SMART CITIES
through effective capture and analysis of data , enables the operators to monitor , maintain and optimise building management systems , and predict issues before they arise . This has enabled the university to replace 70 % of visual inspections with analytics , and see a 50 % reduction in user complaints .
More than half of the issues identified also improved energy efficiency , and these outcomes would have great potential at a city-wide level . Our recent work with Morgan State University in the US and the University of Birmingham in the UK and UAE are also great examples of the value being placed on developing smarter urban communities within established cities .
BK : Can projects like this be effective in driving smart city developments ?
DH : Absolutely . Urban environments like university campuses , for example , are incredibly complex ecosystems with many of the same attributes as a city : hundreds of buildings of varying ages , with multiple uses and populated by people who are increasingly demanding better environments in which to live and work . The data set is representative of a city , meaning that innovation and technology which optimises buildings and energy systems can be tested at scale , with a view to city-wide application .
It ' s also perhaps helpful to consider that cities are not single entities ; they are made up of multiple urban communities , each with their own uses , assets and infrastructure . So while a university campus or an industrial complex , for example , may have some unique needs , once digitalised and connected together these communities
76 August 2022