Meaning of smart in the construction industry
In its broadest sense, the word 'smart' implies a degree of intelligence.
Offsite residential construction, Glossary of terms, published by Buildoffsite in 2018, states: ‘Through a collection of techniques, processes and collaborative partnerships Smart construction is building design construction and operation that makes full use of digital technologies and industrialised manufacturing (offsite) techniques to improve productivity, minimise whole-life cost, improve sustainability and maximise user benefits. Often referred to as MMC or expressed as pre-manufactured value it includes data management, new materials and new building techniques.’
In the construction industry it is commonly applied to new technologies and efficient ways of thinking or operating such as:
- Smart airports.
- Smart blinds.
- Smart buildings
- Smart cities
- Smart coatings.
- Smart concrete.
- Smart construction
- Smart contracts.
- Smart elevators.
- Smart facades.
- Smart glass.
- Smart greenhouse
- Smart grid electricity network.
- Smart home.
- Smart materials.
- Smart meters.
- Smart motorways.
- Smart office lighting.
- Smart sensors.
- Smart technology.
Smart can also refer to objectives that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely.
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