Hybrid work has changed the way offices are used. Workstations are shared, meeting rooms are booked at short notice, and on some days the office is full while on others it is almost empty. A smart office therefore connects the digital work environment with the technology of the rooms, so that booking, occupancy, lighting, climate and access fit together.
The term is not standardized. It usually means a combination of software for desk and room booking, sensors and building automation.
How a smart office works
- Capture: Presence, occupancy and indoor climate sensors as well as booking data show which rooms and workstations are being used.
- Connect: The booking system and calendar, for example from Microsoft 365, are connected to the room controls.
- Control: Lighting, shading, heating and ventilation are based on actual usage and bookings.
- Operate: Displays at the room door, apps or panels show free rooms and allow manual intervention.
- Evaluate: Aggregated usage data helps plan space and equipment better.
Typical examples
- A booked meeting room is brought to temperature before the start. If no one shows up, the system releases the booking again after a defined time.
- Employees reserve a workstation for their next office day via an app.
- Lighting and ventilation run only in occupied zones.
- A room display shows occupancy and upcoming appointments directly at the door.
- On days with low attendance, unused areas are switched to setback mode.
What companies should keep in mind
- Clarify data protection early: Occupancy and booking data can allow conclusions about individual people. Data minimization, aggregation and deletion periods under the GDPR belong in the planning. In Austria and Germany, the works council's co-determination rights may also be affected.
- Keep manual controls: Lighting, shading and climate should be overridable on site.
- Consider network and security: Sensors and controllers are networked devices and belong in a separate, secured network segment.
- Define operations: It must be clear who maintains booking rules, devices and updates, and who is responsible in case of faults.
- Start small: A pilot area shows which functions are actually used.
How it differs
Building automation controls the technical systems of a building. A smart office focuses on people and their work and uses building automation as one building block. The room functions can be handled by control systems such as Loxone, whose suitability must be checked for each building.
How TOMORIS relates
Commercial buildings and smart offices are described on the TOMORIS NEXT page Building automation as a possible application scenario, not as a reference project.
View smart office applications