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Commercial and Industrial Buildings

Cooler Master: Building Automation Solutions Drive Smart Office Transformation

Commercial and Industrial Buildings

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From Ambition to Advantage: How Net‑Zero Intelligence Future‑Proofs Your Organization’s Strategy in Asia/Pacific70% of enterprises have announced net-zero targets. Fewer than 5% have achieved them. The challenge is no longer sustainability ambition. It's operational execution. Across Asia Pacific, organizations are facing converging pressures: Rising energy costs Carbon pricing and regula

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09/11/2020Pandemic Drives Further Evolution of the Smart Medical Environment

Declining birthrates and aged societies have become commonplace around the globe. With this trend comes a growing demand for long-term healthcare services as well as a shortage of medical caregivers. Over the years, "smart medical care" has gradually improved the imbalance between supply and demand in the medical environment. From merely digitalizing various medical processes and automating management to introducing AI over the past decade, the industry is moving toward reducing medical personnel costs and boosting value-added medical services. From the users' perspective, digital services make a big difference in client loyalty as evidenced by a survey conducted by Black Book—a US healthcare-centric market research company. According to the report, 90% of the clients surveyed lost their loyalty because healthcare providers failed to render satisfactory digital services, which proves an established trend for a strong need of medical services to go digital. With the popularity of big data analysis and IoT devices, improving the user experience and reducing hospital operating costs have become the two major goals of smart medical institutions. Their aim is to provide clients with a people-oriented experience and create an ideal medical environment that is healthy and safe. However, since the beginning of 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic has raged around the world, which is testing whether the hardware and software environment supporting smart medical care can withstand such a sudden upheaval. Looking toward post-pandemic times, a healthy medical environment not only must be clean, it also should be able to adjust its environment provisioning immediately for epidemic prevention if necessary. This would include enhancing air quality and cleanliness to reduce infection risks and transforming existing hospital spaces into isolation wards. In addition to meeting the needs of users, the new post-pandemic generation of hospital infrastructure must also meet the essential requirements of a smart medical environment with "flexibility," "smartness," and "safety." For users and medical institution managers, the following smart building advantages can meet the needs of daily operations and emergency situations at the same time: 1. Intelligent control of air cleanliness and comfort: General spaces such as halls and waiting rooms, and specific areas such as negative pressure wards and operating rooms have different requirements for temperature, humidity, and cleanliness. Whether it is for normal operation or during a special anti-epidemic period of time, maintaining desirable air quality and comfort in various regions via intelligent monitoring requires a smart building management system that features cross-system integration. 2. Automated operation that reduces labor required: Medical institutions have limited manpower. Through real-time big data collected in medical institutions, building automation technology helps effectively offset the manpower required for hospital management and reduce human errors. The technology can be applied to personnel access management, air quality monitoring, user behavior detection, and asset tracking and management, among others. This technology effectively improves the medical system, enhances medical services, reduces patients' waiting time, adjusts air conditioning systems promptly, and locates and tracks medical equipment so that medical caregivers can focus on providing patients with better services. 3. Improved user experience: As users have different needs for the medical environment, the customized environment settings provided by smart building technology can effectively improve user satisfaction. For example, one can adjust the air-conditioning and lighting in the ward according to environment settings to meet one's specific needs. 4. Contact-free health protection: To reduce the post-pandemic risk of cross-infection attributed to contact, contactless technology applications such as biometric access control, people-counting social distancing management, and wireless lighting control, or air conditioning control can more effectively ensure the health and safety of medical caregivers and patients. 5. Personal safety protection: The smart building management platform serves to integrate smart image analysis and security technology to provide users with a safe environment in medical institutions. For example, access control management in controlled areas, fall detection for patients, and personnel access tracking are all in place to prevent potential security threats from emerging and to provide immediate assistance to patients once an accident occurs. Addressing the above-mentioned smart building needs of medical institutions, Delta's Smart Building Solutions is a comprehensive strategy to pursue hospital management efficiency and user satisfaction at the same time. It will help us achieve our aspirations for a healthy, safe, and people-oriented smart hospital in post-pandemic times. To learn more about Delta's solutions for smart medical institutions, please check out Delta's related Building Automation Solutions.

