Smart education

How digitalising education facilities can maximise efficiency in response to COVID-19

While lockdown restrictions are being eased, it is likely that COVID-19 will leave a lasting legacy on our attitudes to safety and building management. As schools readjust to operating within the new norm, one thing is for certain: there is always room for vigilance when it comes to school processes. Whether to reduce costs, maximise efficiencies, or achieve optimal well-being of schoolgoing children, smart technologies are here to stay for their extensive benefits.

Schools of the future will be smarter

COVID-19 has underscored the importance of automated processes, which are adaptable to different building occupancies and shifting challenges. As schools around the world take the first steps towards digital transformation, the simplicity and ease of integration of some smart technologies are showing marked cost savings; streamlined safety, maintenance and operational efficiencies; and enhanced green potential. Real-time reporting from sensors and technologies are mobilising schools to adopt a data-driven approach to take their schools into the future.

COVID-19 considerations

Since withdrawn, the Government’s guidelines on schools’ management during COVID-19 have provided food for thought for governing bodies and facilities managers in the school setting. It is also driving the adoption of data-based smart solutions to counteract operational challenges and reduce costs. The guidelines dealt with partially closed facilities - and guidelines for full opening have since been issued. Within the school context, the categories outlined in the original guidelines are perennially important and, with a bearing on safety, the more precise, the better.

Coronavirus and temperature checking

Across different facilities, temperature screening has become a naturalised daily occurrence,

with elevated temperatures a good indicator of underlying illness. In the school setting, crowd screening technology has the potential to give live temperature readings, alerts, and access control functionality. It can also be used as a contact traceability tool when high temperatures are detected. Using infrared sensors, this technology provides medically accurate readings in real time with minimal disruptions or student backlogs.

Hot and cold water systems

The dormancy of school buildings has created a secondary worry around Legionella - and the latest guidance from The Department of Education encourages the usual pre-term building checks are conducted. This is an ongoing responsibility and one which is traditionally labour-intensive - involving hot and cold water temperature testing and flushing. This bacteria causes Legionnaires’ Disease, which is preventable yet potentially fatal. Automated Legionella testing removes the need for human effort, cost, potential exposure, and manual record-keeping. It also provides alerts of undesirable temperature readings and expedited response times (which, in buildings of extensive pipework, can avoid hefty maintenance bills). This smart approach to Legionella maintenance is a simple compliance tool, which will help to ensure statutory obligations and prevent sometimes punitive penalties.

A smarter outlook on energy and green transformation

Without question, saving energy is smart - and smart technologies are leading the charge in helping schools to reduce consumption and achieve green goals. This is being achieved in a range of ways - from constant monitoring of HVAC usage, heating systems, and lighting to the development of data-driven maintenance schedules to keep equipment performing efficiently. Smart sensors can deliver real-time insights on usage and occupancy, reducing waste to a minimum.

Compliance around fire safety monitoring

Fire safety is a key compliance concern for schools. A system of smart tags and sensors can perform system tests, monitor extinguishers for tampering (notifying personnel on movement and weight changes, for instance), report on gas leaks and other risk factors, and keep a detailed, cloud-based record for compliance purposes. This removes the chance of human error and works together with smoke and fire alerts, automated roll call, and fire door monitoring to offer schools a demonstrably meticulous approach to fire safety.

There’s smart and there’s smarter

Iot (Internet of Things) solutions providers, like us, have developed a suite of smart solutions which cater to the schools of the future. Wireless, long-lasting and costeffective solutions combine a system of tags, sensors, and pressure pads, which transmit data over a secure and private network. These powerful tools send data to a remote dashboard in real time, with alerts for undesirable readings, breaches, and metrics - tailored to facilities owners’ buildings, assets, and needs. With a user-friendly interface, these systems also collect data for thorough record-keeping and meaningful data insights, which have

the potential to inspire informed decision-making and strategic development as schools continue to respond to the ongoing COVID-19

crisis.

Matthew Margetts is Director of Sales and Marketing at Smarter Technologies. His background

includes working for blue-chip companies such as AppNexus, AOL/ Verizon, and Microsoft in the UK, Far East and Australia.

