Smart solutions improve production performance and create energy savings in industrial applications

Truly smart properties are energy-efficient and have low emission levels. They also ensure optimal conditions for their users and help property owners achieve return targets set for their property.

So it's no wonder that smart building solutions that utilize the latest technology and automation are increasingly more attractive to property owners, investors, and developers.

Juho Siitonen, YIT's VP of Building Services says that smart real estate solutions can create significant added value not only for office premises but also for industrial properties.

"In new construction, smart solutions should be considered even before the design of the building begins," says Siitonen.

He believes that a careful analysis of the needs of the users and property owners creates a good foundation for construction. It provides clear, business-oriented goals for the design and implementation of smart solutions.

Smart Building also meets future needs

Smart Building refers to a property where building systems and building automation are integrated to control, for example, the building's energy management, heating, air conditioning, and safety systems.

"Individual, stand-alone digital solutions alone do not make the property smart. We must build properties that support the business of their owners and users as well as possible,” emphasizes Juha-Petri Arvonen, YIT's building technology specialist.

This need is addressed by the Smart Building concept developed by YIT and the design guide prepared for its implementation, which enables the design and construction of technical systems that fit in with the concept.

"It is essential to standardize the data produced during the design, construction, and operation of the building. This allows different actors to utilize information at all stages of the property's life cycle,” explains Siitonen.

The main idea behind the Smart Building concept is that new smart systems can be easily connected to the existing system in the future. Thanks to this, it is possible, for example, to develop further the adaptability and energy efficiency of the premises throughout the property’s life cycle.

Ideal for data centers

YIT is one of the pioneers of Smart Building solutions in Finland. The Workery+ facility in Vallila, Helsinki, has served as a pilot project where various sensors collect data on matters such as the movement of people and the use of meeting rooms, in addition to data related to energy consumption and conditions.

Siitonen says that similar Smart Building solutions are also ideal for various industrial properties, from production facilities to logistics centers. They are particularly well suited to demanding applications, where conditions must be kept consistent without compromising the production process.

One example of this are data centers, where the reliability of machine room cooling is extremely important for the operation of the sensitive devices.
In data centers, smart real estate solutions can also be efficiently utilized for energy recycling, when the surplus heat produced by servers is recovered and used in the district heating network, for example.

Arvonen stresses that smart solutions can also improve the energy efficiency and conditions of public buildings.

"For example, in the Jynkä school built by YIT in Kuopio, artificial intelligence guides the use of energy, generating significant savings in electricity consumption.”

Smart Building helps improve sustainability

When implemented well, a building's smart features hold a great economic value.

In addition to energy savings, cost reductions are created in maintenance as equipment failures and malfunctions can be addressed in a timely manner.

The data collected and analyzed with the help of Smart Building solutions can also be used effectively in property management, when essential information on energy consumption, maintenance, and servicing activities can be found in a single location.

“Property owners' sustainability targets and regulations on carbon footprint reductions give smart building solutions an additional boost. Funders and investors have their own sustainability criteria,” says Siitonen.

He notes that smart technology helps improve energy efficiency and reduce emissions significantly. For example, renewable energy produced with geothermal systems or solar panels can be efficiently integrated into the property's energy systems.

Artificial intelligence optimizes an office building’s building technology

In the summer of 2023, the Tuultenristi office building was completed in Tapiola, Espoo, in line with YIT's Smart Building concept.

In this modern office property with an area of about 4,200 square meters, building systems responsible for ventilation, heating, and cooling are optimized with artificial intelligence. The analytics system reviews the building's systems, detects any faults in the operation of the equipment and, if necessary, creates a service request.

Fault diagnosis works 24 hours a day, every day of the year, detecting problems even when users are not present to observe the systems.

The smart system helps save energy and maintain the indoor conditions optimal. The Smart Building concept’s open, standardized operating model also makes it possible to add new smart features and services to the entity in the future.

Industrial construction

Smart Buildings are sustainable