Building digitalisation: the invisible revolution

How did digital technology become so pervasive in buildings today?

ANTOINE GAUVENET — The development of digital technology has been based on three priorities: simplifying the lives of occupants, monitoring building operation and reducing building energy impact. The backbone of a Smart Building is its IT infrastructure, which must be accessible to, and shared by, every technical work package. This sharing of IT networks is what enables us to deliver solutions consistent with achieving those three priorities.

DAVID ESSERYK — Digital technology has become the structural framework of the entire hospitality industry. It has allowed the sector to evolve from a series of bespoke local business to a global, connected and personalised industry. The big change for buildings is the fact that we have progressed from a technology that delivers media content or enables connected minibars to a technology that, in today’s world, must interface with guest technology.

So what does that mean in terms of user experience?

D. E. — We’re now captive to the standardisation of user preferences. Smartphones have become the universal tool for user journey delivery. Every smartphone service we offer must work with these smart phone apps.

A. G. — In practical terms, we’re looking to centralise all our solutions, from concierge services to reservations, meals, etc., into a single hub we refer to as the ‘building remote control’. At Covivio, that means whenever there is a potentially sensitive issue around reception or management, there’s always someone we can talk to. And it’s a conscious desire on our part to protect and promote the opportunity for human contact.

What would you say are the next major steps in digitalisation?

D. E. — AI is the next technological step change. I’m talking here about a hyper-predictive AI capable of anticipating user questions and solving their problems. This then raises issues around digital identity. How can we ensure that the system can recognise an individual with 100% certainty and security before guiding them at every step of their digital pathway before, during and after their stay?

A. G. — In this context, we hear a lot about the BOS or Building Operating System. In simple terms, it’s basically an operating system – like your iPhone iOS – that enables all the building’s third-party services to communicate with each other and automate certain use cases. Examples include identifying someone as they enter a building, greeting them with a personalised message and opening their pre-heated, pre-booked meeting room. When it comes to customising and automating solutions, you can pull out pretty much all the stops. BOS is also valuable for its ability to optimise energy consumption. Integrating the functions of the building allows us to manage it more efficiently and effectively.