An intelligent building is one in which the building fabric, space, services and information systems can respond in an efficient

manner Ask even a school kid, what is meant by an intelligent person and the answer will be at the tip of the tongue; ask an architect or builder what is an intelligent building - you may get a lot of unintelligible gobbledygook. There is no standard engineering or architectural definition, writes Agith G, Editor-in-Chief, The Master builder, in an editorial. It is assumed that an intelligent building is one in which the building fabric, space, services and information systems can respond in an efficient manner to the initial and changing demands of the owner, the occupier and be in harmony with the environment, he says. The concept has been mystified and has been projected as Utopian and unviable in terms of cost. The reality in fact, is contrary to this belief. Intelligent buildings are designed to increase efficiency of lighting, monitoring, safety & security, emergency systems, HVAC, door and window operations, guest registration and many more facets. An intelligent building system concept recognizes that the true cost of the building is not its cost of construction; it must include the operating and maintenance costs over the structures life span. Intelligent buildings yield cost reductions over all these areas by optimizing energy use through automated control, communication and management systems. They also guard against repair costs, employee time, productivity loss, revenue loss and the loss of customers to competitors, he concludes. Ranee Vedamuthu, a Faculty member of the School of Architecture & Planning, Anna University, Chennai gives the first coherent definition attempted by any professional. An intelligent building is in essence one that integrates various systems (such as lighting, heating, air conditioning, voice and data communication and other building functions) to effectively manage resources in a coordinated mode to maximize occupant performance, investment and operating cost, savings and flexibility. She has traced this definition to the Intelligent Building Research Institute, Washington DC. According a) b) quality Greater of to her our The expectation the buildings are now being growth and demand human affected by three of for powerful influences: IT. increased environment.

c) Demand for better building performance, maximum economy of building operations, maintenance, growth and change. But none of this change can be easily accommodated if the structure is inadequate. Or if the cooling system capacity is not capable of adapting to heat gains due to the use of computer or other electronic equipment. One of the key aspects of intelligence continues to be energy efficiency and in this regard location and orientation of the building are important concerns as are the composition of its enveloping elements - (roof, exterior walls, fenestration and floor). The manner in which daylight and air is used is also important. However, daylight must be considered from more than an energy efficiency point of view. One must consider the quality of lighting to be provided and its potential impact on video display unit (VDU) visibility. Building & tenant services In one-sense tenant services is a new concept but in another it has been around since the multi-tenant office building. Computerised monitoring of energy consuming systems through use of stand alone, centralized or remote microprocessor based devices or networks can greatly enhance efficiency and extend the equipment life and help optimize utilization. Even manual building entry and exit logs have been replaced by computerized access control systems. One example of intelligent building is the Sun & Sand Hotel in Pune. When the occupant or guest leaves the room, the removal of the key indicates the exit and all electric gadgets are turned off, while the air condition turns to low. The fact of exit will be available on screen to authorized personnel. In case of fire not only will the firemen know where the fire is raging but which areas have people in danger. For a newly constructed mall in Bangalore the computerized building management system can sense where the maximum footfalls are leading and increase the cooling and ventilation in those areas. Even opening and closing of Venetian shutters or blinds to coordinate with the direction of the sunlight to keep lighting optimum is a possibility. Intelligent design therefore suggests architecture whose enclosures, partitions, lighting, environmental systems, spatial characteristics and qualities can adapt to these dynamic situations. A definition that emerged from an international symposium held in Toronto in May 2003 was, intelligent building combines innovations, technological or not, with skillful management to maximize returns on investments. Automation the key to artificial intelligence has been in vogue from the days when Henry Ford invented the assembly line. Companies like Rockwell have automated vehicle production to deliver customer specific end products logistically sourcing parts and delivering finished products to a pre-determined programme. In textiles jeans and shirts are being digitally customized to individual measurement -combining the advantages of mass production with the savoir of tailor-made perfection. It was only in the building industry that its arrival has been late and lethargic. The main thrust to automation began with the invention of controllers. Siemens, Tata Honeywell and ABB are the worlds largest producers of controllers.

Integrated

building

automation

systems

Buildings are becoming supporting environments rather than just secure places and their emergence as totally modifiable environments that will change human needs is underlined by their own changeable nature. U Sarath Chandra Kanth is an architect and designer who worked on the India Habitat Centre (IHC) - the earliest example of an intelligent building. In his own words, Intelligent can be anything from Einstein to Frankenstein. He expands further by adding, A building need not be discerned as intelligent merely on the basis of electronic and digital gadgetry, but more on how it revolves around buildings that know what is happening inside and immediately outside, that can decide the most efficient way of providing a convenient, comfortable and productive environment. The IHC is a landmark in several ways - it was constructed as long time ago, and the first phase was ready as early as 1988-89. Joseph Allen Stein the America architect (who is alas no more) along with Doshi and JB Ballabh were the primary architects. Stein is said to have remarked, It does not matter if the building looks twenty years old when completed. What is relevant is that forty years down the line they will still look only twenty years old. His comments gather significance as it was in the context of the material used and the finish of the exterior. The IHC exteriors is so designed that it is cleaned every time it rains. The entire complex has been designed as a moderately dense complex of institutional and office workspace, organized around linked courtyards, protected against both the excesses of tropical sunshine and the disturbing confusion of an urban location at the intersection of two major roads with heavy traffic volumes. The centre contain ample and attractive civic space by means of 1. Integration of sufficient number of plots so that common problems like services, car parking, and meeting facilities can be solved mutually and at less expense than can be achieved individually. 2. Grouping of buildings around climate-tempered courtyards elevated on a plinth over garages so that a pleasant civic space is possible- the whole becoming a semi enclosed, semi atrium like area suitable for a variety of functions - exhibitions, displays and conferences, with a common food court. The system is aided by an open to sky, shaded canopies over large paved courts that provide shade by means of pendant shade casting elements. Such shading reduces energy load on air conditioning and produces a improved climate for people and plant material. Some of the ideas he imbibed from his seniors in the project have come in handy when Sarath Chandra Kanth was asked to design a bungalow for a businessman in Rajapalayam, in Tamil Nadu. The plot was right at the foot of a small hillock that radiated intense heat during the daytime, especially in summer. Kanth made extensive use of verandahs around the building to protect the walls from direct sunlight and to enhance cooling. The affected rear portion of the house that had to combat the radiated heat from the rocks was built using hollow blocks and is devoid of windows. The door at the rear faces a foil built up to prevent direct radiation. Use of open spaces and ventilators were resorted to ensure plenty of natural air and lighting. Several companies from fire protection to lighting have started manufacturing and supplying products that will integrate in to an intelligent system. For example Wipro lighting has been showcasing its energy saving lighting products like Lightspot presence detection system and Managed Light system for corporate offices and Scene Select System for conference rooms. The tasks that can be efficiently managed by an intelligent building include: power, security, fire alarm, fire fighting, air conditioning, diesel generator, water supply, solar power, solar water heating, access control and lighting. It also helps service engineers to track the maintenance schedule of machinery and equipment. Meanwhile companies like DATS in Chennai have harvested the business opportunities of equipping intelligent buildings. They offer an integrated approach to the planning and implementation of security and fire systems required to secure a premises. Their own office sports features like sensors to detect non-occupation of rooms to switch off lighting and air conditioning and their re staring when people ingress in to the area. Ultimately it is hoped hat there will be a convergence of Green and Intelligent buildings to provide the best solutions for a safe and ambient work or living area. Popularity: 9% [?]