LISTEN | How to create smart buildings the right way, with eco-i

David Hodges, director of eco-i, joins Karl Tomusk to share his experience and advice on getting a building ready for smart-status.

Also joining the discussion are Phil Marsden, director of project management at Muse and James Thomas, head of smart buildings and technologies at Wates who add their perspectives as a developer and contractor.

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Hot takes:

• Successful smart developments depend on making decisions early. Trying to fit in tech after a project has started will inevitably cost more and cause more headaches. Most developers fall into this trap.
• What makes a smart building smart? It’s about being smart-ready. The building has to be futureproofed and support whatever tech current or future owners want to put in there, be it a workplace app or smart contract systems.
• For the first time ever, developer Muse brought in a smart tech consultant for its Eden development in Salford, UK.
• Designing a sustainable building depends on adding tech that helps the site reach its full potential.
• Avoid gimmicks: think about the cost and everyday usefulness of a feature before you commit to it in your development. Marsden gives examples of gimmicks Muse has avoided in its buildings.
• One innovation to look out for: li-fi. Using network cables that carry both electrical power and data, li-fi has the potential to both power lights without a mains cable and transfer data using standard LED lights.

About eco-i

Specialising in building integration, eco-i offers consultancy, product design and delivery of sophisticated building controls.