Global warming and climate change are posing threats to the environment that our lives rely on. This has given rise to the concepts of green buildings that encompass greening, water conservation, and energy saving. In recent years, governments have begun turning these concepts into laws and policies, and now it is hoped by combining ICT advancements, buildings can incorporate smart active sensing functions so that smart green buildings will become a prevailing trend.
Smart green buildings are ones incorporating information communication technologies. That is, high-tech systems and equipment are introduced into green buildings so that building space is furnished with smart active sensing functions to achieve security, health, convenience, comfort, energy saving, and sustainability purposes. The concepts of smart green buildings are becoming a new trend in the modern construction industry as they can carry the pursuit of green buildings – towards eco-balance, energy saving, waste reduction, and health promotion etc. – a step forward, which is very meaningful to today's environment.
The word "smart" in smart green buildings is not just a catchy term but it signifies the integration of software and hardware systems to make low-current system smart. If a business owner wishes to bring smart green buildings into reality, he or she will have to consider various aspects such as an infrastructure that includes air conditioning, chiller units, motors, water pumps, power generators, wires and cables, in addition to low-current equipment such as a PBX phone system, a surveillance system, a SA/BA security monitoring system, an information network, and finally a back-end management system to enable centralized monitoring and control on all segments. The magnitude and complexity obviously exceeds what most system or equipment suppliers can offer.
Complete supply capabilities enable delivery of one-stop service
Breeze Yeh, Director, Energy Saving Department, Energy Business Division, Tatung Company, pointed out the company is capable of supplying total solutions covering entire building infrastructure. Its solutions integrate power generators, power systems, air conditioning and others, plus central monitoring systems that can control multiple units including air conditioning, illumination, electricity, fire protection, access control, and CCTV systems. In addition, the company also manufactures smart home appliances. Tatung is therefore considered the most capable in the industry in terms of system integration for smart green buildings.
As such, Tatung hopes to fulfill its corporate social responsibility by providing total solutions and all-in-one service for smart green buildings to help business owners, architects, and electrical engineers construct sustainable smart green buildings according to the eight smart building indicators. Tatung's efforts are meant to make that sure building residents can enjoy smart devices, that energy saving and carbon reduction can be achieved, and that rooftop solar photovoltaic systems can be utilized to generate energy.
Yeh stated Tatung, to strengthen its capabilities of supplying smart green building systems, first pulled together multiple business units in the corporation to enhance the ability to offer integrated solutions. Based on such capabilities, Tatung started with construction projects under development and has now expanded to smart homes, smart communities, smart factory facilities, and smart commercial complexes. Tatung has vast experiences turning both existing buildings and new projects smart.
By reinventing its own properties, Tatung refines competence in smart green buildings
An example of work for smart factory facilities and commercial complexes was a project to turn the office of Elitegroup Computer Systems – a Tatung subsidiary located in Neihu – into a smart building. A lot of efforts were made in rewiring and installing multiple smart systems. For example, the parking lot is equipped with network surveillance cameras and eTag license plate identification for smart access control. Once a vehicle is admitted into the parking lot, the parking space guidance system as well as illumination control will be activated to help the driver park the vehicle, and then based on the driver's identity (e.g. employee or visitor), the parking system can seamlessly connect to the employee attendance system, air conditioning/power control system at the employee's desk, or the visitor system and meeting room reservation system. This way, equipment including lighting, air conditioning, computer monitors, or electric curtains can be adjusted according to personal preferences whether based on remote settings by the person or predefined settings by the system automatically. These functions allow all activities of the employees or visitors in the building to become very smart.
As to smart residences and smart communities, in addition to key functions including infrastructure wiring configuration, safety and disaster prevention, energy saving, and facility management, Tatung also works on providing conveniences and healthcare services. For instance, home owners can use handheld devices to remotely check conditions in the home and even remotely control appliances or air conditioning. Furthermore, Tatung establishes a communication interface between communities and healthcare institutions so that the elderly can regularly upload physiological information such as blood pressure and heart rate, and healthcare professionals can provide remote medical services promptly when needed.
Government regulations in Taiwan stipulate that all publicly-owned buildings with construction costs exceeding NT$200 million must obtain a smart building label effective from July 2013, and then floor area ratio incentives for private properties are applicable. Yeh thinks that the government has created a favorable environment to lead and drive the trend of smart green buildings in Taiwan. Founded on its own capabilities in system integration and supported with guidance from Taiwan Intelligent Building Association (TIBA), Tatung is fully committed to the development of smart green buildings.
Breeze Yeh, Director, Energy Saving Department, Energy Business Division, Tatung Company.
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