How Smart Building Tech Can Drive Sustainable Office Redesigns

Smart building technology can help companies make sustainable improvements to office spaces without breaking the bank.

By Andrew Butterworth

More organizations are working to reach net zero goals and comply with building performance and environmental reporting regulations. An office refit can be both a boon and a hindrance to those efforts, paving the way for more sustainable practices, materials and processes, while adding substantially to the carbon footprints of both the company and the property.

The tie breaker between these two competing imperatives often comes down to cost. According to JLL’s 2024 Design Trends and Cost Guide, the design, construction, and furnishing of an office fit-out will set U.S. and Canadian companies back between $225 and $326 per square foot, on average. That’s an all-time high, up 2.7% year-on-year and 50% from 2019.

Smart building technology can empower companies to incorporate environmentally-friendly materials and practices in their office fit-outs without breaking the bank. Here’s how:

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The Most Sustainable Renovation Is No Renovation

Renovating the offices inside a building can, over time, generate more emissions than the building’s original construction and day-to-day operation combined. That’s because, while construction only happens once and greenhouse gas emissions from building operations are relatively steady over the life of the building, renovations create periodic spikes in actual and embodied emissions. The more frequently a space is renovated, the quicker these spikes add up.

Organizations can save money, reduce waste and rein in their carbon footprint by prolonging the gaps between fit-outs. The best way to do that is to understand not just how space is currently being utilized, but how it’s likely to be used in the future. Smart building technology components like occupancy sensors and digital twins can deliver those insights.

Smart occupancy sensors provide real-time data on how office spaces are used. This data can reveal underutilized areas that can be reallocated or downsized, leading to a more efficient use of office space.

With innovations like digital twins, organizations can pilot design options to find the optimal layout before a project even starts, ensuring they get the renovation right the first time. Digital twins are virtual models of physical spaces that allow for simulations of redesigns before they are physically implemented. This helps in planning sustainable redesigns by testing different configurations, materials, and layouts without the need for physical prototypes, reducing material waste. By piloting different renovation plans virtually, organizations can test multiple design and layout options and select the one that best satisfies both their current and anticipated needs.

With the help of these devices and systems, smart building technology can facilitate redesigns that will stand the test of time and reduce the need for frequent renovations.

An Adaptable Space Is A Future-Proof Space

Smart building technology can also provide data and support capabilities that allow for more agile adjustments to the workspace, such as reconfigurable rooms. Rather than committing to a single office design that might become obsolete, smart building solutions like hot-desking and room booking systems empower companies to adapt their space over time, avoiding the need for physical changes to the office.

Smart systems can help reassign spaces based on usage patterns, ensuring that spaces that are underutilized are repurposed effectively. This can include converting unused meeting rooms into collaborative spaces or creating quiet zones as needed, keeping the office layout fresh and functional.

Smart building systems that monitor and adjust environmental factors such as air quality, temperature, and lighting can create a consistently comfortable and healthy workspace. These adjustments, based on real-time data, keep the office environment optimal.

Finally, digital signage can be used to guide employees to specific areas of a workplace based on their preferences for specific temperature, noise and lighting levels.

Prolonging That Post-Renovation Excitement

There’s no question that office renovations play an important role in shaping company culture and employee morale. A reconfigured office layout, fresh color palette, or even just new furniture can have a profound impact on how employees feel about their workplace, invigorating the workforce and creating a sense of pride and belonging. Smart building technology has several “evergreen” elements that can help keep office spaces feeling fresh and vital long after a renovation is completed. These elements are designed to adapt to changing needs, trends, and technologies, ensuring that the workspace remains dynamic and engaging over time.

Smart lighting systems that allow for customizable color temperatures and dynamic lighting effects can create different moods and atmospheres in the office. These systems can be programmed to change throughout the day, enhancing the workspace without the need for new fixtures or decor. Decorative lighting elements, such as LED strips or smart bulbs, can be easily reprogrammed to reflect seasonal themes, holidays, or company events. This capability keeps the office environment visually engaging and adaptable to different occasions.

Smart building systems, such as those controlling lighting, HVAC, and space management, often receive regular software updates. These updates can introduce new features, improve efficiency, and integrate with the latest workplace applications, ensuring that the technology stays current and continues to meet the evolving needs of the workforce.

As new collaboration and productivity apps emerge, smart building platforms can often be integrated with them. Smart systems can sync with employee scheduling apps, occupancy sensors, or wellness platforms, keeping the office environment in tune with the requirements of the organization and its employees.

Achieving A “Right First Time” Design Approach

Office renovations can deliver a range of benefits, from a reinvigorated workforce to a healthier and more inclusive work environment. But facility executives must weigh the benefits of a redesign against the cost, disruption, waste and emissions associated with them.

By adopting smart building technology, real estate stakeholders can reduce the frequency of office renovations. And when a renovation does become unavoidable, organizations can use smart building solutions to help them manage costs, meet sustainability goals, and create an adaptable, efficient, future-proof workplace that meets the needs of today while preparing for the uncertainties of tomorrow.

Butterworth has over 30 years’ experience working in high level management positions in engineering and property related industries. As VP of Strategy at FM:Systems, he helps guide the corporate strategy and provides key insights into the future needs of the market.

Read more about workplace design and facility management on Facility Executive.

Building Design & Construction, Energy & Sustainability, Featured, Retrofits, Technology

buildings, data, Digital Twins, Facility Executive, FM:Systems, HVAC, JLL, net zero goals, Office Design, Office Retrofit, renovation, retrofit, smart building technology, smart lighting, Sustainability, sustainable practices

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