The pandemic has profoundly changed the way many of us think about how we live and work. Health, safety and sustainability – powerful concepts reflected at the Smart Building Conference at ISE 2022 – are driving the global smart building market toward $265.37 billion (https://www.fortunebusinessinsights.com/industry-reports/smart-building-market-101198) by 2028. Thanks to the combination of smart sensor technology and the expertise of integrators, homeowners and building managers can create smart systems enabling their buildings to be increasingly intuitive, adaptable and responsive.

Connected homes

In the home, specific devices like surveillance cameras and smart light bulbs are contributing to spend on smart home solutions exceeding $100 billion by the end of 2021, according to Strategy Analytics.

“Consumer demand for connected systems and services in the home is increasing by the day and has been accelerating as a result of the global pandemic,” says Matt Nimmons, MD, CEDIA EMEA. “In the past eighteen months, we’ve witnessed a real expansion in the trend for technologies to facilitate working from home, or as some are calling it, living at work. Many CEDIA members have worked with developers on delivering robust and secure wi-fi connected spaces that can serve as the home office, complete with the high-quality audio and video performance to match.”

As such, the home is now a multi-functional space that provides a place of comfort, rest and relaxation as well as a secure and practical home office, a learning environment, a cinema, gaming room and fitness suite.

“The biggest developments are not so much in new smart tech, but more in the deployment of it,” says Stuart Tickle, MD at custom integration distribution company, AWE. “Now that people are spending more time at home, things previously thought of as luxury have become more standard.”

He cites smart security cameras to keep an eye on kids playing in the garden, and convenient control of energy efficient lighting and heating. Lighting control systems integrated into the wider home automation system can bring other benefits in terms of ease of use, ‘scene’ setting and even deliver human centric lighting.

“There are no signs of this trend stopping with growth looking set to continue throughout 2022,” he adds. “We are in a rare time when supply is outstripping demand, so integrators have long pipelines of work scheduled in too.”

In turn, this demand has driven investment “in the technology that can deliver the services, comfort and convenience that people now see they need,” advises Peter Broome, Director at UK smart lighting controls manufacturer Rako. “Homeowners have turned to integrators to help make the technology experience as easy to use, reliable and enjoyable as possible.”

Well-tech

Health and wellness remain in sharp focus as we approach the end of 2021. Whether through lights that sync to a home-owner’s circadian rhythm to help them sleep better or proper air filtration that offers relief for their allergies, ‘Well-tech’ is creating new ways for people to achieve their desired health outcomes.

“Well-tech is one of the fastest growing technology trends in the residential market, and integrators are the best equipped to implement these products into the home,” says CEDIA Senior Director Strategic Partnerships, Ian Bryant. “Well-tech fits right into the consultative model embraced by many in the CI industry, as they pivot from ‘selling tech’ to improving and enhancing customers’ lives in their homes.”

Giles Sutton, CEDIA Interim CEO, even calls these technology solutions “truly lifechanging… and they are no long reserved for early adopters or the ultra-wealthy.”

There are calls for integrators to develop their relationships with related trades – lighting designers, HVAC installers, plumbers – in order to become the ‘general contractor’ or coordinator of a holistic wellness solution.

Walt Zerbe, Senior Director of Technology & Standards, CEDIA explains, “Integrators need to spend more time on the discovery side to really understand what the customer’s needs are – who the family members are, what each of them require, is anyone working or learning from home – and it takes an increased amount of study to prescribe a wellness solution for each customer. It’s very personalised. There’s no doubt that wellness is a giant opportunity for integrators to capitalise on.”

Media management solutions

The increased time people spent watching TV and online video in 2020 has resulted in an uptick in demand for dedicated cinemas or media rooms with bigger screens and powered up audio. Similarly, our collective home time is generating demand for cabling that enable outdoor lighting and entertainment systems, in turn helping people to be sociable with garden spaces for wellness and mental health.

The convenience and sanitary nature of voice control is further driving demand for smart appliances. “In particular the growth of dedicated control systems that bring all these devices together and make it easy for customers to navigate and operate via a single platform across multiple control methods, automated, voice and button,” says Tickle.

In this context, remote monitoring and management (RMM) has become more critical for integrators than ever. RMM is one of the key industry evolutions in recent times and, increasingly, becoming a necessity for today’s smart home installation business, says Mark Reynolds, Senior Director, EMEA, Snap One.

To put this into context, remote management platform OvrC by Snap One currently has over 1.5 million devices registered at around 350,000 locations with 15,000+ dealers.

