasible analytics are the way to go. Mobility, cybersecurity, PoE technology and standards support are steps along the way. The question now is how many smart buildings will become super smart this year?" concluded Ed Solis, VP Enterprise - CALA at CommScope.
