Smart Buildings

The concept of smart buildings is extensive, but here are some cases focused on sustainability, energy efficiency, occupant well-being, and cost reduction metrics.

1. IoT for Real-Time Issue Detection

PCL Construction, a Canadian construction company, uses Microsoft Azure and Azure IoT technologies to capture data from various sensors, providing real-time alerts of potential issues on a project. This helps them immediately identify where to act and receive instant information on temperature, humidity, pressure, and energy consumption in all their building units, leading to savings, agility, and improved team collaboration.

Learn more about PCL Construction here > Microsoft Customer Story-PCL Construction uses IoT with Azure to revolutionize the construction industry

2. Digital Concierge for Customer Satisfaction

RXR, a real estate company in New York City, aimed to transform RXR properties into smart buildings by creating a Digital Lab focused on innovation, developing new digital products and services. Their goal was a complete business transformation, providing a hospitality-focused experience for occupants—a blend of physical and digital offerings. The plan included using IoT to monitor mechanical systems, air quality, and more, feeding a cloud-based platform where data is analyzed and real-time dashboards are created for tenants, owners, and managers. This same platform supports services with notifications, news, and “digital concierge” offerings for occupants, such as cleaning services and food and beverage delivery. Azure was chosen for its integrated IoT, AI, cloud, and smart services. Microsoft worked closely with RXR, providing expertise along with a rich partner ecosystem to make everything happen.

Learn more about RXR here > RXR Realty reopens for business using Azure IoT and the intelligent edge to empower tenant safety

3. Smart Buildings in Old Structures: Transforming the Past into Efficiency

Smart building technology can also benefit older structures, as seen with the National University of Singapore. The team wanted to renovate the university’s old buildings and create a smart campus with automated and connected systems where all air conditioning, elevators, and fire protection systems communicated with each other. Thanks to the implementation of smart building solutions, they now have a unified digital view of their buildings and systems, seeing everything that happens on campus in real-time, avoiding potential issues, and creating enhanced experiences. The ability to monitor and manage buildings in a new, unique, and proactive way brings better results, contributes to sustainability metrics, and increases the safety and experience of all users.