09/11/2020Delta's All-Inclusive Solutions for Smart Medical Environments Improve Operation Efficiency

To offset a long-standing imbalance in the supply and demand of medical services, medical institutions are in dire need of solutions that can reduce manpower costs and enhance operation efficiency. Healthcare resources saved can then improve medical services for patients and enhance the mutual satisfaction of both the service provider and the recipient. Nevertheless, the requirements of medical institutions in different areas vary from one to another. Business operators are primarily focusing on meeting the needs of users in different areas through intelligent control and management while integrating the management of various systems. In post-pandemic times, in particular, people will pay more attention to the health and safety of the overall healthcare environment. In view of this, Delta provides the following corresponding automation solutions for the environmental control and safety requirements of different spaces in the healthcare environment: 1. Hall, entrance and exit: For post-pandemic times, access management must address not only security but also the health and safety of personnel. Delta's access control solution reduces the risk of infection by providing contactless face recognition access control. Coupled with thermal cameras that can simultaneously detect the temperature of personnel and whether they are wearing a mask, the solution further protects the health of people entering and exiting the space. In public places where there is a constant flow of people in and out, an effective and safe social distancing management protocol is required and hospitals are no exception. Delta provides a people-flow density detection solution where cameras are installed at entrances and exits to detect the flow of people. When the number of people in the room is too high, the system sends an alarm to divert the flow and activates the linked ventilation equipment in the building to enhance indoor ventilation. Delta's air quality monitoring solutions and intelligent air-conditioning rules and diagnostics can monitor the carbon dioxide concentration level, PM2.5, and other harmful substances in hospitals in real time. The detected data can be transmitted via IP to the controller linked to the air-conditioning and ventilation equipment to intelligently control and allocate the fans. This automatically maintains a healthy air quality, contributes to pandemic prevention, and reduces the time cost of manual control. The big data for the flow of people can be further analyzed and tabulated, and personnel can be scheduled in advance according to the flow of people at different times to improve operational efficiency. 2. Ward: Delta's human-factor lighting solutions simulate the natural change process of the solar spectrum and introduce the biological effects of daylight into the room. The solution adjusts the lighting to achieve the appropriate brightness and color temperature/color in line with the normal human circadian rhythm, which helps inpatients maintain good and active mental and physical health. To ensure the safety of patients and protect personal privacy, Delta's fall prevention detection solution uses wireless mmWave technology to replace cameras for privacy issues. It works, regardless of illumination conditions in the space, even at night when there is no light in the ward. The technology can send an emergency message immediately upon detecting the fall of a patient to notify medical staff to come to his/her rescue and ensure the patient's personal safety. 3. Nursing station: Healthcare givers can make use of the positioning function of Delta's BIC intelligent lighting control solution to quickly locate medical equipment. This reduces the labor needed for searching each floor and wards and minimizes time spent on inventory checks during shift handovers. Healthcare givers can make sure instantly, through the Bluetooth beacon the patient wears, whether the patient stays within a safe area or not. If the patient leaves the designated area, the tracker will send an instant reminder to the healthcare givers to prevent accidents such as losing track of the patient. 4. Operating room and negative pressure ward: Operating rooms and negative pressure wards need more precise control to ensure sterility and prevent infection. The pressure sensor can detect the pressure in the ward, automatically controlling the fan load and gauging the throttle to allow for constant and steady airflow and maintain the negative pressure in the ward. The pressure sensor can also detect the pressure in the air exhaust duct, according to which Delta's controller can automatically adjust the speed of the exhaust fan to protect the exhaust duct. Once it detects abnormal pressure, it immediately sends an alarm to management to reduce losses caused by equipment failure. 5. Medical consulting room: Each consulting room can physically adjust its internal environment according to actual usage requirements. Delta's room automation solution uses the O3 Sensor Hub as a room controller that allows users to adjust the lighting and air conditioning however they like on the touch panel or on the mobile APP. At the same time, knowing indoor air conditions, the controller can operate in conjunction with the energy recovery ventilator to improve indoor comfort. When detecting non-occupancy of the room, the system automatically shuts down to save energy. 6. Health evaluation center: Delta's parking management system, access control solutions, and BIC intelligent lighting control, when integrated, can optimize ease and comfort for customers undergoing physical checkups. Visitors can first pre-register parking spaces when booking a health examination. When a visitor arrives by car, the license plate recognition system at the entrance and exit will directly identify the visitor and guide him or her to the reserved parking space via the electronic guidance inside the parking lot. After entering the building, he/she will get to the check-in counter after going through a process featuring the use of facial recognition and other access control management systems. Upon notification, an arranged receptionist will go to the reception area to greet the visitor and provide him/her with a mobile device with the BIC APP installed, which can arrange the most favorable examination schedule based on the BIC positioning system and people flow analysis. The device can also direct visitors to each examination stop without making them wait. The entire process can be made even smoother in combination with the hospital's internal systems such as the queuing system, the employees' system, and the pricing system to realize fully electronic services, improve the health examination process, and provide value-added services. 7. Central control room: Delta provides a building automation integration system, which can integrate, through the controller, various building-related systems such as electrical equipment, drainage systems, boiler systems, elevator systems, and fire alarm systems. The systems allow administrators to monitor and manage the state of all equipment in the medical building on a single platform, which reduces the labor burden. At the same time, when an anomaly happens to the equipment, personnel can quickly receive a warning, and the system automatically activates a backup system for the uninterrupted operation of the medical institution with its mission being to ensure the safety of personnel. When the building facilities and systems of the medical institute need to be replaced or expanded, Delta's building automation system is equipped with various network protocol support. This can seamlessly integrate various old and new systems and update monitoring systems without interrupting the normal operation of the hospital. In addition to monitoring the operation of building equipment, Delta Energy Online offers energy monitoring functions that can convert the energy consumption data of a single building or multiple buildings into valuable analytics. This helps hospitals identify major energy consumption points and find the best energy-saving potential options to further implement energy-saving strategies. To learn more about Delta's solutions for smart medical institutions, please check out Delta's related Building Automation Solutions.

