Smart Buildings: Transforming Spaces to Enhance Our Lives with Emmanuel Daniel

Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) is the world’s leading AV and systems integration show, attracting thousands of professionals from across the globe. At the recent ISE expo in Barcelona, Chris Edwards of HowToAV.tv had the opportunity to interview Emmanuel Daniel from Alosanar.  

In this insightful conversation, Emmanuel shared his expertise on the evolution of smart buildings, emphasising their shift from efficiency-driven to human-centric spaces. He discussed how technologies like AI and advanced sensors are transforming buildings into adaptive environments that enhance occupant well-being, productivity and engagement.  

Emmanuel also highlighted the crucial role of human-centric design in creating successful smart building solutions. He emphasised the importance of understanding user needs and prioritising experiences throughout the entire design and implementation process.

This article delves deeper into Emmanuel's insights, exploring key trends, challenges, and the future of smart buildings.

What defines a Smart Building?

“Smart buildings are not just about optimisation and efficiency - they’re about enhancing human performance,” Emmanuel explained. Essentially, a smart building leverages data from sensors and devices to create environments that are not only efficient but also conducive to human engagement, collaboration and well-being.

Gone are the days when buildings were designed merely for shelter or security. Today, smart buildings aim to drive what Emmanuel calls “accidental collisions” - the spontaneous and serendipitous interactions that foster learning, creativity, and connection.

How technology powers Smart Buildings

At the core of smart buildings are devices, sensors and technology designed to adapt to occupants' needs. Emmanuel highlighted the role of:

• Sensors: Monitoring air quality, lighting, and temperature to create optimal environments.
• Data: Collected in real-time to provide actionable insights.
• Automation: Adjusting environmental factors like light, sound, and temperature based on individual preferences.

“Smart buildings use this technology to make the space work for you, rather than you working for the space,” Emmanuel shared.

Smart Buildings vs. Smart Cities vs. Home Automation

Smart technology isn’t confined to a single type of environment. Emmanuel helped clarify how the concepts of smart homes, buildings and cities compare:

• Smart Homes: Focus on personal comfort, efficiency and security. Think automated lighting, thermostats and doorbell cameras.
• Smart Buildings: Designed for collaboration, engagement, and optimisation in shared spaces like offices, schools and hospitals.
• Smart Cities: Engage citizens through connectivity and services, aiming to meet urban needs such as traffic management or public safety.

“The common thread is engagement,” Emmanuel said. Each space is tailored to its specific audience, whether it’s creating a collaborative workspace in an office or ensuring clean air in a hospital.

From buzzword to expectation: The Evolution of Smart Buildings

Ten years ago, the term 'smart building' may have been just a buzzword. Today, it’s an expectation. As Emmanuel noted, the evolution began with basic building controls - moving from pneumatic systems to electrical and digital systems. These advancements brought an influx of data, initially used to optimise efficiency and reduce costs.

But the shift didn’t stop there. “Buildings are no longer just about efficiency; they’re about enhancing human experiences,” Emmanuel explained. Today’s smart buildings prioritise the occupant's needs and adapt accordingly.

| Chris Edwards of HowToAV and Emmanuel Daniel of Alosanar discuss the future of Smart Buildings at ISE 2025.

The role of AI in Smart Buildings

Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a transformative role in smart buildings, both in the design phase and in daily operations. AI enables buildings to adapt to individual preferences for lighting, sound, temperature, and more. Emmanuel illustrated this with an example:

“Your ideal workspace might include a collaborative lunch area or a quiet brainstorming nook. Someone else might prefer solitude for lunch. AI helps configure the space to meet those unique preferences without physically changing it.”

This adaptability, powered by AI and data, represents the future of smart environments.

Key questions when designing a Smart Building

For those embarking on a smart building project, Emmanuel offered a crucial piece of advice: Start by understanding the occupants. “Do we understand who will use the space, and what experiences they need? That’s the foundation for everything else,” he said.

From there, you can ask:

• What experiences will enhance the occupants’ productivity, well-being, or engagement?
• What data is needed to support those experiences?
• What technology - sensors, hardware, software - will enable these experiences?
• How can the building be designed (or retrofitted) to seamlessly integrate this technology?

“Buildings should be designed around the humans that occupy them. Experiences lead to specifications, not the other way around.”

What lies ahead for Smart Buildings?

As buildings continue to evolve, Emmanuel predicts they will adapt dynamically to occupant needs. The integration of open platforms and devices will ensure buildings are intuitive and personalised, offering seamless experiences.

“The needs of today won’t be the needs of tomorrow. Buildings must continuously evolve to delight and engage their occupants,” he emphasised.

