As the world moves toward sustainability, smart buildings are leading the charge in reducing carbon emissions, lowering energy consumption, and creating greener environments. But what exactly makes a building “smart”?
Smart Buildings
A smart building integrates advanced technology—such as automation, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and smart sensors—to monitor and manage energy usage, air quality, and resource efficiency in real time. These buildings not only enhance occupant comfort and safety but also reduce operational costs by optimizing energy use, water consumption, and environmental control. With the growing importance of sustainability, smart buildings have become essential for reducing carbon footprints and meeting green building standards.
Smart Building Show 2024 – Stand B18
At the Smart Building Show 2024, we’re excited to showcase how S&S Northern can support building consultants and BMS engineers in designing high-performance, energy-efficient spaces through our smart technology solutions. Our products contribute to the development of sustainable buildings, integrating seamlessly with building management systems (BMS) and helping reduce energy waste. Below, we highlight some of our key offerings and explain their roles in smart building technology.
Supporting Green Building Standards
Many organizations push the adoption of sustainable practices in building design and operation. Some of the most recognized certifications and standards for green buildings include:
- BREEAM: The Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method (BREEAM) is a leading sustainability assessment method for buildings. It focuses on improving building performance across energy, water, health, and wellbeing, promoting resource efficiency.
- WELL Building Standard: The WELL certification focuses on human health and wellness in building design. It addresses air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, and comfort to enhance occupant health and wellbeing while promoting sustainable practices.
- RESET: This certification specifically focuses on building health and environmental data quality, ensuring that spaces are designed to track and maintain high indoor air quality (IAQ) using real-time data.
Our products align with these green building certifications, making it easier for consultants and engineers to meet these standards while creating smarter, more sustainable environments.
S&S Smart Building Products Available:
The Merlin RS Range includes advanced sensors designed to monitor CO2 levels, temperature, and humidity, ensuring optimal indoor air quality. These sensors come with BACnet MS/TP or Modbus RTU protocols, enabling seamless integration with building management systems (BMS). By providing real-time data, these sensors allow for intelligent climate control, improving energy efficiency while maintaining comfort.
Typical Applications: Office spaces, schools, commercial buildings
Features: Accurate environmental monitoring, easy BMS integration, customizable settings
Why It Matters: Helps reduce energy usage by optimizing HVAC performance based on environmental data.
Our Merlin IAQ Monitors take air quality management a step further by monitoring not only CO2, temperature, and humidity, but also volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and particulate matter (PM1, PM2.5, PM10). With BACnet MS/TP and Modbus RTU compatibility, these monitors ensure comprehensive air quality control in real-time, supporting smart buildings in maintaining a healthy indoor environment while optimizing energy usage.
Typical Applications: Hospitals, schools, large commercial buildings
Features: Multi-sensor capability, real-time data feedback, customizable alerts
Why It Matters: Ensures occupant health and comfort while contributing to energy-saving HVAC management.
The VRF Refrigerant Gas Detector is an essential tool for monitoring refrigerant leaks in HVAC systems, detecting over 40 gases. This detector’s ability to integrate with BMS through BACnet MS/TP or Modbus RTU ensures that leaks are detected early, preventing harmful emissions and energy waste.
Typical Applications: Hotels, large commercial spaces, industrial buildings
Features: Detects leaks of over 40 types of refrigerants, real-time alerts, BMS integration
Why It Matters: Prevents energy loss and reduces the carbon footprint by ensuring efficient HVAC operation.
For enclosed car parks, monitoring harmful gases like CO and NO2 is critical for safety and energy management. The Parksafe Gas Detection System continuously monitors air quality, adjusting ventilation systems to only operate when necessary, minimizing energy usage.
Typical Applications: Underground and enclosed car parks
Features: CO/NO2 detection, automatic ventilation control, energy-efficient operation
Why It Matters: Saves energy by reducing unnecessary ventilation and enhances safety by ensuring air quality is within safe limits.
Protecting buildings from water damage is not only critical for operational safety but also for sustainability. Our water leak detection systems use ropes or pucks to detect leaks early, preventing water waste and property damage.
Typical Applications: Data centers, hotels, offices
Features: Early leak detection, customizable alert systems, BMS integration
Why It Matters: Saves water, prevents costly damage, and helps maintain environmental performance.
Our PIR Water Control System helps achieve a second BREEAM WAT 03 credit by regulating water supplies in toilet areas. Water solenoid valves are controlled by motion-detected PIR sensors, ensuring water is only used when needed, minimizing wastage.
Typical Applications: Commercial buildings, schools, public restrooms
Features: PIR sensor-triggered water control, BREEAM WAT 03 compliance
Why It Matters: Reduces water waste in high-traffic areas, supporting sustainability goals.
Water efficiency is another vital element of smart building design. The Merlin WDP system allows tracking of water usage through pulsed water meters, with the added benefit of out-of-hours protection. It meets BREEAM WAT 02 & 03 credits, ensuring compliance with green building standards while reducing water waste.
Typical Applications: Hotels, schools, commercial buildings
Features: Water usage monitoring, out-of-hours leak protection, BREEAM compliance
Why It Matters: Reduces water consumption, aiding in sustainability efforts and meeting green building certifications.
Our metering solutions offer comprehensive tracking of gas, water, and heat usage. These meters help building managers understand energy consumption patterns, enabling smarter decisions on reducing energy waste and improving efficiency.
Typical Applications: Large residential and commercial buildings
Features: Accurate usage tracking, real-time data access, BMS integration
Why It Matters: Provides critical insights into energy and resource usage, supporting efforts to reduce overall consumption and carbon emissions.
With over three decades of expertise, S&S Northern is committed to helping create smarter, more sustainable buildings. Our range of sensors, meters, and detection systems is designed to optimize energy and resource usage, helping reduce carbon emissions and promoting healthier indoor environments. Our solutions align with industry-leading sustainability standards, including BREEAM, WELL, and RESET, ensuring that your building is not only smart but also green.
If you’re attending the Smart Building Show, visit us at Stand B18. Let’s discuss how our solutions can integrate into your next smart building project.
