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Building
Why every smart building needs a security-first design strategy
One of the biggest challenges for architects and developers right now as they continue to embrace smart building technology, is that every connected system is also opening potential vulnerabilities. How to stay connected, and resilient.
Drawing on insights from the SIA’ s 2026 Megatrends Report, Richard Hilson of PFL- Access Management explores how architects and specifiers are successfully implementing security into design, rather than a late-stage technical addition.
From IoT-enabled access control and touchless entry systems to integrated building management platforms, modern buildings are fast-becoming interconnected ecosystems as we seek improved efficiency, sustainability and user experience.
But, while we start to realise the efficiencies we crave, we need to stay ahead of the curve, and the criminal, from a design perspective.
The SIA report offers a great helicopter view of where the built environment is heading. No longer conceptual, or the vision of‘ tomorrow’ s world’, AI-driven automation, connected infrastructure, cloud-managed systems and unified security platforms are rapidly transforming how buildings are designed, accessed and operated. A consideration for architects and specifiers however, which the report raises, is around whether buildings are becoming smart faster than they are becoming secure?
Across commercial developments, public buildings and critical infrastructure, connected technology
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