Safe Buildings

The need for safety is one of the most basic human needs ⁽⁴²⁾, and buildings exist to provide people with a safe shelter from the environment. However, the environment is becoming harsher. Climate change is intensifying extreme weather events, urbanization exacerbates the consequences of building fires, and digitalization amplifies cybersecurity threats. Meanwhile, new technologies making their way into buildings introduce new safety risks.

Extreme weather events are intensifying. For instance, in the US, nine of the top ten years for extreme rainfall in the period from 1910 to 2024 have all occurred since 1995 ⁽⁴³⁾. Globally, 2023 saw 170 flood disasters, double the 1990s average ⁽⁴⁴⁾. Furthermore, cyclone intensity has also risen significantly, with a notable increase in the US over the past 30 years ⁽⁴⁵⁾.

Urbanization intensifies the impact of building fires. As the number of people living and working in an area increases, the consequences of building fires will become more devasting — a trend already evident in the US, where non-residential building fires over the past decade have risen by 27%, with fire-related deaths increasing by 83% ⁽⁴⁶⁾.

Digitalization of buildings also increases their vulnerability to cyberattacks. Kaspersky reports that nearly 40% of computers used to manage smart building automation systems have faced malicious cyberattacks ⁽⁴⁷⁾. A striking example of the potential damage from a seemingly insignificant IoT device is a casino hacked through a smart thermometer in its lobby aquarium, which allowed access to its high-roller database ⁽⁴⁸⁾.

Finally, new technologies bring new safety risks. For instance, new refrigerants with low global warming potential used in chillers and heat pumps can be flammable or toxic. Lithium-ion batteries used for energy storage risk “thermal runaway,” a process causing overheating of the battery, toxic gas release, and potential ignition. In 2023, the UK recorded a 46% increase in fires linked to lithium-ion batteries ⁽⁴⁹⁾.

Safety considerations in design and operations will become increasingly critical to ensure that buildings continue to provide safe environments for occupants.

Proactive measures to protect buildings from extreme weather are more cost-effective than post-event repairs. In flood-prone regions, buildings will increasingly use water-resistant materials like concrete or PVC bricks instead of plasterboard and plywood. Buildings in regions with heavy precipitation will feature reinforced roofs and guttering. In high bushfire-risk areas, buildings will incorporate fire-resistant materials, shutters, and sprinkler systems. Buildings in cyclone-prone areas will be designed to withstand stronger wind loads ⁽⁵⁰⁾.

The increasing likelihood and severity of building fires will drive higher fire safety standards. Advanced fire-resistant materials, such as intumescent coatings and composites, will improve fire containment. Fire detection systems using interconnected sensors and AI will enhance real-time monitoring and response. Fire and smoke spread in ventilation ducts will be increasingly controlled by motorized dampers, as mechanical dampers are no longer adequate. And fire suppression systems will evolve with wider use of water mist technology and environmentally friendly fire suppression agents ⁽⁵¹⁾.

Increasing cybersecurity threats, coupled with stricter regulations such as the European Cyber Resilience Act, will accelerate the adoption of secure communication protocols in building automation and control systems. Protocols leveraging technologies like TLS-based encryption and certificate-based authentication will ensure secure, tamper-proof communication between devices and systems.

Finally, risks associated with new building technologies will require targeted mitigation strategies. Mechanical equipment rooms using low-GWP refrigerants, such as R-290 (propane) and R-717 (ammonia), will require special gas sensors. Similarly, rooms housing lithium-ion batteries will be equipped with sensors for detecting hydrogen and other hazardous gases like ethylene, propylene, methane, and carbon monoxide ⁽⁵²⁾.