Asia-Pacific is Ready for Smart Buildings, Report Says

Smart Buildings are the circulatory system of the Smart City, and for highly congested urban areas like the ones found in many parts of Asia, the technology has to be right on point to make implementation possible at all.

The Smart Buildings market is gaining momentum in the Asia-Pacific region, according to a new study from Frost and Sullivan. Rapidly-evolving building technologies and the need for key market participants to gain a competitive advantage through them are the driving force behind the Smart Buildings market in Asia-Pacific, the report says. While large-scale deployment is unlikely in the short term, it said, due to security issues and lack of clarity on the roles of various stakeholders, the growing emphasis on energy efficiency and strong regulatory support will eventually enable the construction of completely integrated and automated buildings.

The report, called “Cities Turn Ubiquitous—The Internet of Buildings (IoB) in Asia-Pacific,” asserts that commercial buildings will lead the way, and industrial and government buildings will wait for regulatory support before adopting the new technology.

“Unique business and political environments in each Asia-Pacific country mean that carefully-crafted strategies are required to penetrate different sectors," said Janice Wung, Energy and Environmental Industry Analyst, Frost & Sullivan. “Developed countries in Asia-Pacific will remain the breeding ground for IoB market opportunities owing to their strong regulatory framework and support.”

A clear regulatory structure must also be established for industry expansion in developing countries, according to the report. Awareness among building owners and managers can be linked to guidelines or case studies observed from regulatory and municipal agencies.

“Building partnerships will help market participants leverage others’ expertise and specific market experience to gain a competitive advantage,” said Wung. “The integration of technological capabilities, leading to a convergence of competition and entry of new market participants, will quicken IoB advancement in Asia-Pacific cities.”

Asia will be an excellent place to make Smart Buildings work first – and if they prove to be a useful and efficient case study, the rest of the world will likely follow quickly. Now, it seems, it’s just a matter of getting regulatory and safety concerns worked out.