GA Smart Building provides turnkey high-end commercial office construction via large scale pre fabrication. More recently, they have focused on constructing intelligent and sustainable buildings with multilayer imbedded innovative smart sensors to promote efficient energy use and generate a net positive impact.
To provide the literal key to these new smart systems and buildings, a new personal user interface was created as a secure interaction between the user and their environment.
TRUE CONTROl.
Designed to be carried by all building employees, the Smart Key allows for both preset and point-and-click interaction between other Smart System integrated products in the user’s GA office environment.
Everything from dimmable overhead & task lighting, local workspace temperature & climate controls, raise-lower-tilt of automated built in window blinds and, using the fingerprint scanner in the recessed centre, secure facility and parking entry, as well as cafeteria meal payment, was integrated within a sleek, small interface.
GA Smart Sense.
Linking the whole GA Smart System together is a compact ceiling mounted sensor hub capable of providing realtime data on local temperature, light levels, air quality, and a directionally based receiver for Smart Key input and location.
From a building efficiency perspective, having realtime feedback allows for planning and a proactive system. A building with a large west facing facade can be set to automatically lower and angle built in window blinds before individual spaces and offices warm in the afternoon sun, reducing the energy needed to cool that area.
From a user perspective, the ability to preset your preferred ambient temperature and light levels for different times of the day and having the environment automatically react based on your location creates a seamless pleasant experience.
When I joined the GA design team, the Smart Key product was already towards the end of the design process. My role in the development of this project was to update and reconfigure our final CAD drawings to specifications provided by the GA R&D department and external production advisors.
Additionally, I was tasked with producing renders used to present the final Smart Key product family to senior stakeholders, potential clients, and external partners.
Production of the new Smart Key and product system began in 2019, and is used by hundreds of users who work in GA built offices and buildings everyday.