09/11/2020AIoT Video Surveillance Upgrades Medical Environmental Security Protection

According to the Deloitte 2017 Global Healthcare sector outlook report, healthcare spending is projected to reach $8.7 trillion globally in 2020. In Taiwan from 2019 to 2020, according to the Taiwanese Ministry of the Interior, the national average life expectancy rose nine weeks to 80.7 years. Moreover, according to statistics provided by the National Health Insurance Administration (NHI), the average person made 15 medical visits per year in Taiwan. In addition to schools and offices, hospitals have thus become the places we access frequently in our daily life. The prime issue developing out of this trend toward longevity is how we can secure the safety of both patients and medical professionals while also enhancing the business intelligence of hospitals. The Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is an amalgamation of medical devices and applications that can connect to health care information technology systems using networking technologies. According to Frost & Sullivan, the IoMT is expected to grow at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.2% to reach $72 billion by 2021. The IoMT already plays a vital role in transforming the healthcare industry and will clearly continue to do so. Going beyond traditional surveillance, in the era of IoT IP surveillance systems have implemented Artificial Intelligence (AI) and been transformed by powerful edge-computing devices. Such AI-driven solutions can reduce the load on manual management while also mitigating the risk of both employee and customer infection under COVID-19.There is also an increasing number of hospitals that have adopted IP surveillance and business intelligence systems, allowing business owners to transform real-time images into big-data analysis. VIVOTEK, the leading global IP surveillance solution provider, introduces 6 IP surveillance solutions dedicated to specific locations within a hospital: 1.Emergency entrance: Acting as the frontline of hospitals, the difference between life and death is a split-second decision taken by doctors in the emergency room. The ability to discern details even in video taken under high-contrast lighting conditions is extremely important for security applications such as the entrance of emergency room. In this scenario, VIVOTEK recommends the adoption of IP surveillance systems with Wide Dynamic Range (WDR) technology. VIVOTEK has developed a comprehensive range of WDR implementations to suit customer needs. WDR Pro represents advancement over WDR Enhanced, utilizing a hardware-based solution that simultaneously captures two or three images at different exposure levels. An algorithm is then used to combine the images into a single frame of video in which all areas are optimally exposed for maximum visibility. WDR Pro II is a further improvement, capturing four images simultaneously for even more enhanced clarity of video. It can optimize image quality in challenging lighting environments and offers crystal clear video images of emergency room entrances throughout the day and night. 2.Lobby and nursing station: Hospital Lobbies provide complex functionality including cashiers, customer service, and pharmacies that are often crowded. In this multi-functional venue, VIVOTEK recommends the use of 360-degree panoramic fisheye IP surveillance network cameras. These advanced devices offer surround views with zero blind spots, meaning they can provide total coverage of wide, open areas. VIVOTEK is a leader in the field of those specializing in fisheye cameras, and its 360-degree panoramic fisheye cameras are equipped with its self-developed Smart VCA (Video Content Analysis). With human-centered AI based deep-learning technology, this feature can enhance operational efficiency by offering higher accuracy and fewer false alarms. Further, in the era of smart healthcare, VIVOTEK's video management software VAST 2 can integrate with Health Information systems (HIS) to combine medical records, prescriptions, and payment sheets with video footage. Operators can set up keywords to receive event notification through the triggering of a relevant alarm. 