Home is where intelligence is

PUNE, INDIA: There's more to a new residential or corporate realty today than mere brick and mortar. Intelligence is being cemented in various forms, shapes and touch-points.

New concepts in nanotechnology, smart materials and design software techniques like solid modeling, simulation, finite element analysis and hazard analysis are unleashing IT to its full form in construction industry.

In an interview with Pratima Harigunani of CyberMedia News, Sandeep Vij, regional general manager, Honeywell Building Solutions – India delves on some key areas of interest that surround this new facade. Excerpts:

CMN: What is the overall level of market potential that intelligent buildings have generated and what are the offerings from your side to tap the same?

SANDEEP VIJ: As per a Frost & Sullivan's Research Report on Indian Building Technologies Market, 2006, the market is valued at $308 million (for 2006). Growing at a CAGR of 27 percent, it is slated to reach $1,293 million by 2012.

Honeywell Building Solutions is a part of Honeywell Automation India Ltd that is designing, installing, commissioning, maintaining, servicing and guaranteeing performances (for example Energy Savings through Performance Contracting) in some of the most complex, challenging and prestigious projects across South Asia.

Our portfolio is based around three to four pillars -– safety and security (fire alarm and detection systems, evacuation connectivity and co-ordination), cost optimization and energy efficiency (with AC control, environment control besides utility, lighting controls etc.).

CMN: What is driving excitement in this market?

SV: Enterprises today are adopting energy efficient systems and non-toxic building materials not only to conserve energy and save operational costs, but also to build and promote intelligent and energy efficient buildings. Buildings account for a significant portion of India's energy consumption at nearly 30 percent.

Studies have shown that putting an IBMS in a facility has an impact of reducing operating costs by nearly 10 to 20 percent without compromising on quality.

CMN: Amongst competitors like DigiHome, what stands as the clincher or differentiator in this market?

SV: It's the execution edge. Good delivery is only possible if good execution processes are in place. The actual proof is visible when the system is operational. Also, service is an integral component of sustaining the benefits and satisfaction for the customer.

For Honeywell's side, our USPs are our execution capabilities, service and people quality, excellent technology and products. Honeywell Building Solutions also won the Best Company of the Year for integrated building management systems (IBMS), electronic security systems and energy management services at India's first ever Frost & Sullivan Building Technologies Excellence Award.

CMN: Who is your customer, the end user or the developer?

SV: Depending on the kind of project and user requirements, it's a combination of both.

What role does convergence plays in creating intelligence in a building?

SV: It's applied to generate both safety and convenience. On the former, all equipments when integrated on a single platform can show up real-time action in cases like emergency. For instance, a fire alarm can simultaneously trigger instant notification to occupants, opening of emergency doors, evacuation announcements, inactivating equipments like AC etc.

CMN: What new will future add to this space?

SV: I wouldn't exactly say it's a futuristic trend because I have already started spotting it. A very significant move is the convergence to IT. More and more systems will plug in to an IP platform.

CMN: How has the progress on deployments been like?

SV: It's encouraging. These solutions are widely accepted in industries as diverse as IT, hospitals, pharmaceuticals and retail. Each segment has a different requirement. IT needs more solutions on energy and security while Pharma companies would ask for AC controls for processes. Retail on the other hand, would demand energy and lightning control keeping cost efficiencies as focal.

CMN: Any challenges that you have encountered?

SV: One has to capture the user's requirement or expectations, and that has to be addressed perfectly.

CMN: Is there a component of customization?

SV: Yes, quite of it. Each facility is different and its requirements are different. But there is an element of standardization too as the basic logic and strategies are same. It's an established technique.

CMN: Are intelligent buildings slowly turning to be a given in today's realty?

SV: Not exactly. More and more people have started seeing the use of integrated buildings so the intelligence feature is becoming an integral part of the upcoming projects. I don't know however if you can call that a hygiene factor.

CMN: So much has happened on the side of fresh projects and new facilities. Are possibilities being explored on the retail side as well where the end-user or occupant can upgrade an existing house into an intelligent one?

SV: That's a good point. In fact, we are focusing there too by going to an existing facility and serving this class of customers as well. We have 50 contracts so far for cost reduction guarantees. Results here have got us recognition.

CMN: But are there any compatibility or feasibility issues with existing facilities?

SV: Yes. Such issues exist in case of already-live facilities but we have overcome them. We try to do the deployment in night hours etc so that there is minimum disruption. This calls for an entirely different execution philosophy.

CMN: