IoT Systems: The Future of Eco-Friendly Workspaces

Demand for Greener Working Spaces Could Be Accelerated by Integrating IoT Systems.

The Global Sustainability Report for 2023 published by The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has shown a significant increase in the demand for sustainable buildings in the UK, whilst also pointing out the same increase for green buildings globally.

This is a huge shift in company wants and needs, indicating that many businesses in the world are ready to make a shift in their focal areas to begin the journey towards sustainability, having seen three-fifths of contributors suggesting that this demand is rising by as much as 60% in the UK alone. 

Though this indicates positive news for net zero activists, the same study highlights concern that is preventing developers and constructors alike from investing in creating these spaces, ahead of the initial 2030 target to reduce emissions by 68% against 1990 levels. There is widespread concern over legislative uncertainty regarding the future of net zero in the UK, whilst there have also been questions raised about the lack of measurement for companies to accurately predict their carbon reductions if they opt to pursue a greener working space. 

Legislative uncertainty surrounding the UK’s long-term position on net zero has had dramatic effects on many aspects of the country. It has seen a rise in activist and political dispute over the current stance to decarbonise many aspects of the country’s infrastructure, including public spaces such as office blocks, and has also generated a period of paralysis over the future of industry, green technology and our homes. As many businesses and investors struggle to combat the effects of inflation, high costs and a struggling economy, making decisions to invest in greener working spaces is a risky game.  

Why is workplace efficiency important?

Why? The answer is money. Creating these spaces will cost significant amounts of capital to invest in, and if the government’s long-term strategy becomes one of reducing costs for businesses, then these will have become costly projects that businesses will not look to operate in, as they will cost higher amounts to rent than older, less efficient buildings. Equally, if net zero standards accelerate in the next few years, then investing in less carbon-efficient buildings will become redundant, and a total waste of money. 

Unfortunately, legislative standards is not something investors can predict, they simply must wait it out for further indication. However, investors can address their concerns on measuring progress on the carbon emissions produced from these buildings. As technology has advanced in a variety of areas, such as carbon-efficient building materials, many industries are blessed with the advancement of monitoring technologies. 

How does the Internet of Things affect business?

The development and integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) technology has revolutionised the entire monitoring process inside businesses of all sizes and professions. This technology is a network of devices and objects that are connected to one another, communicating and sharing data through the internet. By using sensors, IoT technology enables these connected devices and objects to interact, analyse, record, and collate data. This has enabled the accurate collection of data related to carbon reductions, which can be a tricky area to effectively monitor. However, the ability of IoT technology to converge their data collection with sensors has provided a valuable solution in monitoring energy usage on huge scales – something that will be very valuable in understanding how carbon reductive greener working spaces will be. 

As such, IoT systems have proven to be a truly effective and valuable solution for a plethora of industries and sectors to track their progress in identifying and reducing wasteful practices related to energy consumption and day-to-day operations. Its ability to provide accurate insights through large quantities of data has only allowed for proactive measures to be taken upon decision-making that can now be done at an instant’s notice, as opposed to previous methods relating to ordering for reporting, which would require time to collate and produce the findings. 

Perks of using IoT systems: 

IoT monitoring systems can offer a wide range of benefits in working facilities that go beyond just identifying wasteful energy practices. This means that as a solution, IoT technology can be incorporated into a long-term part for a business’ net zero strategy. They can: 

• Independently monitor air quality in working spaces, including temperatures, CO2 and humidity levels. 

• Track occupancy rates in office spaces, by recording the amount of entries and exits of doorways. 

• Use occupancy rates against recorded times, which can help calculate the utilisation rates of rooms and areas. 

• Monitor water temperatures to alert businesses if there’s a potential for legionella growth in their water supply. 

Why is IoT useful?

The key feature that gives IoT systems its advantageous edge is its data-driven way of processing what it monitors. If we think back to how energy and water temperatures were taken before technology began to play a much bigger role in the workplace, we can only imagine a process of using a pen and paper to record these numbers in order to stay compliant. Without a doubt, this traditional method was costly, time-consuming, and largely prone to errors for a number of reasons. However, IoT monitoring is a cost-effective solution that makes data collection and historical analysis seem fairly simple once installed into the working premises. 

The need for the average working space to implement and take advantage of the technological capabilities embedded within IoT monitoring devices is more clear now than ever. As prices including the average cost of energy remain inflated, there is little choice for businesses than to take advantage of technologies that can effectively help reduce wasteful consumption, and continue on a path to decarbonisation and net zero. It is currently estimated that the average small-medium enterprise (SME) in the UK uses an average of 25,000-50,000 kWh of electricity, which could estimate in a staggering £9,800 of electricity per year!  

Asides from monitoring energy usage, occupational and utilisation rates, the integration of IoT monitoring systems provides a range of further solutions for the average working place that goes beyond making their energy bills smaller. These systems can also provide indicators that are linked employee health and productivity.  

Like our homes, our workplaces should be suitable to ensure the best health of our employees. Certain factors like carbon dioxide levels, excessive humidity, and even temperature can have the most detrimental effect on staff health, which in turn can be problematic for results and decision making. Being able to independently monitor air quality may not part of a business’ net zero strategy, but it can ensure the best results from each working day, which can put a company in a better position to implement a strategy that will positively affect the environment. Furthermore, areas such as breakouts and meeting rooms can quickly become high in CO2 levels, which can cause brain fog and disrupt levels of productivity. 

All in all, IoT monitoring is a cost-effective, easy to use system which allows businesses of various different backgrounds to improve their efficiency and reap the benefits of data-led results quickly, so they can adapt to a world of fast change and overarching uncertainty over their bottom lines.

By trialling your own IoT system, you can quickly figure out where you may have underlying inefficiencies in your operations and resolve them in a quick manner. Whether it’s reducing energy, improving efficiency or making your workplace a healthy space, an IoT solution is a precise one to make best use of.