POSCO ICT is becoming a leader of the smart buildings market - the business of deploying technologies like IoT, Big Data, and AI in buildings.

From its original business of supplying building infrastructures such as communication networks, electricity, and machines, POSCO ICT expanded its business to include smart building which is concerned with implementing the latest ICT technologies in buildings. This expansion has resulted in booming sales for the company’s smart building business as the total amount of smart buildings project awarded increased from 90 billion won in 2015 to 130 billion won in 2016.

The smart building concept can be described as using IoT sensors installed at the critical facilities of a building to monitor all situations that occur within the building premises. The data monitored are then used to self-determine the condition of the building in order to maintain the building in its most optimal state. Smart buildings technology allows the electricity, communication, power, security, heating & cooling, and lighting needed for the building’s operation to be controlled automatically so that the building can be maintained more effectively.

In recent years, the energy aspect of smart buildings has garnered much interest. This involves utilizing renewable energy generation methods like solar panels to self-generate energy within the building and connecting the solar panels to large capacity Energy Storage System (ESS) and Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) for more efficient energy consumption in the building.

Smart buildings can create new values for building management as well as provide more conveniences for the tenants. For these reasons, the company explained, the smart building concept is also being applied to new building constructions and building remodeling.

POSCO ICT owns an integrated control platform for managing a group of buildings remotely. Together with this platform, POSCO ICT is providing a service for the integrated management of critical facilities, equipment and energy, and security.
 
If you subscribe to the POSCO ICT smart building service, all data concerning the building like its facility operational data, energy usage data, and the physical location of building operating personnel are collected and sent to the integrated control center. At the integrated control center, big data analysis is performed on the collected building data and the service comes up with recommendations on ways to maintain the building infrastructure at the most optimal conditions.

A POSCO ICT representative said, “In the last few years, we acquired a smart building solution and we are beginning to see some tangible results from the business. This year we intend to acquire solutions and capabilities for not only smart buildings, but also smart cities and pursue business opportunities in overseas markets as well as in Korea.