Smarter Technologies tracks, monitors and recovers assets across the globe in real time, providing asset tracking systems to the open market and fulfilling the world’s most complex asset tracking requirements. Their services cover a vast array of business sectors, products and equipment from container or pallet tracking to military-grade devices; and can be used across a broad spectrum of industries. As a leading IoT company, they also provide smart building solutions for modern businesses, offering wirefree, battery-powered and low-cost IoT smart sensor technology. Their solutions will put an end to scheduled maintenance and help businesses utilise their building’s efficiency, benefitting from real-time alerts and facilities management tools that will bring them into the 21st century.

For further information please visit https://smartertechnologies.com

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The Smart move

Six reasons why smart technology is the right move for electricians

We have smart devices, smart homes, smart offices, smart cities, and soon, even a smarter Wi-Fi network. With such a heavy focus on smarter connectivity, what does it mean for the electrical industry? More opportunities for electricians, for one.

We recently covered emerging smart tech trends and how this could open up more jobs for electricians. Here, we’re looking at how electricians fit in this booming market and why they should start taking advantage of it right now — before it gets even bigger.

1. The Smart Home Market Is Growing

Today, there are more residential opportunities to work with high-tech systems than ever before. According to Frost & Sullivan, 66% of homeowners would prefer a professional installer to install their smart home systems. This doesn’t just refer to swapping in a smart thermostat, either. Homeowners are turning to certified electricians to install smart lighting systems, smart security devices, backup power storage systems, and more.

“Contractors need to stay versed in the new items and technologies on the market,” Mehs Ess said, who is the District Manager for the Austin Group at City Electric Supply.

“Tastes, demands, and availability are always changing in smart controls. Since a supplier should be the liaison between the electrical contractor and the manufacturer, he should introduce new products, be conscious of the applications, the costs, and help connect contractors with the tech support necessary to install these often complex systems.”

And as the smart home market grows, that reliance on distributors is going to grow as well. Whether it’s introducing contractors to smart controls or helping them get the support they need to install it, City

2. Retrofit Applications

Smart lighting comes standard in new construction, which includes basic smart lighting features like time clock control, occupancy sensing, and remote access. But what about retrofitting?

For existing buildings and homes, integrating wireless features is a cost-effective entry point.

Remote lighting capabilities, daylight harvesting sensors, occupancy sensors — these features aren’t just about efficiency, but integration with other smart technologies in a building’s automated system. By installing smarter lighting systems, contractors are giving building managers and end users more control over how they manage their energy and light their spaces.

The even better news? Manufacturers of wireless lighting controls are focusing on making installations simple. That means more opportunity for work with little specialized training.

Staying up to date on the number of new smart lighting products hitting the market may be challenging, but it will provide electricians with the chance to upsell upgrades to a space with wireless controls for better energy and labor savings.

Of course, improved efficiency is a given. It might’ve been a groundbreaking development when this technology first hit the market, but now consumers are wanting more control for a better experience.

Fortunately, new features are being introduced about as rapidly as the new products themselves. Now, contractors can recommend products with fully customizable dimming and lighting controls as well as voiceassisted features to seal the deal.

3. Commercial Market

High-tech installations are mainly contracted in the commercial market. In fact, according to a survey by Klein Tools, 3 in 5 electricians have done smart tech installations, and 7 in 10 have seen an increase in smart offices just in their area.

What’s the drive behind this growing demand for integrating more complex systems in new construction and retrofits? To put it simply, building managers want flexibility and convenience, occupants want a more productive, mood-enhancing environment.

In fact, over 80% of new construction features some smart tech connectivity that handles lighting, HVAC, and more. How is that shaping the role of electricians when it comes to the commercial market?

“Many commercial projects now include smart control packages nearly as expensive as the lighting package itself,” said Mehs Ess.

Having that connectivity is a huge selling point, especially in new construction.

The best part? With easier installations being a focus for many manufacturers, contractors can now offer enhanced features like dimmability without having to run dimming wires.

4. 5G and Smart Cities

The future is smart, it’s full of 5G, and it’s coming soon.

For all the benefits that 5G is expected to bring, its impact on smart cities, smart technologies, and even just its deployment will offer electrical contractors a lot of job opportunities.

