CommScope is a global leader in network infrastructure for buildings, data centers and service provider networks. My role at CommScope is in strategy and technology for buildings and campuses, which includes understanding the impacts of macro trends on our customers, anticipating market needs, and then translating that into solutions and services.

The current macro trends we are studying are densification of our urban centers, pervasive automation and sustainability. These macro trends are what’s driving the need for smart buildings. They are the “why” for smart buildings. We need more smart sustainable built spaces that are in harmony with our environment and communities, that make the occupants lives better, healthier and safer. Our built spaces also need to be more inclusive, supporting more diverse workforces and community members, connecting people with people, and connecting people with systems and resources.

Smart buildings aren’t the goal, they are the vehicle that helps us reach our global imperative: more sustainable communities. USGBC’s collaboration with the smart building industry is timely and demonstrates its continued leadership in the design, construction and operation of environmentally and socially responsible spaces.

There are several smart building rating systems that exist, and they are useful for understanding the specific technology attributes of a building, but we have not seen significant adoption of smart building rating systems. One reason for low adoption may be the ambiguity around the term “smart building.” What is a smart building, and what does it mean to stakeholders if their building meets a specific smart building rating?

The industry has coalesced around some concepts, but falls short in a precise definition, which makes measurement systems difficult to characterize. Generally expressed, a smart building collects data from multiple systems and devices and shares that information so that action can be taken to improve business process, operational efficiency, sustainability, health and occupant safety, and user experience.

There are countless ways to attain these outcomes and varying degrees of importance attached to each of these outcomes for the stakeholders. If your building is “smart,” it has the infrastructure in place to support the systems and devices you deploy to get access to the type of data you need, and then to take action to have a positive impact on business process, operational efficiency, sustainability, health and occupant safety, and user experience. Rating a building for “smartness” based on whether it has a specific system is limiting, because a system may be germane to one business type or stakeholder and not important to another. it may also be relevant for a single snapshot in time and not later. A more effective way to measure the smartness of a building is to measure the buildings’ ability to support interoperability and sustain itself through technology adoption and evolution.

USGBC’s LEED program is the most widely adopted building certification program. The LEED framework allows for new experience, new stakeholders, and new science and technology to be incorporated into the program to ensure the program stays relevant and meets the evolving needs of our communities. Technology and automation can support more sustainable buildings, but it’s not a given. Technology and its supportive infrastructure have a carbon footprint. The methodology, architecture and its interoperability all need to be considered when applying sustainability benefits to a technology.

One of the most common design, construction and maintenance practices seen within operational technology is siloed systems that are built and managed individually with their own infrastructure and with minimal upfront consideration to interoperability and shared infrastructure. There is industry focus on software interoperability for smart buildings, and this is critical, but there is a great deal of duplicate physical infrastructure that is designed, installed and maintained that could be reduced with proper planning early in the design of a project. The LEED system requires the design charrette, sets the project expectations and compels early collaboration across the building stakeholders; this approach would be immensely helpful in defining technology systems and their infrastructure for smart buildings.

CommScope is a global leader in network infrastructure for buildings, data centers and service provider networks. My role at CommScope is in strategy and technology for buildings and campuses, which includes understanding the impacts of macro trends on our customers, anticipating market needs, and then translating that into solutions and services.

The current macro trends we are studying are densification of our urban centers, pervasive automation and sustainability. These macro trends are what’s driving the need for smart buildings. They are the “why” for smart buildings. We need more smart sustainable built spaces that are in harmony with our environment and communities, that make the occupants lives better, healthier and safer. Our built spaces also need to be more inclusive, supporting more diverse workforces and community members, connecting people with people, and connecting people with systems and resources.

Smart buildings aren’t the goal, they are the vehicle that helps us reach our global imperative: more sustainable communities. USGBC’s collaboration with the smart building industry is timely and demonstrates its continued leadership in the design, construction and operation of environmentally and socially responsible spaces.

There are several smart building rating systems that exist, and they are useful for understanding the specific technology attributes of a building, but we have not seen significant adoption of smart building rating systems. One reason for low adoption may be the ambiguity around the term “smart building.” What is a smart building, and what does it mean to stakeholders if their building meets a specific smart building rating?

The industry has coalesced around some concepts, but falls short in a precise definition, which makes measurement systems difficult to characterize. Generally expressed, a smart building collects data from multiple systems and devices and shares that information so that action can be taken to improve business process, operational efficiency, sustainability, health and occupant safety, and user experience.

