Smart buildings and IoT have been hot buzzwords for some time now but with the onset of COVID, its become a very topical issue, especially as more and more people head back to work and businesses want to ensure optimal safety.
As many of us know, COVID-19 is thought to spread mainly through close contact from person to person. In more recent research, however, some uncertainty remains about the relative importance of different routes of transmission of the virus. Evidence now confirms that the virus can remain airborne for longer times and further distances than originally thought. In addition to close contact with infected people and contaminated surfaces, the spread of the virus may also occur via airborne particles within indoor environments, in some circumstances beyond the 2m (about 6 ft) range encouraged by some social distancing recommendations.
A data-driven strategy for building operations is nothing unfamiliar to forward-thinking companies who look to improve facility management and energy efficiency through digitalization, but today, it proves to be just as powerful in helping to navigate and tackle the unique challenges of a post-pandemic or Post-Covid world. Smart building technology, especially IoT and wireless sensor solutions, is allowing owners and operators to effectively enforce new building guidelines and protocols, ensuring optimal ventilation, hygiene, distancing, and tenants’ wellbeing. Ultimately wireless IoT sensors can help answer the urgent need to augment safety and mitigate infection risks following re-entry.
Anonymous presence detectors and people counting sensors can gauge occupancy density and dwell time in common areas, as well as foot traffic through each door. With this information, operators can detect existing hot spots and control access accordingly. Coupling real-time data from indoor air quality sensors with traffic density information, ventilation requirements can be effectively determined to minimize airborne transmission risk.
In a nutshell, having a Smart Building powered by an innovative IoT solution empowers business owners, building managers, and operators to ensure their workspaces are as healthy and as safe as possible. It provides them with a comprehensive view of their building operation and helps ensure a safe and anti-virus indoor environment.