3.Corridors: An increasing number of hospitals are expanding into roles as local health centers, and thus also expanding their functionality with multiple buildings. Each building in such complexes is usually connected via a long corridor. Even in the out-patient area, the space is commonly designed with corridor access to a waiting area. It is for this reason that VIVOTEK's cameras are equipped with Corridor Mode, enabling video rotation that better captures the perspective of narrow corridors, hallways or aisles and maximizes image visibility without sacrificing peripheral monitor space. 4.Datacenter, laboratory and VIP room: In the critical areas such as data centers, laboratories and VIP rooms, IoMT can enhance protection and service through AI-driven Video Content Analysis. VIVOTEK adopts an advanced AI engine for people detection and has developed Smart VCA technology that provides higher accuracy and fewer false alarms. The on-board VIVOTEK Smart VCA suite includes advanced detection of Intrusion, Loitering, Line-Crossing, Unattended Objects, Missing Objects, Faces, and Crowds. Moreover, VIVOTEK has integrated CyberLink's FaceMe® AI facial recognition engine into its IP surveillance solutions. Through this strengthened alliance, facial recognition intelligence will be integrated with VIVOTEK's network cameras and back-end video management software, enabling security operators to receive accurate facial recognition alerts based on both blacklists and whitelists. 5.Elevator: Hospital elevators are an ideal location for the implementation of mini type IP surveillance systems. VIVOTEK's ultra-mini fixed dome network camera is designed with a tiny diameter of only 90 mm that is smaller than your palm, and is armed with Rugged IK10 design housing, capable of withstanding the impact of a 5 kg mass dropped from 400 mm above the impacted surface. With tamper detection, the camera is capable of detecting incidents such as redirection, blocking or defocusing, or even spray paint. Due to its compact and intelligent design, it offers security but remains discrete. 6.Parking areas: VIVOTEK introduces its License Plate Recognition (LPR) camera, featuring built-in License Plate Recognition software and all-in-one edge-computing capability without the need for additional servers. The camera also offers efficient access control management through black & white lists and centralized maintenance of multi-site cameras, meaning that security staff of parking areas with multiple entry points no longer need to upgrade systems one at a time. They can simply upload these lists to a single centralized LPR camera and all the other LPR cameras will download the master list, significantly reducing both installation time and maintenance effort. Learn more about all-in-one LPR. During the COVID-19 pandemic, thermal imaging scanners help to prevent the spread of the disease by detecting individuals with elevated body temperature in areas of high foot traffic. VIVOTEK offers a Crowd Control Solution for businesses to maintain maximum occupancy as well as a safer and healthier environment. Its 3D stereo counting camera designed with dual lens provides precise tracking and a counting accuracy up to 98%, making it ideally suited for hospital entrances, operation rooms and restricted areas. AIoT has transformed network and information technology in Smart Healthcare, but its rapid rise has made it a target for cyber-attacks. There is also an increasing number of cyber-attacks involving healthcare extortion and stolen medical records. Medical professionals are able to access databases and medical records in a very short time, however, such highly connected devices and data increase the need for cybersecurity. Highly attune to such developments, VIVOTEK's network cameras and video recorders are embedded with Trend Micro's anti-intrusion software with multi-layer protection allowing security managers to respond faster to threats and minimize cyber-risks in smart healthcare.

