The CABA NewsBrief

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Thursday, December 16, 2021

.RESEARCH

Bringing Clean Energy Home
RMI
Over the next decade, there is an opportunity to radically change how energy is produced, delivered, and used across the economy, including within homes. In the United States, household-level energy decisions drive 40 percent of energy-related carbon emissions. Positioning households to lead on decarbonizing our economy can enable rapid emissions reductions and help improve critical human needs including health, resilience, and equity of access to energy services.
(IS-2021-203) Engineering Net Zero — Canadian Technical Report
CABA
This report by SNC Lavalin from March 2021 recommends key actions necessary for Canada to achieve a “net zero” greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2050. Emphasis is placed on design, engineering, construction, operations, and maintenance, combined with a fundamental transformation of societal behaviours and lifestyles, to reduce carbon emissions. (CABA members may login to access this members-only content. Non-members please go to caba.org/caba-members-library/ for a preview of library content and to join.).
(IS-2021-201) Green and Equitable Economic Recovery
CABA
This April 2021 report was prepared by Climate Mayors. It highlights key policy priorities and local success stories contributing to a green and equitable recovery and demonstrating job creation and resilience. (CABA members may login to access this members-only content. Non-members please go to caba.org/caba-members-library/ for a preview of library content and to join.).
The Financial Impact of Healthy Buildings
MIT Real Estate Innovation Lab
While the benefits of healthy spaces have long been qualitatively understood and appreciated, their value and impact on economic decision-making has not been financially analyzed. In this research, we use CompStak and Healthy Building public databases from Fitwel and WELL to operationalize a real estate hedonic model in order to ascertain the value of healthy spaces on the effective rent of offices spaces in ten cities within the United States.

INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS

Business moves bulk up the connected SSL and controls hit list
LEDs Magazine
LEDs Magazine contributor Mark Halper has been fond of saying, “The road to connected lighting has been long and winding,” and he is absolutely right. What seems to be the common theme of 2021, however, is a redistribution of the “business traffic” involved in connected solid-state lighting (SSL) and controls via acquisitions. In one case, unfortunately, a sale was not on the roadmap.
Smart building strategies 3.0: Best of smart building lessons learned during the pandemic
Realcomm
Over the course of the pandemic, the concept of a smart building has been challenged and new features have been assigned to the intelligent building of the future. This session reviews smart building lessons learned in 2021 and explores how building owners can be better prepared for unforeseeable future events.
Smart Buildings Technology tracks the latest in technology adoption
Smart Buildings Technology
A new report from Smart Buildings Technology magazine examines which building systems most commonly are equipped with intelligence, what motivates adoption and what’s holding some stakeholders back. This issue of the magazine also has promotional content from CABA.
Predictions, risks and opportunities: What should smart building vendors watch out for in 2022?
Verdantix
IThis webinar provides technology executives across the smart building technology market with Verdantix’s analysis of the hot trends that will influence buyer purchases, product releases and innovation in 2022. Verdantix is a CABA member.
Siemens to acquire EcoDomus’ digital twin software to expand its smart building offering
Siemens
Siemens Smart Infrastructure has signed an agreement to acquire digital twin software for buildings from EcoDomus, a US-based company. The move helps Siemens Smart Infrastructure expand its digital building portfolio, including its cloud-based building operations twin software and its flagship building management platform Desigo CC. Siemens Industry is a CABA Board member.
ABB wins 2021 Frost & Sullivan global product leadership award for intelligent buildings
ABB
ABB has earned the 2021 Frost & Sullivan Global Product Leadership Award in the intelligent buildings industry. The company’s integrated smart buildings solutions include energy management systems that can drive operational efficiency, reduce energy consumption by up to 40 percent, minimize costs, and increase occupant comfort. Frost & Sullivan and ABB are CABA members.
Sensirion’s miniaturized CO2 sensor for U.S. HVAC apps now available globally
Printed Electronics Now
Sensirion has launched a new product in its SCD4x miniaturized CO2 sensor series. The SCD42 has been designed for products that fall under California’s Building Energy Efficiency Standards (Title 24), and is therefore suited for US HVAC applications.