There are countless ways to attain these outcomes and varying degrees of importance attached to each of these outcomes for the stakeholders. If your building is “smart,” it has the infrastructure in place to support the systems and devices you deploy to get access to the type of data you need, and then to take action to have a positive impact on business process, operational efficiency, sustainability, health and occupant safety, and user experience. Rating a building for “smartness” based on whether it has a specific system is limiting, because a system may be germane to one business type or stakeholder and not important to another. it may also be relevant for a single snapshot in time and not later. A more effective way to measure the smartness of a building is to measure the buildings’ ability to support interoperability and sustain itself through technology adoption and evolution.

USGBC’s LEED program is the most widely adopted building certification program. The LEED framework allows for new experience, new stakeholders, and new science and technology to be incorporated into the program to ensure the program stays relevant and meets the evolving needs of our communities. Technology and automation can support more sustainable buildings, but it’s not a given. Technology and its supportive infrastructure have a carbon footprint. The methodology, architecture and its interoperability all need to be considered when applying sustainability benefits to a technology.

One of the most common design, construction and maintenance practices seen within operational technology is siloed systems that are built and managed individually with their own infrastructure and with minimal upfront consideration to interoperability and shared infrastructure. There is industry focus on software interoperability for smart buildings, and this is critical, but there is a great deal of duplicate physical infrastructure that is designed, installed and maintained that could be reduced with proper planning early in the design of a project. The LEED system requires the design charrette, sets the project expectations and compels early collaboration across the building stakeholders; this approach would be immensely helpful in defining technology systems and their infrastructure for smart buildings.

A pathway to better existing buildings

Existing buildings make up the majority of building stock and are a critical piece of the market. USGBC’s LEED O+M rating system provides a pathway to make these buildings better—to make them more sustainable and secure their long-term value, while positively impacting the people and communities they serve. Here are just a few of the benefits LEED O+M provides:

Performance tracking. LEED O+M certification and recertification verifies a project’s continued commitment to maintaining high levels of sustainability performance. Through tools such as the Arc performance platform, LEED O+M empowers owners to track resource use for better efficiency, reducing a building’s carbon footprint and operating costs. Recertification through Arc enables owners to protect and grow their sustainability investment over time, by ensuring that their initial certification is just the starting point for ongoing environmental mitigation.

Health and well-being. LEED O+M provides a pathway for improving the well-being of site users through health-related credits across all categories, including credits focused on improving indoor air quality. LEED O+M policies, practices and tracking mechanisms support implementing achievable strategies to address existing health needs and minimize project features that could present risks to occupant health.

Environmental stewardship and ESG goals. Building owners and tenants are increasingly recognizing and embracing their role as stewards of their communities and our future. More and more of the world has begun to see the imminent threat posed by climate change, and sustainability reporting has become a material concern for investors and shareholders. As a third-party verification and certification system, LEED provides a powerful means for organizations to measure their positive impact and demonstrate their leadership and commitment on environmental issues, supporting long-term ESG strategies and allowing companies to gain credence through various reporting schemes such as GRESB, the Global Reporting Initiative, the Principles for Responsible Investment, CDP and the Dow Jones Sustainability Index.

LEED O+M buildings provide a winning scenario for all stakeholders involved. For property owners, LEED-certified assets stand out among peer market properties while reaping benefits such as increased occupancy, higher rental rates and reduced operating costs. For occupants, certified projects provide employee productivity gains, recruitment enhancements, improved indoor air quality, reduced natural resource use and help meeting corporate social responsibility goals.

Be among the leaders

Currently, there are more than 2.7 billion square feet in the U.S. that have either certified or recertified using the LEED O+M rating system. Globally, more than 21,000 projects in 135 countries are using the Arc platform to track their building data, covering 5.54 billion square feet, and impacting 10.4 million occupants. As the demand for better performing, healthier, more environmentally responsible buildings grows, so do these numbers.

Airport terminals will receive significant funding under the bipartisan infrastructure law, with LEED included in the statute as one criteria for grant consideration. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently opened applications for the first portion of funding, along with detailed guidance on grant criteria and project applications.

Project leaders in airport terminals may have questions about implementing LEED in airports and how to begin planning for grant applications. What, exactly, does the law require?

With $5 billion in federal funding available, it outlines seven criteria upon which grant applications will be judged. Along with expanding capacity, improving accessibility and other goals, one of them calls for projects that “improve energy efficiency, including upgrading environmental systems, upgrading plant facilities, and achieving Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) accreditation standards.”

While projects are not required to meet all the criteria, priority will be given to those that meet the most goals; thus, projects are strongly encouraged to pursue LEED.