How did you become involved in the Smart Buildings industry?
I have been in the Smart Buildings Industry for the past 15 years in a variety of roles, in the past with Schneider Electric through to more recently with connected Lighting at Tridonic.
What excites you about the Smart Buildings industry?
What excites me the most is that it finally feels like people and the way we live our lives is at the centre of smart buildings. In the past integration of systems and technologies has happened because we can, the advancement of the technology itself has been the reason to integrate and not because it presents a benefit or value to the user. Putting people and their behaviour at the centre of intelligent smart buildings will now provide greater evidence to decision makers to invest in smart technologies.
What services does your company offer?
This year Tridonic celebrate 50 years in the UK lighting Industry, it happens to coincide with probably the greatest technology shift in those years as we enter a new exciting phase of IP connected lighting. Tridonic through its net4more IP connected lighting platform will bring a toolbox of hardware and software that will enable smart luminaires to be at the core of smart buildings for the future and allow IoT devices to communicate over its ubiquitous network.
What are the benefits of a smart building?
I think in the past we have tried to put a smart building into a box with its clearly defined benefits and value. With IP connectivity breaking through the barriers of siloed systems and protocols ,smart buildings will offer so many different intelligent possibilities that are user defined thus the applications will be infinitely varied and the benefits will be specific to the user.
What is the question you are most often asked in your business life?
Whilst IP connected lighting creates a platform for the smart buildings of the future it also brings to the fore the fears over cyber security which is a question so often asked and which, unfortunately, does not have a silver bullet answer. Collaboration of expertise and smart decision making is absolutely necessary to ensure we have secure systems and networks.
Who has been the biggest influence in your career?
I have never really thought about this before but I do feel that my career in some ways has been defined and influenced by some of the clients I have had the pleasure of working with.
Where would you most like to live?
5 years ago my wife and I decided to move to a completely new location and we chose Rutland in the heart of England and I can honestly say it is a fantastic area to live in.
What sports team do you support?
Liverpool - Kevin Keegan in the 1974 FA Cup Final did it for me.
What is your desert island disc?
Frank Sinatra – My Way
What is your ideal holiday?
Anywhere with my wife and 2 children or playing golf in Portugal