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Smart building ecosystems – an interconnected future By Martin Read
claiming that such a system ‘can be defined as’ rather than ‘is defined as’ what is then described. That’s important – these are early days. The discussion touched on moving on from the workplace and facilities management sector’s often fragmented approach to these critical issues of developnent, instead seizing the initiative and playing its part as an integral part in the many complex discussions ahead. Here are the key takeaways:
PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK
he concept of a smart city ecosystem – and how workplace and facilities managers can help in developing and sustaining one – was the subject of a round table event held recently at Microsoft’s offices in Paddington, London. Entitled ‘The Smart Places Ecosystem – Unlocking the full potential of SMART assets/ buildings/cities/portfolios’, the discussion was the first part of a project being undertaken by the IWFM in partnership with Microsoft to produce further guidance on the topic. The smart city ecosystem notion is rooted in the idea of previously independent local buildings becoming increasingly linked by technology, enabling interconnected efficiencies across a variety of perspectives from security, productivity and, perhaps most topically, energy management. Except, that’s just the most immediate description from an FM point of view. More broadly, a ‘smart city’ comprises processes and policies as well as enabling technologies, all collaborating towards a wider range of required outcomes across this interlinked ‘estate’. The question, tackled by an audience representing FM service providers, technology providers, researchers and clients, was the extent to which FM is, or can be, a key factor in both the developing and sustaining of such ecosystems. After all, IT ecosystems operate pretty much everywhere – it’s just the extent to which they are connected that’s questionable. A critical starting point is to realise that even in published literature the term ‘smart places ecosystem’ is a relatively recent one, with most definitions to date
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