It’s that time of year, when Business Link Magazine invites the region’s business leaders to offer up their predictions for the year ahead.
It has become something of a tradition, given that we’ve been doing this now for over 30 years.
Here we speak to Rob Pritchard, Managing Director of Derby IT infrastructure and smart building technology firm Scenariio.
Part of what we do is to install IT networks which connect devices such as smart lighting systems, energy monitors, air quality monitors and motion sensors to the internet to gather data that shows companies how their buildings are being used and how energy is being consumed.
Awareness of this technology has grown but with the Government and global pressures now demanding businesses demonstrate what they’re doing to save energy and prove their measures are working, we’re anticipating a further increase in demand in 2024.
The only way you can measure those key performance metrics is through data. If you don’t measure it, you can’t manage it.
That awareness has been a long time coming in the UK but the energy prices, greater understanding of the environment and the need to get people back into the office post-COVID has focussed business leaders’ minds on making their premises more sustainable and more pleasant places to be.
Data is at the heart of that, which is why we will be spreading the message that data and power carrying ethernet cabling needs to be installed in new premises at the same time as water, gas and electricity. It is the fourth utility and in 2024 companies will increasingly become aware they can’t afford to be without it.
