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META: Take a look at some of the ways that modern technology has changed commercial buildings.
IMAGE: https://unsplash.com/photos/jIBMSMs4_kA (Unsplash)
Technology changes a lot about the world, and that’s no different when it comes to businesses. Already you can imagine millions of ways that modern technology has affected different businesses, different industries, in big and small ways. But the buildings these businesses exist in have even been affected by changes in technology. Some of these are easier to spot than others. Some are too big to trickle down to the masses, and some are so small they go unnoticed by swathes of staff. Take a look at some of the ways technology has changed commercial buildings.
The Internet of Things
The Internet of Things should be pretty familiar to a lot of people by now, as they are not only common in commercial business but homes as well. More commonly known as smart tech, IoT can be found in your thermostat, in your security, in your lighting, and much more. And they tend to have the same benefits they have at home as in the office: saving energy and superior security.
Smart technology, like window openers, for example, can be operated remotely and lights can be fitted with motion sensors so that staff will only illuminate where they are. Smart cards can be used as entrance security, personalised with staff details and used as trackers. Heaters can be controlled remotely and set to turn off when a certain temperature is reached in the room so that you’re not leaving it on forever, saving money.
Smart technology is definitely the most obvious way that commercial buildings have been seen to change due to technology. All the smaller gadgets making life easier in small ways is hard not to notice.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality is a great asset for businesses that deal in dangerous situations. Industries like engineering, healthcare, and air travel have been known to use virtual reality to simulate dangerous situations in a controlled environment that doesn’t involve any real lives. Surgery, for example, is quickly embracing virtual reality as, maybe not a replacement yet, but an option alongside using cadavers – and definitely as a replacement for live bodies. Equally, scientists can hold experiments, engineers can innovate, and put everything together in theory before creating their latest inventions.
We might well see more and more commercial building fitting labs with virtual reality headsets or rooms dedicated to virtual reality in the future.
Video calling
Yes, it’s small potatoes when compared to virtual reality and robotics, but it’s arguable that it’s symptomatic of the most drastic change to post-lockdown commercial buildings. As people went home to work, the way they kept connected with managers and clients was through video calls. When things started to open up again, office managers realised they didn’t need the massive amounts of office space they acquired and rented it out. Hot desking became a trend, and through it all, video calling was relied upon to keep everyone together.
Which is why you’ll see a lot of office spaces with a dedicated boardroom fitted with televisions or projectors to allow an entire boardroom to join a Teams meeting. Once reserved for the CEO’s office the staff of the 1%, they’re now in every office startup and being used regularly.
