How Thinking Buildings can benefit people, the planet, and portfolios

There is a lot of buzz about ‘smart buildings’ and ‘smart cities’ and even smart states and nations. But with so much hype, it can be challenging to understand what it all means for the average person, and the average building.

Because while the bold, innovative new projects and precincts are on centre stage, improving our built environment and its human habitats means we need to optimise the 90% of assets that are already built. Our new guidebook, The Thinking Building, goes behind the catchphrases to explore and explain the pathways for any building to ‘smarten up’ its performance and improve the occupant experience.

It tackles some of the common questions and misconceptions, drawing on the extensive expertise of Cundall’s global team of multidisciplinary engineers, building automation experts and sustainability advisors.

The central message is, any building can benefit from smart building innovation and approaches, if thought is given to the most pressing needs of occupants and what will deliver the best value uplift and return on investment for owners and facilities managers. Some possibilities might surprise you. For example, how using a QR code-enabled system can save time, improve security, and make life easier for visitors and tenants.

There are also case study examples of recent projects that have effectively utilised building controls, AI, automation, and other clever solutions to take a building from ordinary greatness to extraordinary performance.

The Thinking Building also gives readers a glimpse into the smart future of precinct-scale connectivity and net zero energy places, and explains how digital innovation will bring us there, perhaps sooner than you imagined. For portfolio owners, investors and masterplanners this signposts how being future-ready is both achievable and a wonderful opportunity to deliver more in the way of spaces, services and experiences while using less energy and resources to do so.