+
What makes an office smart?
Real Estate

What makes an office smart?

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

Next Story
Real Estate

Shriram Properties Launches ‘Codename: The One’ in Bengaluru

Shriram Properties (SPL), a leading real estate developer focused on the mid-market and mid-premium segments, has announced the launch of its latest residential project under the banner “Codename: The One” in Bengaluru’s Electronic City corridor. This feature-rich gated community will offer 340 spacious 2- and 3-BHK residences, with a total saleable area of approximately 5 lakh square feet and an estimated revenue potential of over Rs 3.5 billion. The project is expected to be developed over a span of more than three years.  Strategically located near the Bommasandra Metro stat..

Next Story
Resources

India Warehousing Show 2025 Closes with Strong Global Presence

The 14th edition of the India Warehousing Show (IWS) 2025 concluded successfully at Yashobhoomi (IICC), Dwarka, drawing participation from over 300 exhibitors across 15 countries and welcoming 15,000+ visitors. Recognised as India’s leading platform for warehousing and logistics excellence, IWS 2025 offered a comprehensive display of cutting-edge automation, sustainable warehousing solutions, and next-gen supply chain technologies. The show was inaugurated by Shri Pankaj Kumar, Joint Secretary – Logistics, DPIIT, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. In his opening a..

Next Story
Equipment

MHIET Launches 450kW Gas Cogeneration System with H₂ Co-Firing

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Engine & Turbocharger (MHIET), part of the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Group, has launched a new 450kW gas cogeneration system, the SGP M450, jointly developed with Toho Gas Co.,. The system supports hydrogen co-firing at up to 15 vol per cent, with no loss in performance or reliability.  The system is currently available in the Japanese market, and has been developed from the existing GS6R2 city gas engine platform. Key modifications were made to the fuel gas and engine control systems to enable hydrogen co-firing.   Verified through de..

Advertisement

Advertisement

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Get daily newsletters around different themes from Construction world.

STAY CONNECTED

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Talk to us?