SmartCore for Smart Building Consultants
The role of a smart building consultant has emerged to streamline the smart building process and advise the client, architect, main contractor and MSI. They often have a direct relationship with the client, aiming to provide a unified, cohesive solution that meets the client's brief. This is a relatively new role and is not common on every building project, but it is becoming apparent that the traditional construction industry does not have the skills to create smart, connected buildings because the market is still emerging and is very fragmented with no standardisation. This makes installing technology very difficult because there is yet to be a common standard and approach adopted by all.
Historically all systems were siloed, which meant that the data collected could not be used to its full potential. The facility manager would have to analyse multiple systems to make a decision, which would be too time-consuming. Therefore, the smart building consultant oversees the effective delivery and integration of all of these services/systems. The benefits are:
· New useful insights
· Cost saving
· Efficiencies
· Energy saving
· Productivity
· Improved occupant wellbeing
· Improved communication across the organisation
"The smart building consultant acts as a specifier and an engineer during the design and construction portion of the project. They issue drawings and specifications that trigger a master systems integrator on the construction team to implement the integration sequences as well as provide the smart building software platform. The engineering specification triggers both a service (custom integration) and a product (smart building platform) generally provided by a master systems integrator (service) and a manufacturer (product)" (CSE Magazine 2020).
The smart building consultant must successfully communicate with related roles such as designers, builders and manufacturers, ensuring they all understand how they contribute to the overall integration.
Smart Building Consultants Main Objectives:
Development of smart building technology strategy, design and business case
System specification tender and commissioning
Oversee the delivery of the project
Digital commissioning, audit and verification ensuring it meets the clients brief
Smart Building Consultants Main Challenges:
Maintaining relevant domain expertise in multiple areas at a time of rapid technological change
Often not involved in the project from the beginning, being brought in later in the process to "clean up the mess" when smart system delivery has failed
With this in mind, how can SmartCore support Smart Building Consultants and make the smart building delivery process easier?
At amBX, our software solution, SmartCore, offers smart lighting control and building integration through its unique open architecture. We benefit smart building consultants by offering lighting control as one of the 'products', but we can also communicate with other devices and systems in the building, passing data and allowing for a unified system to be created; therefore, we also support the MSI in the 'customer integration' service too. We can communicate with protocols such as Modbus, MQTT, BACnet, PoE, Dali, DMX, Bluetooth and more. Data collected can be passed to the cloud or third-party system.
Our software is embedded in a variety of smart building platforms, providing them with additional capability and simplifying the process for smart building consultants. We also have our own range of user interfaces that can be utilised, or bespoke tools can be built to meet the customer's requirements.
Benefits of amBX SmartCore:
Open architecture and compatibility with most building and lighting protocols
amBX is a cost-effective way of linking multiple systems, acting as a middleware layer that transfers data
Constant development to ensure we remain compliant and compatible with future protocols
amBX SmartCore software can be installed on 3rd party hardware and removes the need for system integration
