IoT for Smart Buildings - Long Awaited Revolution or Lean Evolution

It is expected that popularization of smart building technology will redefine the way we work and live in the future. Energy used in buildings represents significant part of global energy consumption and humans spend most of the time indoors. Even now, using proven and commercially available technology, it is possible to achieve significant reduction in building maintenance costs and energy consumption providing more comfortable living environment at the same time. Nevertheless, the promise of intelligent buildings extends far beyond energy efficiency or housing comfort. Together with concept of Internet of Things it may change the world more than the Internet did. Will it be so? How this process will look like? What are potential threats? This paper will briefly cover current trends in building automation systems and try to answer all those questions. It will focus both on currently implemented solutions, mainly from ABB portfolio, as well as on potential disruptive technologies that will shape the future of intelligent buildings.