Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1472963
July/August/September 2022 I 25 Businesses are also looking for ways to increase use of sustainable materials and lower their carbon footprint. Deploying many thousands of devices with single-use batteries may not make sense if a more sustainable alternative is available. As mentioned earlier, replacing battery operated devices with powered networks, such as SPE, eliminates the need to dispose of thousands of batteries in an ecologically appropriate manner. However, SPE also uses less copper than traditional four-pair Ethernet. Using artificial intelligence (AI) and IoT for con- necting buildings, transporting, and creating infra- structure allows the creation of a new ecosystem that can rely more on renewable energy, minimize energy waste, and slash carbon emissions. For example, buildings use 30 percent of the world's energy and contribute 40 percent of global carbon emissions. Thanks to the convergence of IoT with sensors, smart data, cloud computing, and AI, buildings can now supply data to managers, the cloud, and each other, enabling safer and more comfortable spaces that also reduce emissions and energy consumption. Building infrastructures are being rethought to minimize their climate footprints. Some reductions can be achieved through stricter building codes, innova- tive materials, and new approaches to how the buildings are used. For example, combining presence detection with room-by-room HVAC and lighting control can stop unoccupied office space from being heated, cooled, or lit. To support the all-digital building, new ways of deploying networks are being developed. The digital ceiling is one way that facilitates the setup of IP infrastructures by linking building services over a single, converged IP network conveniently located in the ceilings in a building or facility. On the ceiling, sensors, and controls for lighting, air-conditioning, and surveillance are simpler to wire and connect with the local data network. Furthermore, the digital ceiling supports the use of PoE and SPoE. As the use of edge devices become more common, vast amounts of data will need to be collected at Level 1, processed, and sent directly to the cloud. Migrating to SPE supports a complete edge to cloud presence. It also supports bidirectional data flows between OT and IT systems. SUSTAINABILIT Y Increasing sustainability is one of the core objectives of smart buildings. With the ability to track energy consumption and analyze data, building operators can make smarter decisions that benefit both their building occupants and the environment by controlling lighting, temperature, air quality, and other systems. A report in 2018 by the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction, the International Energy Agency, and the UN Environment Program found that building construction and operations were responsible for 36 per cent of energy used globally. A World Economic Forum (WEF) report also stated that of the 40 per cent of green- house emissions generated by buildings, three-quarters come from building operations and from their construction and materials. 1 While four-pair Ethernet offers the right technical performance, the cables are too large and bulky for many building automation applications and do not always support the long cable runs required for sensors and other BAS devices.