From improved performance of lighting to more responsive building operations, 5G should introduce cutting-edge capabilities in the smart tech world. One of the main reasons

for this? Greater sensor density — one of the most critical aspects of a smarter future.

Not only will 5G set up a faster network that can exchange information much more rapidly than is possible today, it will also allow for more information to be exchanged by increasing bandwidth.

While 4G towers will remain, 5G is going to rely mainly on “smart cells.” These transmitters can be attached to a 4G tower, but they can also be mounted on power poles and even buildings themselves. The closer you are to a 5G sensor, the better the strength.

So how are we going to really maximize the potential of 5G? These small cells may need to be installed by the hundreds of thousands. By raising the number of sensors and transmitters, smart cities will have better functionality, better datagathering capabilities, and a more powerful network overall.

5. Attracting a Younger Generation

The skilled labor shortage is a challenge, but it’s nothing new to this industry. However, with advances

in smart technology, that could very soon change.

Younger electricians and apprentices are entering the industry because they want a future-proof career that incorporates technology on the job and has the potential for future growth. Not only are these digital natives used to technology being available at their fingertips, but they expect to work with it, too.

This interest from young electricians is also part of the reason why training programs have included up-to-date information on high-tech installations. From 2016 to 2021, Klein Tools has committed $2 million to ensure apprentices and students train with high-quality tools and materials while receiving the highest possible educational experience. Their partnership with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) and the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA) is going straight to programs that integrate classroom learning, interactive simulations, and virtual exercises to efficiently prepare students for the industry.

6. High-Tech Systems. High Job Satisfaction.

Back in 2016, Klein Tools’ State of the Industry survey found that 51% of electricians with at least 10 years of experience preferred working on high-tech installations. This was up from just 24% in 2015.

Working on more complex systems doesn’t just present challenges that allow electricians to improve their craft, it also invites collaboration. On a commercial job site implementing a high-tech system, experienced electricians can mentor young electricians and apprentices, lessening the skills gap and even bringing new ideas to the forefront.

Today, electricians who install these high-tech systems have to be almost as knowledgeable as the engineers who design them.

As the smart tech industry is expected to double in size by 2025, it’s only a matter of time until installing smarter control systems becomes just another part of the job.

For further information please visit

www.cityelectricsupply.com

Improvise, adapt, overcome

Pandemic highlights the need for smarter, more adaptable cities by Cedrik Neike, CEO, Siemens Smart Infrastructure The coronavirus pandemic is a new experience for every one of us. It has changed life as we know it - at work, at home and for public interactions. As some countries start to ease restrictions on public life, how can we go back to ‘normal’ while still maintaining social distancing and feeling safe? How do we manage crowded public spaces like shopping malls, cinemas and restaurants? How do we optimize safety in our offices and factories? More importantly, how do we avoid shutting down entire cities and countries when the next pandemic hits? While the crisis raises many questions, it also forces us to reflect on how our cities can be more human-centric and resilient in the face of unforeseeable challenges. Many would argue there are very few, if any, human-centric cities in the world. Reasons for this include air pollution, poor urban planning and traffic congestion, to name a few. However, despite the chaos of the past months I am convinced there’s a silver lining – it is in adaptability. It is now clearer than ever that the main characteristic of our future cities needs to be adaptability. Here is why I believe so. Adaptability as the game changer The pandemic has given our environment a much-needed breather, but it hasn’t removed the biggest challenges we are up against. Our resources are still finite and using them efficiently so we can live

sustainably on this planet remains a top priority. Today, we have a golden opportunity to reassess how technology can be applied to tackle the challenges of climate change, urbanization and population growth. The pandemic is creating a paradigm shift: we are on the cusp of a leapfrog into a new era of digitalization.

While 99% of city infrastructure remains dumb today, technologically speaking, digitalization can make it more flexible and quicker to respond to crises. Digitalization allows us to create a digital, adaptable twin of a city in the virtual world. We can test and simulate a city’s resiliency to events like natural disasters and pandemics. This helps us understand how adaptable it is to such events and simulate a number of responses to activate in the future.

