With occupants at least doubling the time that they’re within their four plus walls, buildings are feeling the strain of the great work-from-home (WFH) experiment in a number of ways. They are seeing increased load on their systems and higher daytime energy usage than ever. They are keeping up with service calls and dealing with vendors in the midst of a lockdown. They are communicating with tenants and lenders and investors and just about everyone else they are partnered with. They are experiencing more waste than usual. This uptick in activity is putting extra strain on every part of a building’s operations
Sensative thoughts: The pandemic turns everything on its head. Homes become workplaces meaning extra strain on the property operations. On the other hand, office buildings are empty and should be “turned off” as much as possible to save energy. Empty offices are also attractive from a burglar point of view.
All these rapid changes show the need for flexibility and remote control, two of the most important features of the Internet of Things and Smart Buildings.