Register now for ISE 2025 in Barcelona with FREE Entry using our exclusive registration code:  ISE2025HowToAV

No longer a futuristic fantasy or a mere buzzword, smart buildings are now a cornerstone of modern design and urban development. As we learned from Emmanuel Daniel at ISE 2024, the future of buildings lies in prioritising people.

These aren't just structures anymore; they're living, breathing environments that adapt to our needs. Imagine spaces that learn, evolve, and seamlessly cater to the unique preferences of everyone who uses them.

Emmanuel emphasised that understanding the people who will inhabit a space is paramount. Whether it's fostering collaboration in offices, ensuring healthy air quality in hospitals, or creating a comfortable home, the focus must always be on enhancing the human experience. Technology, like sensors, AI and automation, plays a vital role, but it should always serve our needs, not the other way around.

Over the past decade, we've witnessed a remarkable transformation. What once began with simple controls has evolved into buildings that dynamically respond to our individual preferences. AI is taking this to the next level, allowing buildings to customise everything from lighting and temperature to the very layout of the space.

“In the future, buildings will adapt automatically to the needs of the human who walks into them, making the space a seamless extension of their lives.”

Looking ahead, we can envision a future where buildings seamlessly integrate into our lives, enhancing our creativity, fostering collaboration, and simply making our lives more comfortable.

Emmanuel's advice resonates: always start by considering the human experience. This means every decision, from how data is collected to how technology is integrated, should align with the needs and desires of the people who will use the space. Retrofitting existing buildings to meet these modern standards is crucial to ensure no one is left behind in this exciting evolution.

The future of smart buildings is bright, and it's already unfolding before our eyes.

Over the past two decades, Integrated Systems Europe (ISE) has evolved from its humble beginnings into a global powerhouse within the AV and systems integration industry. This remarkable journey is a testament to the show's unwavering commitment to innovation, resilience, and delivering an exceptional experience for its attendees and exhibitors.

See more HowToAV interviews with the experts here:

• Celebrating 20 Years of ISE: A Conversation with Michael Blackman

• What is Martyn's Law Protect Duty? Exclusive interview with Figen Murray OBE

• How AI is transforming audio visual systems? Opportunities and Risks

• What are the updates to HDBaseT spec 3.0?

HowToAV team's Top 10 Smart Building Trends in 2025

1. AI-Powered Building Management Systems (BMS):

Say goodbye to manual controls! AI and Machine Learning are taking over smart building management, enabling systems to predict maintenance needs, optimise energy use and make real-time decisions automatically. This technology saves energy, reduces costs and ensures everything runs smoothly.

2. Cloud-Based and Wireless Building Solutions:

Forget about bulky hardware! Cloud-native and wireless Building Management Solutions allow facilities to operate from anywhere with real-time monitoring and remote access. This means smarter, faster and more integrated building managementl at your fingertips.

3. IoT-Enabled Smart Buildings:

Smart buildings are getting even smarter with IoT. Sensors, devices and systems now seamlessly communicate with one another, making buildings more responsive. Think predictive maintenance, better safety and operational efficiency all in one ecosystem.

4. Sustainability in Focus:

Green is the way to go! Smart buildings are integrating renewable energy, water recycling and carbon tracking tools to meet environmental goals while keeping costs low. Net-zero buildings are no longer futuristic - they're already here.

5. Digital Twin Technology:

Imagine having a virtual version of your building! Digital twins replicate physical structures, allowing facility managers to analyse and test operations without impacting the real world. It’s like a crystal ball for smarter decision-making.

6. Enhancing Occupant Comfort:

Comfort meets tech with AI-driven climate control, automated lighting and personalised environments. Smart buildings now adapt to their occupants' needs, improving productivity, comfort and well-being.

7. Real-Time Decision-Making with Edge Computing:

Speed is the name of the game. Edge computing processes data locally rather than sending it to the cloud, delivering faster responses for critical building functions like security and HVAC.

8. Unified Smart Platforms:

Why have separate systems for HVAC, energy, security and lighting? Unified platforms bring everything together, making operations seamless and ensuring buildings perform better as a whole.

9. Smarter HVAC Systems:

Airflow, ventilation and climate control just got an upgrade. IoT and AI-driven HVAC systems now adapt based on real-time data, creating healthier, more efficient indoor environments.

10. Next-Level Security:

Stay secure with biometric access, advanced video surveillance and AI-driven alarms. Smart buildings are prioritising occupant safety with cutting-edge security solutions integrated into every corner.

Final Thought:
The future of smart buildings is all about efficiency, sustainability, and enhancing the human experience. These trends are redefining how we interact with our spaces - smarter, safer and more sustainable than ever before!