Our goal should be to create cities that balance environmental impact and economic growth. While natural resources continue to dwindle, data is an infinite resource at our disposal. Data is at the heart of digitalization. Using it can help us achieve this goal by eliminating waste and saving energy and cost. We are already doing that in buildings – and getting better at it. But leveraging data to the advantage of people in cities is still at its infancy. In the future, we envision smart infrastructure becoming all-sensing; an ecosystem that knows you and adapts to your needs, thanks to data and digitalization.

This process is continuous – in the sense that we should create an infinity loop: constant improvement based on the connection from the physical and virtual worlds. It’s like children whose brains develop based on sensory experience – gaining

knowledge through feedback from senses or others: learning not to touch something hot, for example. The infinity loop for infrastructure connects input from all the sensors and experts to continuously improve the experience of those in the city and enhance the value of solutions for our customers.

All-sensing infrastructure

Sensors make all-sensing infrastructure possible. They are used almost everywhere today, from detecting earthquakes, measuring your heart rate on a fitness tracker to ensuring safety of workers on industrial sites. Data collected through these sensors is sent to a computer to be analyzed and used intelligently.

The significance of sensors is growing and is only going to increase after this pandemic, with intelligent sensors contributing more to our public and private lives. This is because they allow us to monitor our surroundings like never before. The challenge is to create an ecosystem by joining all the dots.

Today, through our subsidiary Enlighted, IoT, smart sensors collect

and monitor real time occupancy, light levels, temperatures and energy use. They can distinguish between people and objects and customize controls for specific purposes. There are 3.5 million sensors installed across our customers’ buildings globally, helping them make the best use of their office space and cut energy costs. In the UK, they enable an NHS outpatient facility to cut energy spend by 80% annually.

Smart sensors are also useful in case of a fire – giving firefighters reliable information about the number of people and their location in the building. In other cases, they monitor air pollution, helping cities comply with clean air and emission reduction targets.

While in the past we placed sensors to protect and operate our infrastructure, now we are extending that to make our environment anticipatory, interactive and caring. We realize that using smart IoT sensors can significantly contribute to secure business continuity during a pandemic.

Possible future applications of sensors

What if a pandemic hits again? Sensors could help us continue to work in the office and meet in public by enabling social distancing. They can quantify the density in any given area at any given time, making sure people keep their distance and avoid overcrowding. This means we may not have to shut entire cities and countries in the future.

We also expect the focus on office space efficiency and utilization to increase. It’s something we have looked at for different use cases, such as comfort or asset efficiency,

for a while. In response to COVID-19, more customers are asking for applications that help them design their offices in more optimal ways. Today, 33% of commercial real estate space is underutilized or unused, creating an opportunity to save cost. Add to this the opportunity for a significant increase in ongoing home working, thanks to the biggest forced test in history, and the potential for reducing real estate costs becomes compelling.

There could be more demand for critical environment applications, for example in pressurized rooms for hospitals and labs. In indoor spaces, often more polluted than outdoors, we can use occupancy data to adjust airflow, so it circulates better when there is a density of people in one area. This ensures better air circulation in supermarkets, for example.

Imagine coming to the office during a pandemic, how do we ensure infected people stay at home? Sensors can also play an important role here by measuring temperature

and communicating with access control systems. Workplace apps, such as Comfy, can play a role, allowing people to only book desks that are two meters apart from the next occupied desk.

But more sensors in smart cities also raises important ethical concerns around data privacy – even if our sensors ensure anonymity.

Ethical smart infrastructure

Data privacy is about balancing what is feasible, legal and ethically right. If we want to create all-sensing infrastructure that helps preserve natural resources and tackle global challenges, we need to collect and analyze data. There will be hard choices to make – privacy vs safety, environmental impact and convenience. Individuals have the right to decide what matters to them. We want to make sure our data is used for the limited purpose we signed up to and not misused. Global companies have a big responsibility to manage data ethically and show transparency about what is stored and for what purpose.

Let’s benefit from what we’ve learned

In summary, our world has changed forever: let’s create a new normal that benefits from new uses of technology and from the positives of the experiences of lockdown. We must take the time to reflect on what we want to take forward – more home working, increased virtual collaboration, fewer airmiles and corresponding carbon footprint reduction, flexible working to gain more hours with family. Even a recognition of what really matters in life.

