What is SMART Technology?

SMART technology will be the way of the future, but what does this mean for architectural design and the well-being of building occupants? Can we utilize SMART data to optimize our lifestyle? And what will be its impact on cities of the future?

This article will therefore explore these topics, as well as make recommendations on a few SMART products and apps.

“SMART is an acronym for “Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology”

What is SMART Technology?

SMART Technology can mean many things in the world of electronics, but according to Netlingo, SMART is an acronym for “Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology... [devices] that can talk back to us and even guide our behaviour” (Petra Industries, 2019). SMART devices often have features that let them automate a response, make use of an app, can connect to Wi-Fi, LTE, Bluetooth or other wireless means, to even synchronizing and sharing data within an entire digital ecosystem. Some examples of SMART technology include Smart phones, Apps, Wearable Technologies, Smart Appliances to even Smart Facades in Architecture!

How is SMART Technology related to Architecture and Wellness?

Cities of the future will integrate the next generation of digital technologies into architectural design. SMART Technologies that can synchronize into some form of cloud network will have the capacity to collect data, analyze data and suggest healthier wellness habits for building occupants and the use of their spaces. Such tools will, therefore, allow designers and entire municipalities to make more informed decisions in the urban planning, architectural design and the well-being of spaces. Cities of the future will eventually merge with the digital world to make the speed, efficiency, openness and connectivity in society much easier, and I believe that it can only happen if three key principles are in place.

What are the three principles that you are alluding to? And how will spaces benefit from them?

The three principles of SMART Technology relating to Architecture are Synchronization, Adaptation and Evolution.

Synchronization. The first principle of SMART Technology is the ability to synchronize with both your physical and digital environments through real-time SMART data. This ability is one of the most powerful and highly sought after tools a city can have because it enables the use of SMART data into information. This opens a city up to a variety of opportunities to use data for parametric controls, provide analysis of site conditions, inform design decisions for city planners and architects, and even manage the wellness lifestyles of its citizens based on algorithms. For a city to achieve Synchronization, citizens must therefore have enough trust in their government that their privacy is secured. It is only then that SMART technology can be successfully implemented into the city’s infrastructure and social fabric sustainably.

Adaptation. The second principle is being able to utilize synchronized SMART data to adapt to your environment in real-time immediately. This ability not only allows cities, buildings and users to respond directly to their environment, but the SMART technology can provide an

optimized design solution for any given space within any given moment. This can

be advantageous and useful for certain building types such as senior homes, hospitals, hotels,

and greenhouses, as they have occupants and uses that require constant care and attention.

In the long term, this could result in new ways of using space and develop new architecture for the future.

Evolution. The final principle between Smart Technology and Architecture is Evolution, which

is the result of consistent adaptation over a long period of time. What separates evolution from adaptation is the influence that the former has in the development of technology itself. Evolution is the final product of Synchronization; in order for SMART technology to continuously adapt and evolve, it must always fulfill its purpose as a synchronizing, “Self-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology” (Petra Industries, 2019) first.

Together with these three principles of SMART Technology in mind, a city’s architecture and the digital world will slowly converge and become one and the same. This will eventually become the era of SMART cities.

What can SMART Technology be used to measure?

Studio Cloud Nine uses SMART Technology as a tool to measure the various wellness parameters as identified by WELL v2. Devices that are sensors and apps that can monitor the parameters of Air, Light, Thermal Comfort, Sound, Nourishment and Movement levels will be implemented where applicable.

What are some products you recommend for measuring Wellness?

I am currently obsessed about this indoor air quality sensor called iQAir that syncs data into your phone. It is an air monitor that tracks the Particulate Matters, Carbon Dioxide, Temperature and Humidity levels in a room and displays them in real-time.

I would also recommend an app called Lux Light Meter Pro which allows you to measure the luminosity of a space in both Lux and Footcandles. I have used it in the past to measure if my plants are getting enough light and if my desk is suitable for working. It is available for Free on the Apple App Store and Google Play.