US Building Operators Prioritize Safety & Security Over Sustainability
A new survey of 500 buildings across seven major US cities has shown that building operators prioritize safety and security over sustainability and productivity.
According to the survey, which was conducted by Honeywell and KRC Research, despite safety being of greater concern, the vast majority of building managers (82%) nevertheless agree that there is incredible benefit from green initiatives. As a result of prioritization though, half of those surveyed (53%) said their buildings are not equipped with the right technology to maximize energy efficiency and sustainability.
The “smartness” of buildings in the US is relatively low, ranking around 35 on a scale of 1-100 according to the Honeywell Smart Building Score ranking. Things are a bit different for the country’s airports, government offices, and hospitals, which ranked higher than the average — with public buildings averaging an overall score of 43 compared to private buildings’ 35. 51% of respondents said their buildings were focused on safety as the primary gauge of a smart building, while 27% said green assets, and 22% sided with productive assets.
Specifically, the survey — which evaluates facilities based on the technology used to make them safe, green, and productive — found the top three scoring assets in US building to be fire detection systems, efficient appliances and fixtures, and remote-access/wired infrastructure.
“There’s an emerging opportunity for buildings to make real contributions to an organization’s mission,” said Alex Ismail, President and CEO of Honeywell Automation and Control Solutions. “In addition to helping keep occupants healthy, safe and productive, smart buildings can drive top-line growth and bottom-line profits, making facilities strategic assets instead of overhead.”
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