How to not get sued: A new blueprint for accountability in building design
In the not-too-distant future, building owners may hold more than just high expectations – they might use the courts as a tool for enforcing design quality. As KPIs for sustainability, health and wellbeing, and community engagement shift from being woolly should-haves to baseline requirements, accountability in building design will inevitably transform. Miss these critical targets,…
Two’s company: The smart building consultancy with almost no staff
Our industry is famed for its complexity and intricate collaborations. The idea of a smart building design consultancy running on just two people might sound like a radical proposition. Yet, in our increasingly digital world, where the industry seems to have converged on a standard set of smart building capabilities, the impressive prowess of generative…
BIM is not a Smart Building
If you’ve been in a meeting or sat through a panel about building technology lately, you’ve probably heard someone mix Building Information Modelling (BIM) with smart buildings. For those not conversant with the nuances, it’s an easy mistake to make. Both terms are steeped in digital innovation, both involve data, and — let’s be honest…
Smart Predictions for 2025
As we look ahead to 2025, the intersection of technology and the built environment promises some steps closer to how we design, operate, and inhabit our spaces. In 2024, a lack of liquidity saw the industry cautiously dipping its toes into some of the tech it promised to. War, elections and lingering inflation prevented much…
Who should own ‘smart’ in your company?
As smart buildings start to enter the mainstream for most corporates, there’s a common challenge that keeps popping up – who should own the smart capability within a company? Today, most offices are more than just desks, a coffee machine and passive-aggressive emails. They’re complex, tech-enabled ecosystems, replete with sensors, data analytics, and automated systems…
Feeling sore for starting in Stage 4
We’ve all seen it happen. Someone had a great idea, but it was a bit last minute. Usually, by the time a scheme gets to RIBA Stage 4 (detailed design), the property developer is focused on what they can do to create the most differentiation in the market. Understandable. We all want to add what…