5G technologies will be the key pathway that will enable the full implementation of IoT in smart buildings, Coretrust Capital Partners managing principal, Thomas Ricci, told In-Building Tech.
“Per our mission, Coretrust teams strive to deliver excellence in customer service and utilize innovative technology to enhance tenant satisfaction. Our position is that smart buildings will be integrally tied to the IoT, and we see 5G as a pathway that will enable IoT devices to perform most effectively both from a tenant and business operations perspective,” the executive said.
“In this regard, our strategy has been to partner with Connectivity Wireless and invest in wireless infrastructures that will enable us to implement and support the next wave of devices and applications quickly,” Ricci added.
“If 5G and the IoT really deliver all they promise, then we are looking at an age of innovation where applications, devices and services will be developed in the next few years that don’t even exist today. I am hopeful for unprecedented operational efficiencies as individual building systems can more easily communicate to become an ecosystem of data sharing and self-adjustment.”
Commentng on what specific 5G services or applications are already being implemented in the smart building field, Ricci said that some smart building applications and use cases include digital signage, wayfinding, AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) systems, HVAC and energy control applications, as well as security- including HD (High Definition) video security.
Ricci also said that he considered that the real estate community still needs some additional evangelization about the advantages of 5G technologies in the smart building field. “More education and awareness is needed in the real estate community. Many still consider wireless inside the building to be outside their domain, when in reality it is the property owner’s responsibility to provide “connectivity”- be it wired or wireless (e.g. Wi-Fi and 5G/DAS) to their tenants. Building owners and managers need to have a general knowledge of these systems so that they can take appropriate action to serve their clients in the building and support future technologies. Further, finding the right technology partner is key.”
Ricci also noted that the companys focus has been putting scalable, modular infrastructure in place that can support the connectivity requirements that will accompany 5G and IoT devices and applications. “One such example is our recent DAS installation at FourFortyFour South Flower – the system, installed by Connectivity Wireless, was designed with the ability to incorporate 5G technologies and support burgeoning coverage and capacity needs,” he said.
With help from Connectivity Wireless Solutions, Coretrust Capital Partners had implemented 5G to transform its downtown Los Angeles tower into a smart building. The transformation, which includes a Distributed Antenna System (DAS) comprised of 317 multi-band antennas and 20 software defined remotes for fiber optic connectivity that cover the 1,244,925 million square feet of the 48-story tower.
