Experts say that when it comes to the commercial real estate industry, the night is always darkest before dawn. While commercial properties may be struggling right now, the economy will recover at some point thanks to the roll-out of vaccines, and investors who make the right real estate decisions now may yield the best results when the world recovers from COVID-19, especially as people will desire to connect, gather, and experience physical retail once again.
Another trend that entrepreneurs need to watch out for is smart technology and how it can modernize and revolutionize public spaces. There is also a clarion call for making greenery the center of our urban areas, especially since it’s good for the environment and people’s health. Commercial landscaping and gardening will also be the epicenter of urban cities since it addresses two of the world’s most pressing issues: climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you’re thinking of investing in a commercial property one day, here are some present and future smart garden trends you need to know.
Robot cleaners
Already deployed in airports and hospitals all over the world, cleaning robots will also be at the center of commercial spaces in a post-pandemic world. When disinfecting and sanitizing are crucial to public health, these autonomous cleaning robots can range from standard automation like self-checkout kiosks or more complex drones or robots. Some variants are capable of eliminating 99.99 percent of the virus in less than five minutes.
Some machines will also have UV lights to disinfect public spaces, as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) developed software for a robot that uses UV to disinfect. However, it still needs help from humans.
Automated watering systems
A smart irrigation system uses automation. To stay on top of environmental conditions to ensure that the landscaping, grass, and plants are fed the right amount of water every day. These systems can detect when it rains so that the gardens would no longer need watering.
Automated watering systems are already being used in households all over the world. It’s a technology that is also being used in commercial spaces to ensure that the greenery around retail spaces and office buildings remain as healthy as possible.
Moving forward, this innovative watering technology will continue to be front and center as property managers invest in the health of their gardens and greenery. This tech will be vital in preventing water waste through water runoff, evaporation, wind, and over-watering.
Smart greenhouses
Related to automated watering systems are smart greenhouses, which use the internet of things (IoT) to control the environment upon which greenery and vegetation are cultivated. These smart greenhouses are equipped with state-of-the-art communications technology and sensors to inform the IoT platform on the plants and crops. The intelligence would then be used by the system to adjust lighting and HVAC operations, as well as spraying and irrigation systems. The system would continue to monitor the greenery to check for disease and infection risks and the crops and plants’ health.
Other benefits of smart greenhouses include the ability to adjust the humidity, temperature, carbon dioxide, and light exposure in the greenhouse to make it most conducive for the greenery to thrive, all while ensuring energy sufficiency. The sensors can also determine if particular doors are open, and they can close them automatically to maintain the greenhouse’s controlled environment.
Smart outdoor lighting
Smart outdoor lighting systems are already being used in residential properties, and commercial properties will also benefit from these systems moving forward. Smart lighting systems can be controlled through mobile devices or PCs, and they can be programmed and customized according to the user’s schedule and needs.
Smart lighting systems also provide property owners with the ability to control outdoor scenes, which means users can turn the lights on in different areas of the commercial garden according to the look and atmosphere they’re going for. Smart controllers are also capable of controlling gates, pond lights, and other landscaping lights and features. It’s one of the best ways to ensure that the lights can be turned off even when staff members forget to do so manually.
The Future Is Smart
Experts say that artificial intelligence and digital life will continue to make our lives better for the next decade. It will drastically change our levels of productivity and what it means to have free will. While there are concerns, they won’t change the fact that human life will continue to change for good. Our private and public spaces will be proof of that.
