The term „AI – Artificial Intelligence“ is increasingly associated with buildings and building automation. The question is: what is it, where do its tangible benefits lie in this field, and how does the building infrastructure need to be adapted to realise those benefits?
Today’s building automation systems in the main operate ‘statically’ in response to fixed time programs or simple control parameters. Room temperature control is based on a preset temperature that is the same throughout the day. Lighting is operated manually, with switches, or on the basis of simple presence switches. None of this is truly ‘intelligent.’ The new dimension that AI can add into the building automation environment is to use autonomous analysis of the data as a basis for optimised operation. Thus the heating and cooling dynamic of rooms, weather forecasts, predicted room occupancy during the course of the day can all be factored into the operation of the heating. Similarly, cleaning schedules can be based not only on the current actual values in terms of the intensity of use of kitchens, canteens and toilets and other areas, but can be based on predictions drawn from an analysis of usage patterns in the previous days and weeks. This kind of forward looking building management can be applied in almost every area of building services, leading to increased energy efficiency, reduced operating costs, improved space utilisation and other advantages.
