Hotels are an indispensable part of today’s travel industry. Even after the impacts of the pandemic, there are more than 700,000 hotels and resorts worldwide [ref] that have a current global market worth $800 billion [ref].
Smart buildings have come a long way since Mark Honeywell unveiled the first programmable thermostat back in 1906. Today, smart building technology has expanded far beyond the original temperature controls and water heating systems to include security, emergency, and energy management.
During the COP26 conference, the world anticipated major steps would be taken to combat the rising temperature of the planet. While crucial topics like Article 6 and the end of coal usage were key talking points, the need for resource conservation is another urgent problem that needs to be openly discussed and consciously tackled. With 6 trillion gallons of water wasted a year in the US alone from damaged pipework and leaking faucets, there is far more that needs to be done to tackle the wastage of resources. (Ref)
When thinking about commercial buildings, the terms ‘larger-scale’, ‘more expensive’ and ‘more stakeholders’ may come to mind. These qualities are exactly why the impact of water leaks can be so devastating and is reflected in the average loss for commercial buildings at $1.4 million, compared to domestic homes at just under $4,000 [ref].
On October 6th, I gave a talk at the Smart Buildings Show in London about LAIIER technology enabling predictive maintenance with smart surfaces that install like stickers and tape. Beyond sharing what LAIIER is currently doing in the smart building sector, it was an opportunity to talk about LAIIER's vision of scaling printed sensor technology in smart building construction.
Domestically in the US, leaks can waste more than one trillion gallons of water per year [ref] and every day 14,000 Americans face a water damage emergency [ref]. This is reflected by how 1 in 50 US homes will make a water claim each year amounting to a huge strain of $13 billion in annual insurance payouts (2017). Behind these payouts, the added detriments of water leaks to homeowners and utility providers expand to damage of the surrounding property, higher water bills and dealing with secondary effects such as mold.
At LAIIER we create tools that engineers find useful and use. Making technology easy to access and easy to use is the foundation for value creation.
The Internet of Things (IoT) is poised to revolutionize the way we interact with our environment, and smart surfaces are at the forefront of this change. Smart walls, in particular, have the potential to optimize energy consumption, increase efficiency, and enhance the overall comfort of buildings.
The integration of technology into smart buildings and homes has led to an increase in intelligent interfaces becoming a part of people’s daily interactions. Smart interfaces, such as light switches, keypads and buttons, have the potential to bring significant benefits in terms of finances, productivity and health to our surroundings. The advantages of interfaces, such as improved energy efficiency, comfort, and new ways to interact with the environment, are becoming more and more apparent.
We are approaching a revolution in the way that we construct, manage, and interact with the world around us. Smart surfaces will power this revolution.