Abstract
We are living in rapidly changing times where the world is running low on its carbon budget in trying to rapidly transition to net zero. We are also living amidst transformations, innovation, and operational modernization to be able to provide for a Smart City, including climate health. Future smart cities demand a balanced blend of data and technology to create diversely inclusive and sustainable solutions. In this chapter, the author focuses on how smart buildings can be designed for a sustainable future, exploring the possibilities of converting existing buildings into interoperable spaces, powered by technology and data. While the author outlines the differences between brownfield and greenfield smart buildings, he makes a case for each and explains their potential in achieving productive sustainability. The chapter delineates some of the policy implementations required to align smart buildings with sustainable climate action and substantiates global practices with ROI data. The author concludes the chapter by offering the way forward in the urban sustainability journey.
TopBackground And Literature Review
The main objectives of sustainability are to check depletion of natural resources, preserve the environment while neutralizing any negative impact from human interference, and provide a safer urban environment – a secure community to help ease future generations into healthier and greener surroundings.
‘Sustainability’ as a concept goes as far back as the 1970s (Grevelman & Kluiwstra, 2010). However, most literature points to the Brudland Report (UN WCED, 1989) as being the first to spotlight global sustainability concerns, while establishing the relationship between social, economic, and environmental aspects of sustainable development. The Report defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Subsequently, there have been several reports and studies on the meaning and significance of sustainability in a modern world.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Digital Twin: A digital twin is a virtual representation of any object that offers real-time information about the object.
BIM: Building Information Modeling or BIM is a process that draws support from various tools, techniques, and technologies to digitally represent a physical space.
BMS: Building Management System or BMS is an all-encompassing control system that intelligently auto-controls and regulates the various interoperable aspects of a building for the purpose of active monitoring.
OPM: Operations Performance Management or OPM is used across industries and is the alignment of all operations within a structure to support them to work together to achieve a common objective.