“The ability to access the right tools (Control, Notifications and Monitoring) and having these fundamental resources available in the convenience of one location only enhances the pre and post installation experience,” says Reynolds. Aside from saving the cost of a site visit, the ability to resolve tech issues remotely, often without even the need to visit the site, is a bonus during a pandemic. “Throughout the past eighteen months, more and more clients have understandably wanted to keep any intrusion from tradespeople into their homes to an absolute minimum,” he says.

There’s an opportunity here for vendors and integrators who can pull together media management alongside the networking, audio, video cores. “With so many different content providers, most of us have issues in easily accessing what we want to watch content,” Zerbe says. “So, the next big wave is going to be getting someone in who can manage your media for you and make it simple to use.”

Technologies for working life

The seismic shift for many organisations from on-site working to remote working was an enforced one, but the return to work is unlikely to be a simple reversal of this. Companies are instead looking at long-term ways they can use their buildings more intelligently.

“To battle meeting fatigue, more and more companies are providing dedicated meeting devices that can be used at the home office,” says Stijn Ooms, Director Product Strategy AV and Digital Workplace at Crestron. “Businesses need to make sure that the IT department can track everything and is able to keep the products working and updated no matter what, or where. That can be done through the cloud.”

Frost & Sullivan reported that, before Covid-19, out of the nearly 90 million meeting rooms worldwide, only 7.8 percent are video-enabled. That is quickly changing: with hybrid work becoming more dominant. Adding video conferencing and collaboration technology to every space, large or small, is now a requirement.

“If companies want to retain their workforce and keep them productive, it’s key to make them feel equal and connected whether they are at the office or working from home,” Ooms says. “The right technology, for instance intelligent video and audio, can help with that.”

According to Gartner (https://www.gartner.co.uk/en/newsroom/press-releases/2020-10-29-gartner-survey-reveals-47-percent-of-organizations-will-increase-investments-in-iot-despite-the-impact-of-covid-19), 47% of businesses are planning to increase their investments in the Internet of Things (IoT). These organisations are using smart technology to optimise everything from occupancy to energy use, improving sustainability and wellbeing and ultimately reducing costs.

ISE 2022

The Smart Building Conference (SBC) produced by ISE is the must-attend pan European conference for professionals working in the smart buildings industry. It is being held on 31 January, the day before ISE opens, at the Fira de Barcelona. Covering commercial, residential and office opportunities, SBC 2022 will explore how the unfolding new technology landscape facilitates the deployment of smart technology within buildings.

On the show floor of ISE itself, visitors will find plenty to inspire them in the Residential and Smart Building Zone in Hall 2. You’ll find systems for designing lighting that responds to changes in ambient light levels during the day alongside the latest developments in connectivity standards, unified communications (UC) and technologies for improving the visual impact of loudspeakers and so much more.

Mike Blackman, Integrated Systems Events Managing Director explains: “As a physical, in-person event, we are in a unique place to bring all elements of the industry together under one roof and we cannot wait to see you all. In the build up to Barcelona we have worked hard to ensure that ISE 2022 offers a safe, enjoyable and very worthwhile experience for the industry to showcase innovation, be inspired by some of the brightest in the business. We look forward to seeing you there.”  Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) 2022 will take place at the Fira de Barcelona, Gran Vía, on 1-4 February 2022.

For more information, please visit www.iseurope.org

– Flagship event held under patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum
– The 23rd edition, featuring an expanded three-day conference with a focus on cybersecurity, will host elite international experts speaking in the region for first time Nicole Hayde

Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Intersec – the world-leading emergency services, security and safety event – will mark its return in 2022 with a ground-breaking, elevated new program uniting global and regional leaders as they explore solutions for the rapidly evolving challenges facing the industry. Never-before seen additions to the event will see Cybersecurity and technology take centre stage, along with some of the world’s best speakers in the UAE for the first time.

The 23rd edition of the flagship event, under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mansoor Bin Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, will be staged under the theme of ‘Uniting the world’s leading industry specialists for the safety & security of future generations.’ His Highness said: “Intersec will be the most important platform of the year for businesses and governments to collaborate and continue on their paths of building a sustainable, safer and more secure world for our generation and those that follow. We look forward to hosting our communities once again, safely, physically and live in-person.”

The first industry gathering of 2022, staged at Dubai World Trade Center from 16-18 January, is the only event in the region that brings the entire ecosystem of emergency services, security and safety together at one time. Demonstrating Intersec’s strategic importance to the UAE, long-standing Official Supporters include Dubai Police, Dubai Civil Defense, Security Industry Regulatory Agency (SIRA) and Dubai Municipality while additional government partners for 2022 will be announced shortly.

Intersec’s innovation and technology focus will include its first ever Cyber Lab offering a vital platform for knowledge. Organizer Messe Frankfurt has worked closely with industry stakeholders, from both the private and public sector, to develop an event that reflects both their current and future needs that offers attendees bespoke platforms to gain expert insight on future capacity and capabilities.

