From Innovation to Practical Application: How Do Smart Buildings Improve Our Daily Lives?
In response to changing usage patterns and new expectations from occupants, buildings must become smarter, more flexible, and more sustainable.
The goal: to improve user comfort.
A look at the concrete benefits of these innovations, the challenges, and the trends that will shape the future of the sector with Céline Auguin, Head of Innovation and BIM Operations at Equans Services Bâtiments & Infrastructures
What are the main benefits of innovations in the building industry?
The ways in which workspaces are used are constantly evolving, and the services associated with them must adapt accordingly. Between new ways of organizing work and user expectations, it is becoming essential to anticipate short- and medium-term needs in order to provide work environments that are more adaptable and comfortable.
Today, simply coming into the office must offer a real advantage over remote work—whether in terms of comfort, services, or flexibility. Innovation is the key to meeting these new demands. Thanks to technological advances, we can ensure an environment with optimal conditions.
Air quality, temperature, lighting, and acoustics—all these parameters can be adjusted in real time to enhance well-being at work. Apps also allow occupants to personalize their space, such as by adjusting the lighting or temperature according to their preferences. Connected services are growing rapidly: room reservations, optimization of space occupancy, and information on the schedule of internal activities.
The goal is to make the office a more attractive place that’s better suited to new lifestyles. Beyond physical comfort, we seek to enrich the user experience with additional services. Some buildings already offer flexible spaces that adapt throughout the day: a dining area can easily be transformed into an event venue in the evening. Almost anything is now technically possible.
What are the main challenges that need to be overcome?
Innovation in building systems is a daily challenge, particularly because we work on existing infrastructure that is often heterogeneous and complex.
Each site has its own technical characteristics tied to its history, with equipment from different generations. The site’s geography must also be taken into account. A building with multiple basement levels often presents connectivity challenges due to the lack of a cellular network. Another key challenge is data management and updating.
Tools such as BIM (Building Information Modeling) make it possible to digitize and centralize all of a building’s technical information to improve maintenance, but this data must still be kept up to date. This is a real challenge because a building is constantly evolving: new equipment, space renovations, technical work…
A BIM model can quickly become obsolete and lose its value. Finally, the issue of sustainability is central. Innovation is all well and good, but the solutions implemented must enhance energy efficiency and deliver a real return on investment—for the building manager as well as for regular and temporary occupants alike.
A balance must be struck between technological and economic performance, prioritizing innovations that provide real added value. Beyond these factors, the final barrier to innovation remains cultural. Any profound transformation naturally meets with resistance, as users expect significant added value.
What are the trends and future prospects?
The integration of automation, augmented reality, and artificial intelligence will accelerate the transformation of our industries. By collecting and analyzing data in real time, we can track space occupancy and should even be able to anticipate it using predictive models.
In addition to energy efficiency, this control allows us to optimize all equipment and facilities to extend their service life. New technologies deliver very tangible benefits. Augmented reality, for example, facilitates a technician’s work by displaying a 3D model of a building in their glasses.
This allows them to identify the source of a leak in record time and repair it very quickly to avoid any inconvenience. It is also possible to automate certain tasks, such as maintenance or routine inspections. In practical terms, occupants benefit from a high-quality environment with ultra-fast detection of technical or cleanliness issues, which enhances the level of service and comfort.
Made possible by technological innovations, these solutions nevertheless rely on the expertise of field teams, who are trained to fully harness the potential of these tools for the benefit of users. Another key trend is adapting to new hybrid work models.
With remote work, it is becoming increasingly difficult to predict space and service needs. Some companies are already testing dynamic management solutions, asking employees to indicate in advance which days they will be in the office so that office occupancy and the management of services—such as cleaning, maintenance, and food service—can be adjusted accordingly. This leads to significant cost savings and highly effective waste reduction.
Finally, regulations are driving this change. The Tertiary Decree and the BACS (Building Automation & Control Systems) Decree impose performance requirements. They encourage professionals to implement smart control systems and modernize infrastructure.
Ultimately, this will profoundly transform the way we design and operate buildings, with a particular focus on energy efficiency and user well-being.
