{"id":3900,"date":"2020-01-23T20:21:43","date_gmt":"2020-01-23T20:21:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.imegcorp.com\/?p=3900"},"modified":"2021-04-20T22:39:10","modified_gmt":"2021-04-20T22:39:10","slug":"want-big-data-and-ai-to-transform-your-project-heres-how-to-start","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imegcorp.com\/insights\/blog\/want-big-data-and-ai-to-transform-your-project-heres-how-to-start\/","title":{"rendered":"Want Big Data and AI to transform your project? Here\u2019s how to start."},"content":{"rendered":"
By Jeff Carpenter<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Big Data and AI (a<\/span>rtificial intelligence) is going to revolutionize your industry. That\u2019s the promise of countless articles, blogs, and social media posts across nearly every sector of the building design and construction industry. It\u2019s common for professionals across the industry to author content on the subject with 30,000-foot views of what we all \u201cneed to be prepared for someday down the road.\u201d This includes predictions that:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Countless project vision statements speak to preparing for these changes or \u201cfuture-proofing\u201d the building. But how many projects can you think of that end up being truly transformational in the areas of Big Data, IoT, or AI?\u00a0<\/span>Probably v<\/span>ery few, if any<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So how exactly do we set about realizing transformational differentiation in our projects? That\u2019s the question clients should be asking their design professionals \u2013 i.e., not the \u201cwhat\u201d but the \u201chow.\u201d<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n B<\/span>efore we answer that question, let\u2019s define some terms \u2013 not in geeky, computer science terminology<\/span>,<\/span>\u00a0but in everyday terms that we all can understand<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Internet of Things (IoT):<\/span><\/b>\u00a0IoT simply refers to equipping \u201cthings\u201d in your building with network connectivity. Formalizing the definition slightly, IoT is giving devices (things) the ability to send and receive data over a network. The huge impact of IoT is more easily appreciated when you think about these connected \u201cthings\u201d being devices that have never had any kind of connectivity (or intelligence) before and aren\u2019t traditional IT devices. Examples include lighting, window coverings, and a multitude of new sensor technologies.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Why would you consider IoT-enabled devices in your building?<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Because of\u00a0<\/span>the rise\u00a0<\/span>of<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>Big Data and Artificial Intelligence<\/span>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Big Data:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0Think of Big Data as a large filing cabinet filled with\u00a0<\/span>information<\/span>. In the IT<\/span>\u00a0world<\/span>, that large filing cabinet is typically a \u201cstructured dataset\u201d like a database and the\u00a0<\/span>information\u00a0<\/span>stored in it can consist of the data that comes from\u00a0<\/span>all<\/span>\u00a0the IoT-connected devices.<\/span>\u00a0If you believe that artificial intelligence will play a role in your building someday \u2013 and you should \u2013 you will want all this data.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Artificial Intelligence<\/span><\/b>:<\/span><\/b>\u00a0A good way to think about AI is the use of computers to perform tasks\u00a0<\/span>and make decisions\u00a0<\/span>that otherwise have required human intervention<\/span>\u00a0and human decision making<\/span>\u00a0or\u00a0<\/span>are<\/span>\u00a0beyond the capabilities of human decision making.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In summary, t<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>IoT devices<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>generate and transmit\u00a0<\/span>the data, providing th<\/span>at<\/span>\u00a0content\u00a0<\/span>to<\/span>\u00a0the\u00a0<\/span>Big Data\u00a0<\/span><\/b>repository<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>which\u00a0<\/span>organizes<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>and\u00a0<\/span>stores<\/span>\u00a0the data<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 which\u00a0<\/span>in turn provides the fuel to\u00a0<\/span>train<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/i>the\u00a0<\/span>AI algorithms<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span>(or analytics)\u00a0<\/span>to make better automated decisions\u00a0<\/span>to control and manage devices and systems in your building to achieve a benefit that otherwise would not be achievable.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n So, let\u2019s say y<\/span>ou\u2019re an owner soon to start a major building design and construction project and the issues of Big Data, IoT, and AI are of interest to you.\u00a0<\/span>How do you begin your transformational project?\u00a0<\/span>First<\/span>\u00a0and foremost,\u00a0<\/span>you must\u00a0<\/span>embrace the idea that these concepts require a different way of thinking about a building\u2019s infrastructure.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Historically, we think about technology systems, IT systems, building systems, and clinical systems\u00a0<\/span>as<\/span>\u00a0dis<\/span>tinct<\/span>\u00a0silos.\u00a0<\/span>This<\/span>\u00a0siloed thinking remains part of\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>current approach to projects<\/span>. For example:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Silos<\/span>\u00a0are the single largest reason many projects end up with potential<\/span>ly\u00a0<\/span>transformational impacts\u00a0<\/span>left\u00a0<\/span>on the value-engineering chopping block or \u201croughed in for the future\u201d (a future which likely never comes).<\/span>\u00a0This is because<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the\u00a0<\/span>promise\u00a0<\/span>of IoT in a building is wholly and completely\u00a0<\/span>unaffordable<\/span>\u00a0unless you execute a deliberate process that\u00a0<\/span>extracts<\/span>\u00a0every single economy of scale\u00a0<\/span>allowable from each<\/span>\u00a0technology.\u00a0<\/span>For example, t<\/span>he traditional siloed approach can result in\u00a0<\/span>four<\/span>\u00a0or more contractors<\/span>, each\u00a0<\/span>responsible for different systems,\u00a0<\/span>all\u00a0<\/span>purchas<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0and install<\/span>ing<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>the exact same CAT6 cable.<\/span>\u00a0The\u00a0<\/span>in<\/span>efficiencies of\u00a0<\/span>doing\u00a0<\/span>this are measurable and meaningful.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>C<\/span>ountless additional inefficiency challenges\u00a0<\/span>exist as well.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Silos are your enemy. You\u00a0<\/span>must<\/span>\u00a0abandon\u00a0<\/span>them<\/span>\u00a0\u2013 and you can, because technology\u00a0<\/span>itself has\u00a0<\/span>converged<\/span>\u00a0into a unified ecosystem that\u00a0<\/span>essentially\u00a0<\/span>has become the third utility in a building \u2013\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>he\u00a0<\/span>T<\/span>echnology\u00a0<\/span>U<\/span>tility.\u00a0<\/span>Unfortunately, w<\/span>e keep using a siloed approach with converged technology in our design and construction processes.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n When you unify the design and construction process to match the way the technology is unified, however, you can leverage all the economies of scale that this unification offers, resulting in the transformational promises of IoT becoming more affordable.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here are\u00a0<\/span>three actions that can greatly improve your chances for success<\/span>:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n
\n
\n