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Cisco has announced that the Serbian investment and real estate development group Mali Kolektiv has selected the Cisco (News - Alert) Connected Real Estate platform for its latest development project.

 

The building, known as B2, was opened in Belgrade last month. It’s a 728-square-meter complex that combines a shopping mall, offices, residential and business apartments, and four levels of underground parking.

 

“When preparing the project, we evaluated proposals from other information technology companies, but no other vendor could match the vision and technology of Cisco Connected Real Estate,” said Dragan Prastalo, chief operating officer at Mali Kolektiv.

 

Unlike traditional buildings, where each system requires its own network using proprietary protocols, the systems of B2 virtually run over the converged IP network, said Prastalo.

 

Based on Cisco Catalyst switches and Cisco Integrated Services Routers, the local-area network (LAN) is the building’s “nerve system” across which the subsystems run. Cisco said that they are monitored and managed from a central control room.

 

In addition, the LAN also supports TV, voice, data, and messaging services. Plus, from the 300 IP video surveillance cameras installed around the complex, it transmits physical security images.

 

Throughout B2, Cisco Unified Communications (News - Alert) Manager system provides advanced voice and messaging facilities, and the entire complex has wireless connectivity with Cisco Aironet 1242 Series Access Points.

 

Cisco Aironet 1242 Series Access Points enables tenants to access the Internet from laptops or mobile devices, and also allows them to operate various systems in their apartments from any point in the building.

 

Cisco said that it has followed a service-oriented network architecture approach, which has been designed to reduce complexity by replacing disparate systems with one simplified Internet Protocol (IP) network.

 

Can Habib, manager of real estate advisory services in Central and Eastern Europe at Cisco, believes that the integrated digital network infrastructure can streamline operational processes such as energy, safety management while delivering additional services.

 

Heating and energy management benefits from the building added intelligence, said officials. On the roof, a small weather station is implemented, which is monitored to anticipate and react to changes.

 

Officials said that the central system takes real-time data from more than 1,000 sensors in the building and is thereby able to “better manage” overall energy requirements.

 

Thanks to the converged network, Mali Kolektiv estimates that it can reduce capital costs by 20-25 percent. Additionally, Mali Kolektiv is expecting a 30 percent reduction in total operating costs, and a 40 percent reduction in energy consumption.