Building energy management systems figure heavily in ensuring sustainable and livable smart cities by reducing energy costs, reducing pollution (commercial buildings account for a lot of pollution—about 40%) and making the building environment more comfortable and responsive for the people working in them. But the technologies that make them work can be expensive.

However, as the trend toward increased connectivity continues, those technologies advance and more options become available. For example: Council Associate Partner Intel plans to release a relatively inexpensive, easily installed IoT-based option for small to mid-size buildings this fall. We thought you’d like to know about it, and you may want to consider adding it to your list of connectivity solutions. — Doug Peeples, Smart Cities Council