Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
July/August/September 2022 I 47 When discussing data center projects, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) uses an acronym to describe the built environment that also works for smart buildings: TEAM. It stands for: • T = telecommunications (e.g., voice/data/video and facilities-specific telecommunications, such as a hospital's clinical services or an airport's arrival/departure technology) • E = electrical (e.g., PoE lighting, smart meters) • A = architectural (e.g., wayfinding, destination dispatch elevators, DAS to support 5G or Wi-Fi 6) • M = mechanical (e.g., heating, cooling, sensors, indoor air quality) As new technology emerges, more crossover between these groups exists. For example, smart buildings, smart dimmable glass, and smart medical refrigerators may be considered part of telecommunications, electrical, architectural, and mechanical environments. This makes it vital to ensure that everyone is on the same page and understands who is responsible and accountable for making decisions about these systems, as well as who is designing and installing them. PREPARE FOR THE UNPREDICTABLE As the world becomes increasingly more complex, filled with complicated and intricate environments, it is important to prepare for black swan events—rare events that come as a complete surprise and leave behind a major impact. For example, in early 2019, would anyone have predicted the lasting impacts of COVID-19? What about the winter storms that arrived in Texas and affected the global supply chain for several months? Although black swans cannot be predicted, smart building projects need enough resiliency to respond to these types of events when they occur. While future black swans may not take the shape of a pandemic or severe weather, there are many other kinds of risks that can arise in smart building projects—and these events tend to have a domino effect that impacts each phase of a project. Though no one can predict these events, it is possible to build robustness into plans and processes to downplay risk and mitigate impact to keep smart building projects in motion. AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY: With an emphasis on smart buildings, healthcare, data center design, planning, and building, Belden Technology Solutions' architect Henry Franc, RCDD, OSP, CDCDP, acts as a trusted advisor for large and complex projects across all verticals, assessing clients' business needs and finding the best technology options to meet them. He also serves as vice-chair of the TR-42 Telecommunications Cabling Systems Engineering Committee. Henry can be reached at henry.franc@belden.com. Although black swans cannot be predicted, smart building projects need enough resiliency to respond to these types of events when they occur.