The Rise of Automated Buildings: Integrating AGVs into Industrial & Commercial Design

Automated buildings use their own automation systems to centrally monitor and control a number of building systems like HVAC, lighting and security.

This can play a significant role in improving energy efficiency, reducing operating costs and making a workplace a more productive environment. It can help to connect different building systems into a single network and AGVs are becoming a core element of this.

In this article, AGV suppliers, Aerocom, look at the role of AGVs and how they can be integrated into automated buildings to create more efficient industrial and commercial workplaces.

[edit] What are AGVs?

An automated guided vehicle (AGV) is an autonomous vehicle designed to transport materials within a manufacturing or commercial environment. These vehicles work in a variety of different ways, but all of them avoid the need for any human intervention.

They will combine sensors, navigation systems and control algorithms to navigate their way along predefined routes to complete their tasks. They can load, unload and transport materials throughout almost any workplace, from an assembly line to a warehouse or even a hospital.

AGVs take many different forms, including carts, forklifts, tow vehicles and unit load carriers. This means they can be used in a huge range of tasks whilst providing absolute precision. They reduce the element of human error, and continue to work 24 hours a day, which means they can provide a significant boost to efficiency and productivity.

[edit] What AGVs bring to modern buildings

When running any type of business, efficiency has to be at the heart of everything you do. If your operations run smoothly and correctly, then it is possible for the business to be more productive. AGVs are important in ensuring that this can be achieved as they can operate throughout the day and night and provide a smoother material flow.

They are also responsible for improving safety levels, as there tend to be fewer workplace accidents thanks to their sensor technology and controlled routes.

AGVs are also becoming important as part of reaching the sustainability goals of a business. Most of them are electrically charged, which means they provide energy-efficient operation. By cutting down on the number of errors and accidents it is also possible to make a dent in the amount of waste a business produces.

[edit] Integrating AGVs into a business

Before you bring an AGV into your business it is important to assess your existing infrastructure. You will need to look at things such as the quality of your floor and layout of the business to ensure that there are clear navigation paths that the AGVs can follow. You will also need to align your business with a variety of digital systems to help optimise performance.

Transforming your business into an automated operation will not happen overnight and so it will need a phased approach. This means investing in staff training to ensure that AGVs are used in the best way and looking at how roles and individual tasks are likely to change as the AGVs are brought in. This will help make the adoption of the vehicles more successful and put your business in a position to achieve its goals in the quickest possible way.

[edit] The practical benefits of AGVs for a business

Anyone running an industrial or commercial business will see a real-world impact from the integration of AGVs almost immediately. If their integration has been properly planned and introduced, then they can very quickly improve the logistics of warehouses, factories and commercial spaces.

There are also lower operating costs involved as the workforce can become more flexible, redirecting workers away from repetitive, manual tasks and allowing them to focus on tasks that are more valuable to the business.

[edit] AGVs as part of an automated building

Initially, automated buildings incorporated smart lighting and climate control, but they are increasingly being designed to integrate mobility solutions like AGVs. By connecting them to building management systems, businesses can create facilities where goods, equipment and even waste are moved seamlessly without the need for manual intervention.

In industrial sites, this might mean that AGVs are used to transport raw materials from storage directly to production lines, allowing them to be perfectly timed with machinery and automated conveyors.

In commercial environments, AGVs can support logistics by helping to move stock between floors, replenishing supplies, or linking with pneumatic tube systems for high-speed internal deliveries. When they are tied to the infrastructure of the building, an AGV can become part of an ecosystem that anticipates demand, reduces downtime, and supports lean operations.

As smart buildings are equipped with sensors, IoT devices and data analytics, it is possible for them to communicate with AGVs, adjust their routes based on the traffic, prioritise jobs or even conserve energy usage to create a responsive environment where efficiency is constantly optimised.

[edit] People and change management

There is often a fear that AGVs have been brought in to replace human staff. However, they are best used when they complement an existing workforce instead.

They can be used to take on repetitive or heavy material-handling tasks, therefore allowing employees to focus on higher value work like quality control, customer service or process optimisation.

It is important to emphasise that this shift will help to improve productivity and create a safer and less physically demanding workplace for everyone.

Businesses therefore need to work on preparing employees for the change and explaining how this is another important part of creating an automated building.

It can be useful to offer training programmes which cover the technical aspects of working alongside AGVs, but also the broader issues such as adapting workflows and embracing new digital tools. By providing clear communication about the benefits of AGVs, it is easier to overcome any initial resistance.

AGVs have long been able to improve efficiency, safety and sustainability within commercial and industrial settings, but they are now becoming a key part of many automated building strategies, working with a building and its workforce to give businesses a more efficient way to achieve their goals.