The rapid advancement of technology has revolutionized the way we live and work, and the built environment is no exception. (Learn more about the smart building tech.)
The future of smart building technology and the role engineering design firms like ESD play in guiding its use is the focus of a new article in Crain’s Chicago Business magazine.
ESD President Kurt Karnatz was interviewed by Crain’s for “Energy efficiency takes on new importance in high-rises.” Karnatz cited a previous lack of cooperation between subcontractors that led to energy inefficiency and poor communication. He says ESD’s push for more transparent sharing of information, especially between subcontractors and design engineers, helped create today’s property technology, or proptech.
The Crain’s article also cites breakthrough projects for ESD in intelligent building interconnectivity, including work done on the 151 North Franklin development. In the article, Karnatz says much of this was not conceivable 20 years ago. He is quoted as saying, “Motion detectors now are very granular, able to count people and even measure their body heat. We can customize temperatures and air quality for every space. Awareness of this capability is exploding right now.”
This is especially true as many businesses begin to adapt to a post-pandemic workplace with greater attention being paid to employee health, safety, comfort, and efficiency.
As president, Kurt Karnatz has been leading ESD as a world-recognized building systems and technologies consulting practice for over 30 years and is a strong advocate of the company’s mission to improve society through the built environment.
Reach out to ESD to learn how we can help you meet your intelligent building or other engineering needs. To find out how to join our team, check out the company’s Careers section.
