5 Ways AI Technology is Making Our Buildings Smarter Savvy solutions 'learn' your routine and help with everyday tasks.
By Roberto Liccardo •
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
The world is a very different place than it was 30 years ago. Part of that change is because of developments in technology. Most homes today have a computer, something unthinkable just a few decades ago. Smartphones are commonplace and taken for granted. Digital communication has revolutionized the way we keep in touch with friends and family around the world.
Smart technology has led to the most notable changes in our lifestyle. For more than a year now, millions of people have been working from home and life has been led largely online. During the pandemic, it was technology that came to the rescue, making life easier at home, at work, and even in the car. Let's look at five ways in which Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is making homes and buildings smarter, and life easier and more comfortable.
1. Autonomous homes and buildings
Being connected is important in this modern era. The AI smart home can take that further by integrating the systems in your home and connecting your hand-held devices. What's the benefit of a smart home? Let's say you work full time in an office. In the cold months, you want the heat to come on in time to heat the house before you get home. A smart heating system may use GPS to detect when you are a certain distance from home. In the workplace, smart systems can detect when someone is entering a little-used room or passageway, for example, and light it as needed.
Related: Smart Homes: The New Standard of Living in a Post-Pandemic World
2. Reduced energy costs
The reduced energy costs of a commercial heating and lighting system that is on only when needed and instructed by AI will clearly be a money-saver. The cost to businesses in energy wastage stood at some $200 billion globally before 2020. With Covid forcing employees to work from home, this vastly increased during the first year of the pandemic. Many energy-saving enterprises have come to the rescue with innovative services and autonomous energy management systems as described above, and we have seen an increase in U.S. companies willing to sign a Zero Carbon pledge as a result.
3. Increased security
AI is used in security systems in many areas of commerce, industry and homes. The ability to "learn" the movements of people in and out of a building enhances sophisticated surveillance systems and helps eliminate false alarms. Connectivity to monitoring centers allows for fast responses to problems. Notifications are sent to your smartphone with viewing available remotely. Security is a major area of AI technology both in the home and in the workplace.
4. Raised comfort levels
Comfort in the workplace is paramount, but heat and light energy need to be saved across the board if commerce and industry are to meet the required carbon emissions reductions. The automated systems we have mentioned can be used to keep an office heated while occupied. With no wasted heat during out-of-office hours, the savings can be considerable. This sort of practice can also be used in the home. Comfort levels can be set perfectly so you are always content.
Related: The Challenges and Security Risks of Smart Home Devices
5. Better work and lifestyle
Bringing all of these together will enhance your life at work and home, and also when you are on the move. You can tell a smart home to close the curtains and turn the lights on, for example. You can override the heating instructions should you need to delay the time it comes on. You can use cameras in the home to check on the pets or to scan for signs of a break-in or damage when you're away. And your AI system will learn about your routines and requirements and – where relevant – adapt to suit.
AI technology can answer your phone, reply to messages and basically help manage your life while performing the tasks you need it to do both at work and home. This isn't science fiction. It's happening now all over the place, and it's becoming more capable all the time. Spend some time researching how AI technology can be used to save energy in the workplace and automate those tasks you don't need to do, and you may be surprised how easy it is to turn your home into a smart home.
