Agenda-setting business and technology programme engages delegates
The Smart Building Conference, organised by Integrated Systems Even...
Agenda-setting business and technology programme engages delegates
The Smart Building Conference, organised by Integrated Systems Events - a joint venture between InfoComm International and CEDIA – welcomed more than 100 delegates to experience a full day of challenging exposition, debate, education and networking at the QEII Exhibition Centre in Westminster.
Following on from the success of last year’s London event, The Smart Building Conference was the first in a trio of up-and-coming Smart Building events taking place across Europe in the coming weeks.
Chaired by Bob Snyder, Channel Media Europe Editor-in-Chief, 27 speakers took part in separate tracks covering the commercial and residential building sectors. Snyder set the tone for the day by calling for a focus on the experience of the people that use the buildings, rather than concentrating on what’s smart’ and what is not.
This was picked up by the morning’s keynote speaker Paul Fletcher, Principal at through… who threw down the gauntlet to attendees and called for the focus of a smart building to be “firmly centred on the outcome of the building rather than the output. A smart building is one that doesn’t make you feel dumb!†he added. Pertinently, he pointed out that 80 percent of the buildings in the UK that will be in use in 2050 have already been built so focus should be on repurposing the existing stock as much as new builds.
The twin conference tracks of commercial and residential were respectively chaired by Chris Lavelle, Regional Director, InfoComm International UK and Ireland, and CEDIA representative Matt Dodd. High-level speakers were invited from the fields of audio-visual, building automation, security, electrical and IT system design. A highlight of the afternoon’s proceedings was the keynote address given by Wolfgang Henseler, Managing Director, Sensory Minds, Germany.
Delegate engagement across the tracks remained high throughout the day, with sessions such as Interoperability in Smart Buildings and Trends in Home Automation. Plenary sessions concluded proceedings in the morning and afternoon with The Future of Home and Building Control and The Internet of Things and Smart Buildings.
Delegate and sponsor support
The Smart Building Conference was well received by attendees.
Peter Mayer, Research & Development Manager at BLP, said: “It has been good to see a focus on the user and the outcomes, rather than the technology and the inputs. There has also been a welcome reflection of the trend towards applying controls, systems and smartness’ to existing buildings as opposed to new builds.â€
Alistair Hoyes, Global Product Director at Honeywell, talked enthusiastically about the Residential track: “The event has been insightful on a number of levels,†he said, “not least the influence of industry members versus the rise of the consumer. There is a growing influence from the likes of Google, Samsung and Apple, and while there is a lot of uncertainty about this trend discussion of the opportunities it may present is very welcome.
Athanasios Derempeis, Director at AD Networks, added: “Stephen Patterson from Biamp Systems gave a great presentation touching on how we change perspectives about the automation or integration of systems. It’s important that we think about customer and developer attitudes, and what they get for the money invested.â€
Support for the event also came from event sponsor Redstone, which specialises in IT infrastructure, smart buildings and support services. The London-based company used The Smart Building Conference to showcase its OneSpace office desk space management system, which has recently been installed into media company United Business Media. Paul Greenberg, Smart Building Delivery Manager said that the conference had been very “very rewarding for networkingâ€.
The SBC series
Following on the success of the London conference, the focus quickly shifts to key European events on the Smart Building calendar. Smart Building Conferences will be held in Berlin on 6 November and Milan on 18 November, where both will feature local market MCs. A third event will also be held on 9 February in Amsterdam, helping to open the 2015 ISE exhibition, which kicks off at the RAI on the following day.
Mike Blackman, Managing Director of Integrated Systems Events, was delighted with the continued evolution of the Smart Building brand. “Last week’s conference showcased great content in a conducive environment and builds on our event held in London last yearâ€, he said. “We will expand on the positive momentum generated here today with the up-and-coming Smart Building series of conferences.â€
More information on the SBC 2014-15 schedule is available at:
www.smartbuildingconference.com