Budget constraints and buy-in from senior leadership are two of the biggest barriers to the adoption of smart technologies, according to new research.

A report from Johnson Controls found that while 99 per cent of decision-makers see the value of smart technology, only 34 per cent of buildings are currently fitted with smart solutions.

The study, which surveyed 100 building decision-makers across the UK and Ireland, found that during the Covid-19 pandemic, smart technologies have helped 87 per cent of respondents keep their buildings safe.

A third said the technology was critical or essential to maintaining safe buildings.
Despite this, budget constraints caused issues for two-thirds (64 per cent) of decision-makers,
while 42 per cent struggled to get senior buy-in.

“Smart buildings haven’t only helped businesses get through the pandemic – they’re also essential to achieving ambitious sustainability targets like Carbon Net Zero,” said Andy Ellis, vice president and general manager, Johnson Controls UK&I. “Smart solutions that integrate with your fire, security, controls, HVAC, and occupancy systems can look across a whole building to see in real-time where efficiencies can be made.”

Ellis added: “Without technologies like these to do the hard work for building staff, achieving new levels of sustainability targets and creating healthy workspaces – that support both the environment and employees – will be hard.”

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