Christine Davidson, Intersec’s Group Exhibition Director, said: “There has never been such an intense focus as there is today on the security and safety industry which has been at the frontline of protecting the world’s communities over the last 18 months during this time of significant global disruption.

“Having invested heavily to deliver an outstanding program that will address the sector’s most vital issues and opportunities, Intersec 2022 brings the industry together at this crucial juncture to share knowledge from recent experiences and look to the future with the event’s most powerful series of conferences including multiple platforms for strategic G2G, G2B and B2B discussions and deep dive sessions into key sector verticals.”

Ms Davidson added: “The phenomenal development in the framework of the show will see the best minds in the industry come to the table with the most content-rich program ever seen at Intersec. We have the most comprehensive line-up of international and regional speakers, dynamic networking opportunities, coupled with world-class exhibitors to bring the most relevant value to Intersec’s attendees. We have built a world-class team to deliver this event and over the coming weeks we will be sharing further details of our elite speakers and conference program that will demonstrate the extraordinary value of the event to our attendees.”

Seen as a nexus for the industry, Intersec will bring together thousands of its most powerful stakeholders for bilateral government and business discussions on mitigating and addressing vulnerabilities of the future. They will be joined by leading regional and international brands exhibiting the most innovative systems and solutions in a dynamic environment that will enable face-to-face and virtual exchange through interactive roundtables, workshops and ‘closed-door’ confidential conversations.

More than 200 companies have already confirmed their participation at the event that is a reference point in Europe for the market and its operators. The strengths of the project are getting outlined, including the vast product selection, professional training and new synergies. The Cyber Arena is back, the event dedicated to a topic that has become of primary importance for every business

Milano, 17 September 2021. More than 200 companies have already formalised their participation in SICUREZZA 2021, confirming the event – which will be held at Fiera Milano from 22 to 24 November – as a unique opportunity to learn about technological innovation and the most advanced solutions available on the market today, but also to keep up to date on trends, regulations and scenarios.

Many products that for the first time are part of an extended supply chain proposal: not only the exhibition is back in combination with SMART BUILDING EXPO, the home and building automation and technological integration event, but SICUREZZA will also be held at the same time as MADE expo, Italy’s leading event for the construction sector. The three events will open simultaneously at Fiera Milano (Rho) on 22 November 2021; however, while SICUREZZA and SBE will take place from the 22 to 24 November, MADE Expo will last an extra day, until 25 November, confirming its traditional four-day duration.

THE PRODUCTS OFFERED
Therefore, at SICUREZZA 2021 it will finally be possible to meet up again and discuss things in person with manufacturers and, above all, discover the best that the market has to offer to protect people, goods and the environment. Products representing all the market elements will allow to review the most advanced solutions available for each application area.

From ultra-high resolution video cameras to thermal cameras that today find wide application in anti-Covid prevention, to data management software and video analysis systems that allow for intelligent reading of data and images, video surveillance manufacturers and distributors will provide an overview of a technology that today finds application in every sector, both public – from sensitive data to cities – and private.

The range of anti-intrusion products on offer in this edition will be wide, with the participation of leading international and Italian brands. Integrated systems designed for industry, commerce or institutional environments, innovative proposals for fog systems, but also many products for the residential sector, now increasingly connected and integrated with advanced home automation solutions that allow experiencing a new level of comfort and ensuring the optimisation of energy resources. The new central role that the home has take on in the past few months – and that continues today also thanks to the smart working push – and the technological evolution that has seen an exponential increase in the availability of broadband has further turned the spotlight on the potential and advantages of the smart home, a market that, according to the latest data released by the Politecnico di Milano, has been able to withstand the impact of Covid, reporting only a slight drop and is now worth 505 million euros.

The focus on the theme of cyber security is confirmed: broadband, connected and integrated solutions, cloud management, artificial intelligence and IOT, which are finding more and more interest in security products, cannot but put the theme of data security in the foreground. An urgent need for both manufacturers and installers, who today the GDPR, the European Privacy Code, considers in different ways directly liable for protecting the data of those who are “tracked” by said systems.

In order to provide a joint response to this emergency, SICUREZZA is once again offering the Cyber Arena, the exhibition and training area created in collaboration with Fiera Milano Media – Business International, where experts, national security experts, academics and companies will analyse trends, share best practices and present the latest innovations on the topic. Every day, the program will alternate between Cyber Security Talks, in-depth meetings with experts in the sector who will give their views on the main trends, and Cyber Security Tips, short training sessions with advice and suggestions to use immediately.

