When we think about building automation, it's usually about the thermostats on the walls and their connection to some kind of control system that can change the temperature of a building. The first building automation system was invented in the late 1800s. In 1883, Warren Johnson invented a mechanical thermostat that could turn on or off the lights in a boiler room, informing people to shovel more coal into the stove to raise the temperature.

A hundred years later, the first computerized devices appeared on the market, capable of operating based on input received from these thermostats. It was not until the 1990s that we began to see more smart thermostats on walls, as well as various systems connected to computer networks. By the late 1990s, some of these networks were in turn connected to the Internet.

A building automation system is essentially a stand-alone system that is not always connected to the internet. They exist primarily for the benefit of the building owner or the managers of that space. The benefits they seek are reduced energy consumption, costs and maintenance. Smart buildings go far beyond those building automation systems that are primarily concerned with energy conservation.

There is no single definition of smart or smart buildings. Unlike green buildings, we do not have an independent evaluation system to define green buildings. Having said that, many organizations and institutions are trying to define, and we are seeing some common themes taking place, including those aimed at improving the working environment, health, safety and productivity, as well as cost and environmental benefits.

The definition of a smart building varies depending on the point of view and the information one wishes to derive from that intelligence. A variety of smart building wiring standards exist to help plan network deployments. Both CENELEC and ISO are specific to distributed building services, while BICSI has ICT design for smart buildings and places.

Essentially, smart buildings have sensors and devices that enable us to digitally represent physical objects, systems, and spaces. The data collected by IoT devices allows us to optimize the functionality of building systems and spaces within buildings.

So, to sum up, smart buildings are not just about energy conservation. The key factor is that it can integrate data from a variety of different services, thus bringing economic, social, and environmental benefits to the building owner or tenant, as well as the employees who live in it.