BICSI, the Security Industry Association (SIA) and TIA share a common goal of moving to more efficient security systems to reduce risks and protect soft targets. This article details security advancements since 2013 and looks at the latest technology trends including sensor diversity, object recognition-driven AI an how ICT is championing smart city development.
Widespread digitization of building operations and rising incidences of cyberattacks on operational environments are driving the adoption of information technology (IT)/operational technology (OT) security services in smart buildings. The market is estimated to reach $897 million by 2022, increasing at a record compound annual growth rate of 37%.
For the vision of the smart city to be fully realised, there are challenges that need to be overcome. One of the most pressing is around security. Perhaps the question isn’t whether or not security is a concern, but rather whether or not security is being effectively addressed within the cohesive ecosystem of the smart city, and how this is defined.
Our Innovation Analysts recently looked into emerging technologies and up-and-coming startups working on solutions for Smart Cities. The Global Startup Heat Map highlights 5 interesting examples out of 274 relevant solutions.
The connected campus is the proving ground for smart cities. Hardly confined to higher education, connected campuses include medical and technology parks as well as corporate campuses and airports that are miniature smart cities. In addition to highly connected workspaces, smart campuses such as those owned by Google and Apple include childcare, sports and recreational facilities, cafeterias, health-care facilities and smart transportation systems.
As Smart Cities gain traction, there are some shining examples of possibility. However, 99% of the existing buildings in any city remain dumb. Addressing the intelligence level of the majority of buildings is the key to creating smart, clean, and human-centric urban environments. New solutions are evolving to address this problem. The smart building retrofit offering is evolving rapidly to serve the needs of all kinds of buildings. Approaching its 90th birthday, the Empire State Building in New York has been retrofitted with advanced technologies, achieving a 38% reduction in energy consumption. Younger buildings are registering significantly higher savings, with minimal installation costs, as retrofit technology is designed for common legacy systems.
The Finnish capital of Helsinki is currently in the process of proving that digitalization can minimize the waste of time and resources as well as improve productivity and growth. An early adopter of smart city technology and modeling, it launched the Helsinki 3D+ project to create a three-dimensional representation of the city using reality capture technology provided by the software company Bentley Systems for geocoordination, evaluation of options, modeling, and visualization.
Real estate investment trust Bleutech Park Properties announced plans for a $7.5 billion project in the Las Vegas Valley that will showcase a range of smart city technology, from autonomous vehicles to internet of things (IoT) devices to smart buildings with “self-healing concrete.” The project will break ground in December and is projected to take six years to complete.
Smart cities need the operational technology foundation of smart panels and transformers, the middle layer of connected devices with edge control self-management and the top layer of real-time insights that can optimize services. These three levels include an updated power utility system; access to building management systems; and expert analytics.
Analysts predict the number of connected devices will grow to almost 31 billion by 2025. Coupled with AI and 5G, this will amplify the impact of the technology for stakeholders. How will these key elements influence and impact IoT as the technology evolves?
