What makes an office smart?

01 Nov 2019 CW Staff

Office smartness is popularly thought to come from cutting-edge technology from smart gadgets that contributes to workers’ comfort levels and productivity.

However, “the smartness quotient of an office building starts with the base architectural design and, in particular, the design of its core and external skin,” explains Rahul Kumar, Principal Architect, Rajinder Kumar & Associates (RKA). “It is pointless to design inappropriately and expect technology to fill in lacunae such as the incorrect positioning of lifts or too many incorrectly placed corridors that impede contact and collaboration between people. Tech-enabled or tech-supporting furniture that contributes to worker wellness and technology that unifies electromechanical services on one platform for better monitoring and employee comfort follows accurate design.”

One of the key design objectives in smart offices with large floor plates, say 40,000-50,000 sq ft, is to build in flexibility so that the space can suit the needs of different occupants who occupy the building over its lifecycle, adds Kumar. How to create smaller communities is another challenge, as is creating collaborative spaces for people to come together. At the Punjab National Bank building in Dwarka, New Delhi, an RKA project, an atrium with natural ventilation serves as a breakout area and a great place to meet and collaborate.

Technology can help the dynamic allocation of office space. For instance, Schneider Electric offers a solution that uses traffic and occupancy data to monitor the utilisation of available spaces. If a demand for more space arises, the asset manager can rely on the solution to figure out if it is justified, and how it can be managed within the existing resources.

‘Enlighted’, a range of software-defined smart sensors from Siemens, collects and monitors real-time occupancy, light levels, temperature and energy usage. “Data collected from thousands of data points yields real-time intelligence, with which facility managers can reconfigure and adapt space to optimise use and address changing user needs,” elaborates Devidas Kulkarni, Head, Regional Solutions & Services, Smart Infrastructure, Siemens India.

- CHARU BAHRI

Office smartness is popularly thought to come from cutting-edge technology from smart gadgets that contributes to workers’ comfort levels and productivity. However, “the smartness quotient of an office building starts with the base architectural design and, in particular, the design of its core and external skin,” explains Rahul Kumar, Principal Architect, Rajinder Kumar & Associates (RKA). “It is pointless to design inappropriately and expect technology to fill in lacunae such as the incorrect positioning of lifts or too many incorrectly placed corridors that impede contact and collaboration between people. Tech-enabled or tech-supporting furniture that contributes to worker wellness and technology that unifies electromechanical services on one platform for better monitoring and employee comfort follows accurate design.” One of the key design objectives in smart offices with large floor plates, say 40,000-50,000 sq ft, is to build in flexibility so that the space can suit the needs of different occupants who occupy the building over its lifecycle, adds Kumar. How to create smaller communities is another challenge, as is creating collaborative spaces for people to come together. At the Punjab National Bank building in Dwarka, New Delhi, an RKA project, an atrium with natural ventilation serves as a breakout area and a great place to meet and collaborate. Technology can help the dynamic allocation of office space. For instance, Schneider Electric offers a solution that uses traffic and occupancy data to monitor the utilisation of available spaces. If a demand for more space arises, the asset manager can rely on the solution to figure out if it is justified, and how it can be managed within the existing resources. ‘Enlighted’, a range of software-defined smart sensors from Siemens, collects and monitors real-time occupancy, light levels, temperature and energy usage. “Data collected from thousands of data points yields real-time intelligence, with which facility managers can reconfigure and adapt space to optimise use and address changing user needs,” elaborates Devidas Kulkarni, Head, Regional Solutions & Services, Smart Infrastructure, Siemens India. - CHARU BAHRI

Infrastructure Transport

11 May 2026

Shivraj Chouhan Launches PMGSY IV and Announces Package for Madhya Pradesh

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY) IV at Bhairunda in Sehore district during the 25 year celebrations and announced a development package for Madhya Pradesh. The programme was organised by the Union Ministry of Rural Development and attended by Chief Minister Dr Mohan Yadav, ministers of state, state ministers, legislators and senior officials from the centre and the state. The minister said the central government under the Prime Minister is committed to strengthening rural livelihoods through improved connectivity, housing and women's in..

Infrastructure Urban

11 May 2026

DMR Engineering Reports FY 25-26 Financial Results

DMR Engineering reported its half year results for the financial year ended 31 March 2026 and published full year figures on a standalone basis. Standalone revenue from operations decreased by 2.01 per cent year-over-year to Rs 102.58 million (mn), while profit after tax declined by 43.94 per cent to nine point five six mn, leaving a profit after tax margin of nine point zero five per cent. Earnings per share stood at Rs zero point nine two, a fall of 44.71 per cent year-over-year. The company attributed part of the decline to one-off provisioning for bad debts and additional financing charges..

Infrastructure Urban

11 May 2026

Atlanta Electricals Posts Strong FY26 Growth And Debt Free Finish

Atlanta Electricals reported audited consolidated results for the quarter and year ended 31 March 2026. The company recorded significant year-on-year revenue growth driven by capacity ramp-up at new facilities and higher utilisation at legacy plants. The announcement summarised operating improvements and strategic milestones achieved during the year. For Q4 the company reported revenue of Rs 7.48 bn and for FY26 revenue of Rs 18.52 bn, representing robust growth versus the prior year. EBITDA in Q4 was Rs. 1.49 bn and Rs. 3.44 bn for the full year, with margins expanding to 20 per cent in the q..