The biggest motor that is programming automation, energy efficiency and sustainability in buildings is data. Taking the smart and sustainable route in the making of a building, the architect conceptualises and plans the structure, the CIO sees the complete integration of its IT infrastructure and facility managers maintain it through its life cycle. With stalwarts of these fields gathered together under one roof for the Bengaluru edition of the round table, we spoke to them to better understand how technology is helping reduce post-construction issues and what the age of ‘data’ holds for us.
Panel Members
- Gopal Rao, principal advisor – engineering, RSP Design Consultants (India)
- Kuldeep Thirumalai, CIO leader, IBM India – South Asia
- M Selvarasu, LEED fellow 2015 and director, Lead Consultancy & Engineering Services
- Naresh Narasimhan, principal architect and MD, Venkataramanan Associates
- Padmanabhan Kannan, GM & global head – Corporate Real Estate & Workplace, Mindtree
- Roshan Gowda, vice-president – workplace solutions, Accenture Services
- Srikanth Narasimhan, distinguished engineer, Cisco Systems India, CISCO
- Sukanto Aich, regional sales head, Philips Lighting
- Vikas Chawla, head – global real estate & facilities management, SAP Labs India
Despite the fact that an architect hands-over the building to the facility manager, who takes on complete responsibility through its life cycle, why is it that we still see limited involvement of FMs in the conceptual stage?
Gopal Rao: This has been changing in the past few years, especially in projects where MNCs are involved. But, yes, in the private segment, FMs are not involved until after the building is completed. Just as an architect tries to bring in value to the project FMs too have immense inputs with regard to operations. A developer might look at a project from just costs and profits perspective but it’s professionals such as architects and FMs, who can help the developer understand the needs of the tenants as well as of the structure, in the future.
Naresh Narasimhan: Many simple simulation tools are available to business leaders, facility managers and to those from the real estate sector. One such tool is rat[LAB] – a computational design software that can generate infinite simulations from the information fed into it through the scripting software called Rhino. Filtering it further would show limited number of solutions that are available by simple clicks. The graphical output can be modified by reapplying or modifying the inputs. It became a decision expert for me, as the tool presents results in a matter of seconds and saves us days, if not weeks, of work.
Roshan Gowda, vice-president – workplace solutions, Accenture Services
M Selvarasu: There’s also the case of integrated designs. It is rare to see all stakeholders including the CEO, CFO, architect and facility managers discussing the project together. Facility managers are the best ones to provide feedback for any building design because they have managed buildings before and know its every functional requirement.
Padmanabhan Kannan: Though, facility managers and technical heads have started gaining importance in recent times, I believe that the fundamental process of creating a vision for a building still needs to change. It is not only that FMs are needed to create that holistic vision but also end-users and the target audience. Their inputs and perspectives are equally important today. One must spend far more time in designing and conceptualising the structure with not just the present in mind but also with an aim to ensure that the structure sustains efficiently for the next 70-80 years.
How involved are the CIOs/IT heads in the integrated design of a structure, when a new system is adopted?
Kuldeep Thirumalai: When a new facility is being created, integrating and bringing together all thinking minds is easier because you are starting with a clean slate. However, complications arise when there is an upgrade of an existing structure, as there are several stages one needs to pass before it’s even approved. It is not about hierarchy or the decision-maker, the dilemma is to push everyone down to the ground level and tackle the problem.
N Narasimhan: I believe that buildings have to learn to become self-aware. Just as Google or Facebook adapts to its user’s preferences, the building too should adapt to the occupant’s behaviours and usage. There are two or three start-ups in Bengaluru, who are now focusing on automating structures. They are using artificial intelligence to help structures self-manage and auto-adjust to various elements. They, of course, are facing several issues regarding the rights to privacy and data flow but that will be the next big change in facility management strategy.
Naresh Narasimhan, principal architect and MD, Venkataramanan Associates
Vikas Chawla: We had this session in Bengaluru, organised by CoreNet, where they emphasised on current job growth. With the advent of robotics and automation, the growth predicted – which if we assume is at 100% now – would reduce to 54%.
