Sunday musings on Autonomous Buildings!
Here’s a two-part series capturing my Sunday and perhaps some late-night musings on autonomous buildings. Check it out and share your thoughts/feedback in the comments.
Part I: What are we talking about?
What are we talking about?
Buildings are nearly an 11.000 years old idea. If the evolution of technology in buildings were to be laid out over a single day, it would already be eleven at night before the first thermostat appeared. Another 40 minutes pass 11 before the modern light switch is used. Another 10 minutes and a British engineer at Westinghouse demonstrates the prototype for controlling an air conditioner using a home computer. It’s just 5 minutes to midnight and the integrated systems and the first BIM models start to pop in the built environment. Another few minutes before the day is over integrated systems at an enterprise and/or city level powered by IoT and cloud start to dominate the technology scene. It is almost 12, and an AI-powered systems seem to be engulfing our imaginations. So as the clock turns over to the next day, a quick hypothesis about what it might entail doesn’t seem to be a bad idea. The problem though before one can have a serious conversation on an autonomous building is surprise surprise! A lexicon problem. Due to this, there are more questions than answers. For example: How do we measure our current progress? What characterises an autonomous building? Are buildings such as the Edge (touted as the smartest building in the world) in Amsterdam already autonomous?
So I thought of taking a stab at this problem, and offering a proposal to create a comparable lexicon for autonomous buildings, taking cues from the Society of Automotive Engineers’ (SAE) well-defined 6-level scale for autonomous vehicles. SAE’s scale is perhaps one of the most well-understood, fully mature, and well-adopted frameworks out there that grapples with the complexity of order pervasive in the built environment. Juxtaposing the SAE framework and development of autonomy within buildings, I propose a scale ranging between 0 (fully manual) to 5 (fully autonomous). Let’s take a look at the gradation on this scale together:
Level 0 — Traditional Buildings
In Level 0 buildings, conventional, non-automated systems are prevalent. Occupants manually control heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), lighting, and security. There is minimal integration of smart technologies, and building operations heavily rely on human input and supervision.
Level 1 — Basic Automation
Level 1 marks the introduction of basic automation in building systems. This may include programmable thermostats, motion-sensing lights, and simple security systems. Automation is limited and typically involves standalone, independent devices that operate on predefined schedules or respond to programmable triggers.
Level 2 — Integrated Systems
At Level 2, building automation becomes more sophisticated with the integration of various systems. HVAC, lighting, and security are interconnected, allowing for more coordinated and responsive actions. The occupant’s comfort is enhanced, and energy efficiency gains traction. However, human oversight is key to ensuring efficient operations.
Level 3 — Adaptive Environments
Level 3 represents buildings with adaptive environments. Integrated sensors and knowledge-based and AI-driven systems enable the building to learn from its intrinsic and extrinsic environment and adjust settings accordingly. This level involves a more dynamic response to changing conditions, such as occupancy patterns and external factors like weather. Human oversight is essential to the verification and validation of building responses.
Level 4 — Semi-Autonomous Buildings
In Level 4 autonomy reaches a point where the systems can operate semi-autonomously without constant human intervention. Advanced AI algorithms enable predictive maintenance, optimal resource utilization, and proactively address issues. Buildings can adapt to occupant’s preferences and external factors in real-time.
Level 5 — Fully Autonomous Buildings
At the pinnacle of autonomy, Level 5 buildings are completely self-sufficient and capable of managing all aspects of their operation independently. AI and advanced robotics allow for comprehensive control over building systems. From energy management to security and maintenance, the building operates seamlessly without the need for any human intervention.
I would use the proposed scale in part II of this series, to discuss our current progress and how turning the clock towards autonomous buildings seems more of a necessity than a luxury.
Link to Part II: Where to go from here?