09/03/2020VIVOTEK Strengthens AI Video Analytics with Genetec and Milestone

Delta's subsidiary VIVOTEK announced enhancements in compatibility for AI video analytics and cybersecurity with its strategic video management software partners, Genetec and Milestone. These advances empower users to deploy intelligent and secured IP surveillance systems while enjoying seamless connectivity. Two enhanced features are highlighted: -AI video analytics: Implementing AI into its core technology, VIVOTEK adopts an advanced AI engine in people detection and develops Smart VCA technology with higher accuracy and fewer false alarms. The on-board VIVOTEK Smart VCA suite includes advanced detection of Intrusion, Loitering, Line-Crossing, Unattended Objects, Missing Objects, Faces, and Crowds. Each Smart VCA event from a VIVOTEK network camera can also be set to trigger a relevant alarm in both Genetec Security Center and Milestone XProtect® video management software. Moreover, security operators now can visualize bounding boxes and detection areas through Milestone XProtect® video management software. -Cybersecurity notification: To address rising threats to cybersecurity, VIVOTEK provides end to end comprehensive protection with its Cybersecurity Management Solution in partnership with Trend Micro, a global leader in cybersecurity solutions. Now security operators can obtain advanced cybersecurity protection and also receive event notification via either Genetec Security Center or Milestone XProtect®. Peter Chang, Director of VIVOTEK Product Planning Division commented, “in 2014, VIVOTEK launched its Solution Integration Alliance (SIA) program to cooperate effectively with global partners who bring to the table different expertise in different areas. Genetec and Milestone are two of our strategic video management software partners and we will continue to invest more resources to facilitate mutual alliances. Together, we are able to reinforce video analytics and grow the businesses in this connected world and we imagine a safer, more intelligent, and more secure future.”

06/04/2020Edge-computing: Delta's SmartPASS Solution Improves Parking Lot Management Efficiency

