Smart buildings use technology designed to automate a building’s energy systems and achieve greater energy efficiency. Building automation can be achieved on anything from electrical and HVAC systems to appliances. Today, many builders incorporate smart building and automation technologies into buildings to make them more sustainable, comfortable, and secure. But where did the idea for smart buildings come from?

Smart Buildings in History

While smart buildings may seem like a very modern concept, their origins actually go pretty far back in history. Perhaps the first signs of an automated HVAC system came in the 17th century with Cornelis Drebbel. Drebbel created a mercury thermostat that could automatically keep a space at a constant temperature. His invention was one of the first feedback-controlled devices known to history. He also developed the first known system of air conditioning, using salt as a cooling agent. Then in the 18th century, René Antoine Ferchault de Réaumur, a French scientist created a temperature-controlled incubator based on Drebbel’s ideas and the thermometer that Réaumur invented. The rise of digital computers in the 20th century were also integral to the advancements made in building automation technology, resulting in the modern building automation that we see today.

Smart Buildings in the 21st Century

Technology for building automation and smart buildings has skyrocketed since the start of the 21st century. The market for smart building technology continues to grow as more and more business and homeowners see the benefits in adding energy-efficient and sustainable systems to their structures. Today, smart building technology ranges from automated and intelligent HVAC systems to identification security systems. Many of these features can even be operated remotely from smartphones, tablets, and computers.

Smart Building Automation in Kansas City

Automated Control Systems provides the Kansas City area with the latest in buildings automation systems. Call us today at (913) 248-8828 to learn more about how we can help bring your business into the future.