Thirumalai: I think the point is to have technology assist humans in decision making, bringing intelligence, cognition, structured, unstructured information and predictive patterns. It should assist the decision-maker in pushing the right button. Primarily, only to help people achieve higher value.
Kannan: I feel it is not about tools and applications that bind the building management systems but the over-arching framework that is more important. The complexity of so many applications is the although there is data, it doesn’t provide insights. Insights can only be captured when one looks through the layers of information, then creates solutions and puts it to action.
Srikant Narasimhan: It is about what corporate companies do for their employees, which are the single most valuable assets for them. In the world of AI technology, automation is the experience and value, and the crux is in how we can integrate various facets to receive sustainable outputs.
Thirumalai: It is the facility manager or the real estate leader who knows what needs to be done. It is true that IT is a part of the needed technology assistance but the outcomes are defined by the real estate team.
Srikanth Narasimhan, distinguished engineer, Cisco Systems India, CISCO
Being a pioneer in bringing innovation, how are companies like Philips lending support to the whole system?
Sukanto Aich: We have implemented a solution with wire-less light fixtures that are directly connected to a switch and help absorb phenomenal amount of data. This mere function of turning lights on in a meeting room now informs the admin about how and when the rooms are being used. Equipped with exhaustive data like this, we are now moving towards deploying these analytics.
Research shows that blue light helps release energising hormones within our body. A lighting system, which is fed with this information, automatically dims down to bluish tint by noon; the time of the day when employees are known to be least productive. I think it is important for us to understand the technology that is available to us today. It is a question of where do you want to use it and in what context.
N Narasimhan: We evolved from the hunter-gatherer era, to agricultural, to the industrialisation era and now are at the age of information. The next stage would be the ‘augmented age’. However, we are used to seeking obedience from our objects; we do not value autonomy of objects yet. To progress from this stage, we need to embrace the augmented age, rather than being scared of it. Only then will we bring in the era of true connectivity and intelligence with greater dynamic design model for buildings that are adaptable to situations and conditions.
M Selvarasu, LEED fellow 2015 and director, Lead Consultancy & Engineering Services
M Selvarasu: The four major aspects in the life of a building are – policy and regulatory framework, design, construction and maintenance post-occupancy. There’s a lack of link between these aspects; construction techniques are not utilised to their full potential. I wonder how one should improve the design through a better approach, in case of a failure, so that it becomes a good learning for us and the community.
Kannan: That is mainly because we are losing sight of the ‘purpose’ and focusing only on ‘enabling technology’. We need to first clearly define what the purpose of adapting any new technology is and only then go ahead with its implementation. If we have that clarity, the value of that technology will be much stronger and effective.
How does one build a business case that demonstrates the benefits of a broad transformation?
Roshan Gowda: The issue about building a business case for a transformational model is mainly about its value. In today’s day, one needs to completely understand the DNA of a company before proposing any model – the scale, the demography, its target audience, etc. Value is pertinent and can be reaped from multiple options. It could also be such a case that for a certain structure, the traditional cost-saving model is much more beneficial than adapting newer technologies. Hence, a business case is based on our understanding of the objective that we are trying to harness out of the project.
There has to be clarity of purpose, it has to come right from the top. I think there has to be that credibility amongst every field as well.
Gopal Rao, principal advisor – engineering, RSP Design Consultants (India)
N Narasimhan: Data centres ensure that the running costs are kept in check and they are already defining the maintenance costs per sq-ft from the very first meeting. This is the way everybody should think. Undefined direction and intent leads to additional expenses for retrofitting and renovations. Plus, it also leads to disruptions in business operations.
M Selvarasu: We have many projects, where the post-occupancy survey is mandatory. We do it as part of our contract. Although most companies just record a flaw and decide on how to fix it.
Gowda: Apart from post-occupancy, there is no commissioning in the process followed as well. I think one of the processes that we have included in most of our consultancy agreements is to build resilience than reserve. Buildings need to be resilient enough to fulfil every demand and need of the future. .