Introduction
- An intelligent building is the one which provides a productive and cost-effective environment through optimization of four basic elements: structure, services and management, and the interrelationship between them.
- It is a building that uses both technology and process to create an environment that is safe, healthy and comfortable to everyone.
Need of Intelligent Building
- Technology is changing how we design and construct buildings and the building fabrics themselves.
- Intelligent buildings are the new era in the field of construction throughout the world.
- It is environment friendly.
- It is cost effective.
- It has many social benefits.
Components of an Intelligent Buildings
- Energy management system
- Lighting management system
- Security systems & fire safety
- Telecommunications & Office automation
- Local area networks
- Cabling management
- Intelligent maintenance mgt. system (IMMS)
- Computer aided facility management (CAFM)
Cost Effective Construction
- Fly ash based concrete walls should be used.
- Intelligent buildings are more energy efficient.
- These buildings use less water.
- Materials efficiency.
- Intelligent building should be constructed so that it can take advantages of renewable resources.
- Reduces operating cost.
- Solar cells should be used.
Features of intelligent Building
- Intelligent building are flexible are responsive to different usage and environmental contexts.
- It is able to change states with respect to functions and user demands over time and building spaces as its easy to program and re-program during use.
- It supports human communication between individuals and groups.
- It has a distributed long term and short term memory.
- It is equipped with actuators for direct or indirect manipulation installation and the building structure.
Environment Friendly
- An intelligent building starts with an environmentally friendly design.
- They maintains a comfortable, safe and secure pollution.
- Enhance and protect biodiversity and ecosystems.
- Improve air and water quality.
- Reduce waste streams.
- Optimum use of day light.
Safety
- Life safety systems, often called ‘fire systems’, are typically driven by code considerations.
- Early warning systems like smoke detection systems, detects the fire at a very early stage and pinpoint to the caretaker where exactly it is occurring, so that the fire is extinguished locally through manual fire extinguishers.
- Fire protection system pumps water to the areas where the fire occurs, so as to douse it automatically through sprinkler bulbs and also manually through the fire brigade.
Management Systems
- Energy management
- HVAC systems
- Lighting systems
- Lift and escalator systems
- Alarm monitoring
- Water management systems
Advantages of intelligent buildings
- Provides air quality control
- Higher level of security and safety
- Reduced administration costs
- Provides good comfort
- Environment friendly
- Proper control over the entire structure
- Focus on eliminating CO2 emissions
Disadvantages of Intelligent buildings
- The initial cost of an installed system is high.
- Repairing problems.
- Requires special super vision over all configuration.
- Small life of the electronic equipment.
- Serviceability would be an issue unless users have a trained technician on the staff.
- Technological limitations.
Examples
- Rotating Tower in Dubai
- Burj Khalifa
- Burj Al Arab
- Kuala Lampur Tower in Malaysia
- Buckingham Palace in London
Conclusion
- Provides adaptation to growing market and communication globalization.
- Improve worker satisfaction and productivity.
- Reduces energy consumption needs.
- As potential future savings over the projected life cycle of the building.
- The benefits of these buildings include cost saving from reduced energy, water and waste, lower operation and maintenance cost.
- To minimize energy consumption to a greater scale and to increase the equipment’s efficiency are the objectives of these buildings.
- Therefore an emphasis should be on intelligent construction.