There will also be a wide range of access control systems, including automatic devices, bollards and flow control systems, as well as fire prevention systems, focused mainly on detection, and passive security, with locks and safes.

SICUREZZA also confirms its vast training programme for this edition, created thanks to the collaboration with associations and third parties active in the sector. The training programme will enrich all three days of the fair, with a common goal: offering practical support to operators, developing specific skills, updating them on regulations, and providing practical added value to those who work in the field.

A SAFE VISIT
The exhibition will be in person, yet in full safety: thanks to the collaboration with a team of experts and in synergy with the main companies in the sector, Fiera Milano has drawn up a Protocol for the containment of the spread of the new coronavirus, which illustrates how to hold trade fair events safely, in full compliance with the rules and health protocols issued at the national level.

Green passes, masks, but also special attention to the expo access: pedestrian and vehicular access points have been redefined for the proper management of transit flows. In addition, the use of digital technologies will automate access procedures. A district-specific app will provide access to a range of services including fast track, parking and dining reservations. In addition, the catering areas have been laid-out in such a way as to guarantee adequate social distancing.

Thanks to these simple and clear rules, it will be possible to move around the stands with the utmost peace of mind, to meet and exchange ideas, thus protecting the trade fair business and safeguarding everyone’s health.

The appointment with SICUREZZA and Smart Building Expo is at Fiera Milano from 22 to 24 November 2021. Made Expo will open simultaneously on 22 November, but will end on 25 November.

Digitisation and sustainability, the two pillars of the Italian Recovery Plan, are at the center of the three events that this upcoming November will offer a comprehensive preview of the materials, technologies and regulations for the building and urban sector.

Milan, 12 July 2021 – The same inauguration date, one admission ticket valid for all events, but, above all, the same goal: working as a team, exploiting potential synergies, and meeting the needs of companies and sector’s operators, especially international buyers who are more interested than ever in optimising time and resources at this particular time.

This is what MADE expo, the leading event in Italy for the construction sector; SICUREZZA, the biennial international event in the security & fire; and SMART BUILDING EXPO, the home and building automation and technological integration expo, will present to the market in an unprecedented combo events. In fact, all of three will start simultaneously at Fiera Milano (Rho) on 22 November 2021. However, while SICUREZZA and SBE will take place from the 22nd to the 24th, MADE Expo will last an extra day, until 25 November, confirming its traditional four-day term.

The three events will be held in the eastern section of the Fiera Milano district, logistically closest to the subway and train station, featuring a total of 7 pavilions: 1,2,3, and 4 for MADE Expo; 5,7, and 10 for SICUREZZA and SMART BUILDING EXPO.

CONTENT AND SUPPLY CHAIN SYNERGIES
Logistics coordination, but also – and above all – coordinated strategy and content.
We live in times that are increasingly interconnected between sectors, especially when it comes to the building sector. The new BIM platform design approach imposes coordination in the construction of a building.

In the context of this process of change now irreversible and in constant progression, the three events introduce themselves as a team supply chain project: a unique opportunity for designers and installers to discover and review in depth, in a single location, the opportunities and challenges that systems, plants, products and regulations will have to face in the upcoming recovery phase.

In fact, the overall exhibition will present every novelty in the building sector, from materials, windows and doors and casings to plant engineering, home automation and security&fire systems. Products that can comprehensively meet the needs of construction companies, plant engineers, and designers.

There will also be a cross-thematic focus representing the heart of both the exhibition and its educational aspects. There are two topics, in particular, that will be explored by each exhibition: digitisation and sustainability, especially in terms of energy. These topics are revolutionising every sector and in this particular moment are the driving force for the recovery, as they are two of the pillars on which the Italian Recovery Plan is based that every company and professional must necessarily keep in sight in the coming months.

From The Place to Build at MADE expo, to the Milano Smart City Conference at SBE, through to the Cyber Security Talk of the Cyber Arena at SICUREZZA, just as a few examples, the events will outline the scenarios, trends, challenges and opportunities from a digital and sustainable perspective offering an expanded dialogue on the development potential that the recovery – supported by an ambitious investment programme that is unique in terms of scope and objectives – may represent for each sector and their professionals.

Digitisation and innovation, in terms of processes, products and services, will in fact be determining factors in the transformation each Country is called upon to achieve in the coming years and the technological offer in display at MADE Expo, SICUREZZA and SMART BUILDING EXPO may lead to developments in various sectors, primarily in the construction one, where the transition towards smart building – and consequently the smart city – is starting to become a reality.

The appointment is at Fiera Milano from 22 to 24 November 2021 for SICUREZZA and SMART BUILDING EXPO and from 22 to 25 November for MADE expo.