SMART buildings on the rise
By Ross Fittall, Commercial Director at Paradise Birmingham developer, MEPC
As Paradise focuses on an increasingly SMART future for the estate and the individual buildings within it, it’s worth drilling down into what SMART and ‘smarter’ buildings can actually deliver for Birmingham.
SMART criteria stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant and Time-bound objectives that can be applied across a variety of circumstances.
Our wider development and consultant team is focused like never before on ensuring the application of the latest technology serves our aims of creating the most connected and sustainable piece of Birmingham we can.
That’s the important part, regardless of what we badge or call it. Being alive to the challenges of our times is the key point.
At Paradise, we are already adhering to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) especially the ones that are most relevant to the built environment, namely the goals around Good Health and Wellbeing, Quality Education, Decent Work and Economic Growth, Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, Reduced Inequalities, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, and Life on Land.
Badged as ‘action for people and the planet’, the goals can be reflected throughout all commercial activity, including that conducted through the built environment.
For example, working to the goal on creating sustainable cities and communities fits in with our aim of creating highly sustainable buildings, promoting active travel to, from and around the site, and managing our contractors and supply chain to reflect the same priorities.
This work also comes at a time where our latest building to complete, One Centenary Way, won the Best Smart Building Award at the 2024 international Innovation Awards in Barcelona recognising the building system management delivered by Vanti.
With global competition from China, Dubai, India, Saudi Arabia and other projects across the UK, One Centenary Way is cementing its position as one of the most sustainable commercial spaces not only in the city, but in the country.
By pushing at the limits of what smart building principles can do, our specialist designers, collaborators, contractors and suppliers work with everyone involved in our projects to seamlessly integrate controls for HVAC, security, safety and lighting.
All of this can be more easily and efficiently monitored and controlled from one central point, helping our occupiers improve the overall functionality of their space and achieve results that make their own journey to zero carbon happen.
By driving data-led decision making throughout the design and build stages, as well as in the operational life of each of our buildings, we are embracing the use of the latest digital technology to transition, accelerate, predict and extend the lifecycle of buildings.
Real-time, digital information helps everyone involved, from us as the developers to contractors, building managers, and most of all, occupiers, who can take major benefits from the SMART technology integrated into the design.
The ease of moving around the building, from arrival, exit and all points in-between, and how people can interface with the real-time information and data being gathered and presented on screens and the app allows for informed decision making.
In particular, Paradise is addressing the urgent need for Net-Zero development that is revolutionising asset management and energy usage, with SMART technology playing a major part in turning real estate assets into sustainable, energy-efficient workspaces for both today and tomorrow.
This all means we and the industry we work in, are doing our best to mitigate our impact on the world around us, whether that is across the road or on the other side of the world.
And we take these responsibilities seriously.