by Terry Beaubois

“What do you mean by ‘smart’?”

Identifying and describing what “smart” is—when it applies to a home, village or a city—is important, because the term is thrown around a lot lately.

The way I use “smart” may be more inclusive than how others do. Some people limit “smart” to technology or Internet of Things (IoT) items and issues. For them, that may be appropriate. My definition of “smart” includes IoT, but is not limited to it. As an architect who approaches things using Architectural Design Thinking, I look at the entire ecosystem of the building or project to consider how we can make the built environment “smart.” This includes green, sustainable, resilient, appropriate and other categories that benefit projects seeking to maintain or improve quality for people, all while incorporating advances in technology that contribute to the human health, safety and security in smart communities...