CONNECTED HOMES

Are smart plumbing systems worth it? 
MUO
There’s no doubt that smart home technology has made life easier and more comfortable for many homeowners. From controlling indoor climate to turning on the lights with just a touch of a button, there are countless ways to make a home smarter. But what about your plumbing? Here’s a closer look.
Renewable Microgrids
Smart Energy Decisions
Power outages are on the rise and grid resiliency is a growing concern. The number and intensity of severe weather events are increasing. Physical and cyber attacks are a growing threat. And aging grid infrastructure complicates system management. These metrics signal a need for grid infrastructure updates – and an exciting opportunity to rethink the grid and re-examine outdated concepts in power delivery that no longer serve the energy users of today.
Bringing smart lighting to decentralized cities and rural areas
Cities Today
In 2020, over 56 percent of the world’s population was urban, and half of the people lived in towns of less than 500,000 inhabitants. The United Nations estimated that urbanization could reach 68 percent by 2050, but the Covid-19 pandemic may curb this trend, as the rise of remote working may encourage more people to leave cities in search of a different way of life.
Smart homes: Reducing carbon footprint and expense
Forbes
The popularity of “smart homes” can seem superficial at first glance, as they might look like the lead magnet for people who want to spend large sums of money on their property. However, when you learn that — apart from reducing expenses — smart homes can reduce carbon footprints, the desire of real estate companies and local governments to invest in smart homes seems justified.
Q & A: Digital transformation of home entertainment requires ‘intelligent’ devices
Digital Journal
How is home entertainment being transformed and to what extent is the lack of a common standard inhibiting progress? To assess the current trends, Digital Journal spoke with Tony Ostrom of Summit Wireless and President of the WiSA Association (Wireless Speaker and Audio Association), which is a consumer electronics consortium seek to create an interoperability standard to be utilized by leading brands and manufacturers to deliver immersive sound via intelligent devices.
The future of 5G and IoT in smart cities
IoT for All
Keeping it simple, “smart cities” utilize emerging technologies such as 5G and IoT to create and deliver connected solutions for the well-being of a community. While the innovation of 5G technology will not facilitate the advancement of smart cities on its own, the new 5G infrastructure vastly expands the opportunity for cities to utilize smart devices, sensors, and data to improve operations and functions.
Connectivity: The fundamental ingredient of a successful smart city
Open Access Government
Smart cities and smart city ideals are emerging as the bedrock of sustainable urban planning, offering high standards of living to residents. Smart mobility plays a central role in this emergence, delivering sustainable transportation and improving lives. Yet its success depends upon rapid, secure, reliable methods of connectivity.

.CABA

AHR Trend Report released
CABA will have a booth and contribute four presentations at AHR Expo, Jan. 31 – Feb. 2, 2021 in Las Vegas. AHR Expo has just released its 2022 Trend Report, which asked respondents to reflect on potential opportunities, threats and challenges to be considered for the near future. CABA and other industry associations participated in the report.
CABA Members Have Their Stay in Our Annual Survey
CABA
Your feedback helps ensure CABA is undertaking work that will benefit your organization and the “Intelligent Buildings and Connected Home” sector. Please take five (5) minutes to complete this short survey to help CABA better understand your organization’s interests and needs. In the last question of the survey, you may choose to enter your email address for a chance to win one of three $50 Amazon Gift Cards.
NCABA Board of Directors Welcomes Broan-Nutone
CABA
Jim Bohn, Global Category Director at Broan-NuTone, has been appointed to the CABA Board of Directors. Jim has been an industry leader in the field of Product Management and Development for over 25 years. Broan-Nutone is recognized throughout the industry for its forward-thinking residential ventilation products and customized climate and indoor air quality solutions.