ESSENTIAL ASSISTED LIVING
SMART BUILDINGS THAT ADAPT FOR ASSISTED LIVING Smart building technology can help people live independent and fulfilling lives. Dean Reddy, ABB’s Product Marketing Specialist for smart buildings, explains how building automation can help people with disabilities and complex needs, as well as older people, to live independent lives. HOW IS THE MARKET FOR ASSISTED LIVING TECHNOLOGY IN THE UK?
WHAT ARE THE KEY REQUIREMENTS?
Traditionally, we’ve rewired buildings every 20-30 years but there’s no need to rewire
The most important requirement is adaptability,
It’s a growing market as people are waking
whether in private homes, purpose-built
up to the potential of the technology. We’re
apartments or sheltered accommodation.
seeing more projects both for assisted living
People’s needs change naturally over time
and later living, mostly from consultants and
and ABB i-bus KNX is ideal to support this.
developers as end users are not yet aware of
For example by putting in the infrastructure,
the possibilities.
the property can be reconfigured around the
Consultants are looking for solutions
resident’s needs.
to present to their clients and developers
The core of a smart building system includes
are interested in building apartments that
control over HVAC, lighting and blinds. It can
will adapt as residents’ needs change.
also control security and access, appliances
There’s also interest from the retrofit market,
such as TV and fans, and doors that open and
as past infrastructure was not adaptable
close at the touch of a button. Furthermore, it
or scalable.
can integrate specialist living aids such as lifting
By 2066, more than a quarter of the UK’s
hoists and other appliances.
population will be 65 or over – a total of 20.4
Adding voice control or another function
million people. It will be important for them to
would previously have required rewiring. But
have technology to help them live independently
by installing ABB i-bus KNX structured wiring,
for as long as possible.
you can simply add a module to upgrade or add
Independent living will also be important
new functionality.
structured cabling unless there are significant changes to a building. It is simply a case of changing the hardware components to adjust to new requirements.
HOW IS FLEXIBILITY BUILT INTO THE CONTROL INTERFACE? It’s not just the building’s functions that need to be adaptable, the interface also needs to be accessible for people with complex and varying needs. Every project is different, partly because individuals have large variation in what they need from a system. For example, it’s possible to provide support for people with cognitive and memory issues, vision problems, as well as dexterity and co-ordination issues. Our standard interface for ABB i-bus KNX
for wider society. Technology doesn’t just
New technologies and lifestyles also
or the ABB free@home smart home solution is
provide independence, it also reduces the level
develop over time, so it’s also important to try
based on an app but it can be adapted to suit
of support and care that people need, helping
to foresee the needs of coming generations.
the needs of residents. The idea is to provide
to control costs and reducing the impact
Buildings under construction today will still be
people with straight-forward control over their
on society.
in use in 50 or 60 years time.
environment, whatever their needs.
48 JULY 2021
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