Page 11 - School Planning & Management, March 2019

According to the EPA, designers should check out an EPA tool called
the “Target Finder Calculator.” The calculator scores an intelligent design and offers a qualified opinion as to whether the design’s predicted energy use measures up to real K-12 schools operating across the country.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF AN EPA-STYLE INTELLIGENT BUILDING? “Assuming an intelligent building operates as intended, the energy savings can be substantial,” says the EPA. “ENERGY STAR certified buildings (those that perform better than 75 percent of similar build- ings nationwide) typically use 35 percent less energy than typical buildings. For K-12 schools, these cost savings are often redirected to support the central mis- sion—namely teacher salaries, supplies, and programs.”
At the next rendering of building intel- ligence, which is being developed now,
a smart building will literally deliver a personalized experience for employees as well as visitors, continues Malpani.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO DELIVER A PERSONALIZED EXPERIENCE?
“It means that as a visitor, I don’t want to wait to get through the front door, then wait for a badge, then wait for the elevator,” explains Malpani. “Waiting at all of these friction points drives down productivity.
“As an employee, I don’t want to wait for my coffee or the heat or air-conditioning to adjust the temperature in my office. As build- ings grow smarter, they will deliver more and more optimized personalized experiences. We’re not there yet but this is the goal.”
Malpani’s vision of the coming genera- tion of smart buildings describes structures
nothing short of amazing—and the coming generation of amazing intelligence includes school buildings. “If you’re in school today, you probably have a badge, which may or may not have some intelligent functions.
“The next step, however, will be to add RFID technology (Radio Frequency Identi- fication) to the card. Then, the student can use the card like a credit or debit card for purchases, to check out library books, and access digital content on the computer both in schools and at home.
“When we establish identities, the tech- nology integrates identities into various activities such as library borrowing, as well as checking out sports equipment, musical equipment artists supplies, and so on.”
In short, whatever we use a card for today will be a likely application for the ris- ing generation of smart access cards.
Back to the building. What does it mean for an intelligent building to deliver a personalized experience?
“For example, every morning at 10 a.m., I make a cup of coffee and drink it. In an intelligent building environment, when my desk senses that I am getting up from my chair around 10 a.m., it can be programmed to alert the coffeemaker. These examples illustrate a couple
of things an intelligent building can be programmed to do today. What about an intelligent K-12 school building? What can intelligence bring to school?
PHOTOS COURTESY OF HOFFMAN PLANNING DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION, INC.
MARCH 2019 / SCHOOL PLANNING & MANAGEMENT 11