Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
40 I ICT TODAY Behind every smart building is a growing demand for more bandwidth, faster speeds, and the inclusion of bandwidth in more places to support new ways of working and living. People want to be connected everywhere—no matter what—and the machines they rely on need this connectivity too. Emerging tech- nologies empower this demand, and strong cabling foundations are needed to support them and to drive the expected business outcomes. However, the road to smart building design is never the same from one organization to the next—even within the same market segment—whether it is a new hospital or a century-old K-12 building. GREENFIELD SMART BUILDING DESIGN Because they are designed and built from the ground up, greenfield projects do not face the restrictions and constraints often found in brownfield projects. In a greenfield project, it is typically easier to align visions and goals across teams because everything is fresh and new. Although this newness may seem like an advan- tage, it can also create obstacles. With a blank canvas, it is easy to get carried away with possibilities and lose sight of needs and practicality. For example, just because two systems can interact with one another does not always mean they should. A smart building does not have to connect all its systems. FIGURE 2: Healthcare is one of the most rapidly changing technology environments. Instead, it should create purposeful, meaningful con- nections that add value to people and processes based on what needs to be observed and managed. A smart hospital may want its irrigation systems to connect to the internet to check upcoming weather and adjust accordingly. Assume that rain is forecasted for tomorrow morning. The system would see this and realize that watering is not necessary. But does the irrigation system need to communicate with imaging systems? Even though it is possible to make this happen, it is probably not beneficial because it offers no advantage or benefit. Because there is no existing infrastructure, greenfield projects typically take longer than brownfield projects. Project planning may begin several years before the facility becomes operational. Because technology evolves so quickly, telecom- munications budgets and scopes created in 2021 may not address what will be needed in 2027 when the hospital opens its doors. Planning and foresight are needed, along with the willingness to accept that undestanding will change over time—and designs, plans, and programs of work need to be agile enough to adapt (Figure 2). In addition, as with any project, traditional costs, resources, and time constraints apply to greenfield projects as well.