Smart buildings aren’t exactly a new concept. For years, future-forward companies have been making their buildings increasingly smart, and now that the COVID-19 pandemic has changed so much, more people are wondering how to add to the intelligence of their buildings.

The growth of “smart buildings” and the evolution of technology innovations within them has skyrocketed since the turn of the 21st century.

The right access control technology can make your physical building interactive to the people who spend their days in it. It can integrate with other critical business software and contribute insightful data for comprehensive organizational wellness.

The findings of Johnson Controls' annual Energy Efficiency Indicator survey finds that more than half of organizations plan to increase investment in energy efficiency, renewable energy and smart building technology next year, comparable with investment trends after the 2010 recession.

The Department of Energy seeks industry input on the potential development of connected buildings to boost operational and energy grid efficiency.

The smart building market is expected to grow from about $7.4 billion in 2017 to nearly $32 billion in 2022, according to a recent report by Garner Insights. That’s more than a quadruple increase in just 5 years!

Access control is considered to be an important piece of the smart building puzzle due to the quality of information access control systems can provide regarding building occupants’ whereabouts and how they move through the building.

Sixty-two percent of companies are planning to increase their investment in real estate technology over the next three years. Their reasons for doing so – while still reflecting operational and budgetary goals like security, energy management and optimizing building use – are shifting toward enhancing the user experience and raising workforce productivity.