OAKLAND, CA—Working with TEECOM, an engineering consultant focused on technology solutions, architectural design firm FORGE recently completed a research lab that utilizes an AI-powered intelligent infrastructure to control, manage and interact with the space itself. The lab is an open workspace where technological solutions can be vetted and tested.
The room is controlled by FIERA, or a fully integrated electronic room assistant, which communicates and interacts with the building's interfaces and users. The lab, a smart resource in itself, uses the tech to record, log and analyze data used for research and testing. It is also able to maintain its own resources, making it a fully self-aware enhanced space. In part one of a two-part exclusive, Alex Serriere, principal and director of research at TEECOM, recently discussed the nuances of the new system and its benefits.
GlobeSt.com: How did you decide to utilize this new system in your workspace?
Serriere: When our office expansion gave us the space to have a dedicated research laboratory, it provided the perfect hardware test bench. We decided to see just how far we could push the concept of networked systems and devices in a room, and just how smart we could make them. We believe that in the future, many buildings or built spaces will be managed by an artificially intelligent virtual assistant, so creating an AI to monitor and manage our lab was a no-brainer.
GlobeSt.com: What can FIERA do?
Serriere: The system can sense occupancy, temperature, light level and energy usage in the lab, and responds to voice commands to turn on the lights, change their hue, open or close the lab's garage door, track systems and usage data, and alert us when performance is sub-optimal.
GlobeSt.com: How will this workspace help your clients?
Serriere: The TEECOM research lab demonstrates our ability to integrate all kinds of technology systems with the physical world, and it also gives us the opportunity to show clients potential future uses for technology systems that they may not have thought about.
GlobeSt.com: How and why did you select FORGE to design the space?
Serriere: We have a great relationship with the designers at FORGE through teaming on previous projects. We were confident that they understood our vision for a high-tech and tactile space. They created a design that fully represents our firm's culture, work style and values.
GlobeSt.com: What were the challenges the team had to overcome?
Serriere: One of the key challenges designers face as technology systems become increasingly integrated with the built environment is interoperability. There's no common language or platform to connect devices; that's where a technology designer comes in. The TEECOM research lab is a space to test these limitations and experiment with solutions, and there were multiple technical challenges in implementing FIERA.
GlobeSt.com: What's next in workplace technology?
Serriere: Workplace technology innovation will continue to be driven by a need for better integration of technology and physical space. As integration increases, however, technology will continue to churn at a rapid rate, which means that buildings need a flexible infrastructure that supports all kinds of devices and working styles. Finally, we will see new approaches and strategies arise out of the insatiable need for more data about building performance and how it supports business goals.
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Lisa Brown
Lisa Brown is an editor for the south and west regions of GlobeSt.com. She has 25-plus years of real estate experience, with a regional PR role at Grubb & Ellis and a national communications position at MMI. Brown also spent 10 years as executive director at NAIOP San Francisco Bay Area chapter, where she led the organization to achieving its first national award honors and recognition on Capitol Hill. She has written extensively on commercial real estate topics and edited numerous pieces on the subject.