Data exchange will be key to making our cities more adaptable and resilient to crises. With the right setup, the infrastructure that is most adaptable to change – be it pandemics, natural disasters or climate change - will not only survive but also help society to thrive.

For further information visit

www.siemens.com/smartinfrastructure

A breath of fresh air

Pandemic emphasises the need for improved CO2 monitoring in the workplace

The COVID-19 pandemic has of ventilation. But how well are air productivity. put unprecedented focus on quality and environmental conditions According to a study for the health and safety practices being monitored in large offices and British Council of Offices by within workspaces, as UK commercial buildings, and are they Oxford Brookes University and staff return in increasing being analysed correctly? LCMB Building Performance*, the number to their principal place of Energy and operational performance of office workers employment. Hand sanitisers and efficiencies are often considered actually declines when CO2 levels social distancing are among headline when it comes to sending commands are high and temperatures are too measures companies have been to the HVAC equipment, but it is warm or cold. This was one of the urged to put in place in order to vital that we also consider the first practical studies into UK indoor keep factories and offices virus-free, comfort of occupants. Research office environments and highlighted but crucial to maintaining a healthy shows the environment not only some important issues when it indoors environment at this time impacts peoples’ health; it can comes to occupancy comfort and of crisis will be the effective use have a detrimental effect on their productivity. The workplaces that

“We spend 90% of our time indoors and it’s crucial to understand how today’s climatecontrolled environments are impacting the way we perform. Our research has developed an innovative approach for measuring and optimising indoor environmental conditions and workplace performance to create productive working environments”.

Professor Rajat Gupta, Oxford Brooke University

took part in the study were tested for a two-year period and had internet of things (IoT) enabled sensors installed to monitor fluctuating CO2 levels.

Working smarter

The results showed that with lower CO2 levels, employees’ test scores improved by up to 12%. In one of the buildings tested, people worked 60% faster with reduced CO2 concentrations, completing tests in a mean time of 8.2 minutes, compared with 13.3 minutes with more CO2 in the atmosphere.

The study also highlighted that it is important that we do not consider energy efficiency and occupancy comfort in silos. Often, in an office, the atmosphere can start to feel stuffy and people put that down to it being hot so they turn up the air conditioning becoming less energy efficient. However, it is more commonly down to the CO2 levels and it a change in the air quality that is needed not a change in

temperature. The study also showed that closer monitoring of the CO2 levels meant that fan speeds could be significantly decreased without adversely affecting the CO2 levels in the workspace.

Although beneficial to a more productive working environment by increasing levels of comfort and wellbeing amongst staff, of prime concern regarding the issue of indoor quality in public and commercial buildings ought to be the occupants’ health – particularly in the current COVID climate.

Indicators

In light of the pandemic, the Federation of European Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning Associations (REHVA) has released guidance on the safe use of ventilation systems during the current crisis. Recommendations include installing a CO2 monitor with traffic light indication to help optimise ventilation. The sensor is particularly

advised for rooms where ventilation depends on opening windows, as when used in conjunction with a building management system and high levels of CO2 are indicated, it will trigger the use of HVAC systems to optimise airflow. Sontay is able to offer such a solution as part of its full CO2 sensor range.

Traffic light indication is one of the many options available via its CO2 monitoring device, which features the latest multi-sensor technology and functionality. The system highlights green when indoor air quality and ventilation is good, while amber means CO2 levels are increasing and action is required to reduce occupancy and ventilate the area. Red is a signal to immediately increase ventilation or reduce occupancy due to the presence of higher-than-recommended levels of CO2.

Active and resistive temperature readings, RH outputs, and Nondispersive infra-red (NDIR) sensor technology are among the Sontay CO2 monitoring system’s other built-in features. All of which ingeniously combine to create building interiors that optimise occupant comfort and wellbeing.

CO2 monitoring is often overlooked, but so important. The Oxford Brookes University study sums it up perfectly when it states, ‘People are a business’ biggest cost, and yet most workplaces aren’t optimised to get the best from them.’ The key to getting the best out of people is improving the environment we make them work in.’ Improvements that will also help enhance health and safety for staff the world over at this very challenging time.

For more information please visit

www.lcmb.co.uk/new-uk-researchshows-high-co2-concentrationsin-offices-are-decreasing-peoplescognitive-capability