Smart Buildings and infrastructure focus of MSU Innovation Seminar in October
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EmailOn Oct. 25, 2017, SPDC and the College of Engineering hosted the 2017 Innovation Seminar on Smart Buildings at Michigan State University.
On Oct. 25, 2017, the School of Planning, Design and Construction (SPDC) and the College of Engineering hosted the 2017 Innovation Seminar on Smart Buildings at Michigan State University.
This prestigious event, organized by the German American Chamber of Commerce of the Midwest, offered an opportunity for trans-Atlantic knowledge exchange, as well as an opportunity for students and faculty to build networks by meeting leading global industry players.
The featured expert speaker was Enrica Oliva, partner and COO, and director of Structures Group, at Werner Sobek New York. She presented on “The Electric City,” which focused on the future of cities; their construction and buildings using the Triple Zero Principle (clean energy, zero emissions and zero waste). She discussed the innovative House B10, which produces enough energy that it can stay off the grid.
Other companies that presented included:
- Jean-Marie Bergeal from MeteoViva presented on “Predictive Controls: A Revolution in HVAC Operations” as a way to smarten up a building. He talked about how this energy management system can anticipate temperature in buildings, reduce HVAC running costs and reduce the carbon footprint. This saves energy in the process.
- Oliver Baumann from Baumann Consulting presented on “Innovation in Energy Efficiency Consulting – Impact, Scale, Persistence.” He discussed how Baumann Consulting can conduct energy audits and retrofit analysis to help determine the life cycle of a building, including its sustainability and impact on a community. They also offer the ability to conduct virtual building walk-throughs and thermal mapping of a building using Rapid Building Energy Modelers for operations diagnostics to verify if the system is operating efficiently or not.
- John Ortquist from the Viessmann Manufacturing Company presented on the “Climate of Innovation.” He discussed how they specialize in boilers, which are utilized in many MSU buildings and small homes. They are also a leader in biogas technology for methane gas harvesting, and biomass technology for clean, energy efficiency. He talked about how they are also the only company in the world that produces a hybrid boiler.
- Ted Marshall from Weishaupt America Inc. presented on “The Real Value of a High Efficiency Burner.” He discussed how they specialize in burner manufacturing, which can offer linkageless technology to adjust air and gas use. They are also known for their burner heads, which can be sized for boiler efficiency.
- Suk-Kyung Kim from SPDC presented on “Smart Building Research at the School of Planning, Design and Construction at MSU.” She outlined that faculty are conducting research in energy efficiency, green building, intelligent decision support systems, renewable energy options, domicology, intelligent homes and high-tech amenities, zero energy building and homes. Kim discussed how SPDC research is focused on smart buildings are the foundation for smart cities.
- Matt Syal from SPDC moderated a discussion panel of all the speakers. The audience submitted written questions that were directed to the appropriate speaker(s). In the end, Syal asked each speaker to share their vision of the future of smart buildings in the next 10, 25 and 50 years.
Following the presentations, the audience had a chance to meet with the speakers during an informal networking reception.