With the development of IoT technology, more powerful data processing technologies are needed to convert large scale data from various IoT devices. Take buildings for example, data such as building equipment information, environment detection status, and video surveillance can be used as the basis for making a building management and control strategy. In the IoT era, how to analyze, process and store large amounts of building information to meet users' safety, comfort and convenience needs has become the key to determining the right building management and control solutions. Driven by the development of smart buildings, the trend for surveillance is evolving. To ensure the security of people and assets inside and outside of buildings, various surveillance management solutions and applications have emerged in response to the demands from different zones and internal enterprise systems, such as parking lot management systems, access control systems, perimeter management, and others. With diverse security applications, the needs of cross-field and cross-system surveillance integration are increasing. As a result, video analysis technology is improving to fulfill people's expectations for smart surveillance. For an actual office building example, an IP camera installed at the entrance of the parking lot immediately verifies if visitors are registered using the license plate recognition system. The access control system can then open the gate and send notifications to the relevant reception. In the reserved meeting room, the lighting, air conditioning and projector are turned on automatically, to achieve the full integration of surveillance and building automation applications. To achieve smart building management as per the above scenario, enterprises need a smart surveillance platform to effectively integrate IP cameras, edge computing hosts with video analysis software, and servers with internal systems such as attendance systems and conference room reservation systems.. In view of the need for cross-system and cross-field surveillance integration, Delta's SmartPASS solution provides a complete integrated platform that can display real-time video surveillance collected by cameras in various zones to achieve global perimeter management, access control management, and industrial security monitoring. This platform can also be equipped with a variety of surveillance application software, such as face recognition and license plate recognition, and further integrate the company's internal attendance system, conference room management system, and others, to ensure user safety and improve building management efficiency. Delta's parking lot management solution provides a license plate recognition range that is wider than the industry average. It improves not only the flexibility and convenience of installation, but also provides continuous machine learning. As the amount of data increases, the investigation rate and accuracy rate improves. In addition, it supports a dynamic license plate recognition feature. Visitors can pass directly through the gate without the need for stopping their cars for license plate verification, reducing waiting time and increasing user satisfaction. The SmartPASS platform provides real-time equipment status tracking and maintenance alerts, saving on labor and maintenance costs for checking equipment status onsite. Through the "centralized management and decentralized control" of Delta's SmartPASS platform, high-resolution video recorded by the network cameras installed in each zone can be transmitted to the edge-computing host for analysis. The analysis results immediately trigger the operation of related equipment and send notifications. In addition to reducing manpower management costs, decentralized control also further reduces security vulnerabilities caused by the interruption and delay of data transmission that occurs in past centralized control. Big data analysis and the storage of videos can be processed by the host for central management. Detailed video analysis can be used to make security management and control strategies and become the basis for management and control of the front-end edge computing host. Through machine learning, smart surveillance becomes a closer fit with the users' practices. Learn more about Delta's Smart Surveillance Solutions.

06/01/2020A New Normal: Touchless Offices in the Post-Pandemic World

As politicians and business leaders scramble to imagine life in the post-pandemic world, large tech companies like Apple and Facebook are actively assembling their back-to-work strategies. Apple's secretive product strategy makes it difficult for workers to maintain security while working remotely. What does a return to work look like, while protecting the health and safety of employees? Companies will be implementing different strategies to balance the need for corporations to resume profitability and yet be responsible to employees. Some are changing floorplans: separating desks and walling in workstations. Others are implementing staggered shifts. New measures in sanitization and hand washing may become the norm. BBC Future asks what “normal” really is. They challenged their readers to define normal and abnormal in psychological terms. As people grow increasingly nervous about the spread of germs, the definition of normal continues to shift. Perceptions of what is considered normal behavior pre-pandemic may shift dramatically in the future. Technology as a reflection of the needs and habits of the populous will change as well. How many companies will be utilizing technology as a way to facilitate a new normal? Workers are already using technology in unique ways to facilitate current needs. Business communication apps are being widely adopted. Remote data exchange and collaboration tools such as Dropbox and Google Docs are gaining traction. Will this continue as people return to office life? What other technologies will help facilities cope, as we enter the next chapter? The building automation industry is positioned to see drastic changes to help facilitate a healthy workplace. Standards for fresh air and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) will certainly come to the forefront. How a space is utilized and how people interact with their environment is equally important. ASHRAE defines a minimum range of 15-20 cfm of fresh air per person in an office environment. This does not take into account all of the other factors in ASHRAE standards 62.1 and 62.2 that pertain to ventilation requirements. Total volume of space, expected activity requirements and total utilization of the space are all factored into the minimums. But fresh air won't mitigate infection points. Door handles, AV remotes and common-use appliances are all at play when it comes to transmitting disease. Building automation will have to expand in scope if it is going to contribute to a safer work environment. Likewise, increases to filtering and ventilation requirements won't be enough to prevent or mitigate the next pandemic. The industry will need to embrace the need for a touchless office environment to help workers re-gain the confidence of working at a desk with hundreds of other people in cubicles nearby. The biggest change will be the separation of technologies in buildings. There is an expectation that building automation systems and the equipment that people use in a facility are separate. Typically, in a boardroom, an access system controls entrance into the space if access is automated. It is booked for use through proprietary software at a PC. Temperature is controlled by a wall thermostat. Users adjust lighting by common switches and dimmers. Automatic blinds are controlled by remotes or touchpads. AV equipment is manually switched on by another remote control. All of these are potential infection points when used by multiple people every day. As long as these systems remain separate, they will remain infection points. All of these systems will need to become more commonly integrated to have a meaningful effect on the safety of office spaces. Integration starts with networks. Building automation systems are poised to become the central communication hub of any facility. Building networks are implemented using IP communication with increasing frequency. IP communication is the same network type as computers. If employees book meeting rooms with Microsoft Outlook or similar proprietary booking apps, they could be connected directly to the building automation system. This is a key point in the integration of equipment. Access and lighting systems have been increasingly integrated into building automation. Automatic blinds are relatively simple devices by building automation standards. They require simple wireless protocols or direct-wired connections from the BAS to control. With these systems and devices connected, a user can book a meeting room, adjust preferred lighting, open the doors to the room and adjust the blinds for presentations. Nonetheless, infection points still remain. Integrated or not, lighting is typically controlled from wall switches. Blinds use remotes or touch panels. Temperature is controlled by thermostats. People will need to turn on a projector to deliver presentations. Building automation systems can do better, though. Design of these systems needs to start from the perspective of being user-centric. Building systems are typically designed with the thought that only select individuals in a building will access the system directly. These people are frequently facilities managers, maintenance staff or energy managers. In user-centric design, it is assumed that anyone in the building could access the system in order to avoid the infection points. Users need to access the system from their phones. In an era where an app exists for everything, it is surprising how infrequently apps are designed and implemented for building control. When those apps are available, they are mainly designed for use by a small portion of people in the building. The COVID-19 pandemic may change all of this. In an era where touching a door handle or light switch is risky business, the industry will have the motivation necessary to overhaul these designs. When that happens, the reality of a touchless office will begin taking shape. However, there's still the matter of the television in the boardroom. People will naturally search for a remote control to turn on the screen, adjust volume and change inputs. That's where the extension of system integration comes in. As IoT protocols such as MQTT grow more prevalent, building automation systems can use those protocols to control devices that are used every day, but rarely are integrated into the system. IoT provides a common point of integration. Other communications can be integrated as well, including Bluetooth, IR communications and API. In a touchless office, an employee can use a Bluetooth access reader to open the doors of the building using their phone. They can book meetings, schedule hot-desk assignments and schedule times that they'll be in the office or working from home from a single app. This app will turn on lights and adjust the room temperature. When they need to attend a meeting, this same app turns on televisions and opens meeting space doors. With Bluetooth beaconing it will all be automatic, or they can fine-tune their settings. There's no limit to what can be controlled. One day, employees could order a coffee from the company canteen using their phone, the same way they order from their local coffee shop today. This isn't a future vision reliant on technologies that have yet to be created. The vision described here uses communication technology that's in existence and in operation today. With the right building system, corporations need to be exploring a touchless office as the centerpiece for their return-to-work strategy. Welcome to the new normal. Source: Work Design Magazine

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