- UL Solutions’ executive Sudhi Ranjan Sinha reveals thoughts on future outlook
- Sinha believes many technologies currently viewed as advanced features will become standard expectations by 2030
- He also said the concept of the ‘healthy building’ is increasingly influencing design and technology decisions at a strategic level
UL Solutions’ vice president, Global and Strategic Accounts and Account-Based Marketing, Sudhi Ranjan Sinha, says artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and health-focused design will fundamentally reshape buildings and facility management by the end of the decade.
Speaking about the future of the building and construction industry, Sinha said in a sit-down conversation with UL Solutions that the sector is moving towards smarter and increasingly autonomous buildings, but he warned that major challenges remain around safety, cybersecurity and system reliability.
“When you think about the application of artificial intelligence (AI) in buildings, one of the foundational challenges begins with data,” Sinha said.
“AI systems depend on large volumes of high-quality, diverse data, but building data is often incomplete, noisy or compromised by sensor faults that persist undetected.”
He warned that faulty sensors could directly undermine the safety and performance of autonomous building systems.
“When sensors drift or fail, autonomous systems may make decisions based on signals that no longer reflect actual conditions, undermining both performance and reliability,” he said.
Sinha added that as more smart technologies are integrated into buildings, organisations must strike a balance between cybersecurity and interoperability.
“The real challenge is not choosing between cybersecurity and interoperability, but balancing both through architectural discipline, governance and scientifically grounded frameworks,” he said.
He also stressed that cybersecurity must be treated as an ongoing operational priority rather than a one-time solution.
“Cybersecurity is not a one-time technical feature. It’s a continuous operational discipline, and it’s closely aligned with safety, privacy and life cycle management,” Sinha said.
Looking ahead to 2030, Sinha identified AI-driven optimisation and predictive control as among the technologies with the greatest potential to improve sustainability and efficiency across the built environment.
“AI enables continuous reduction in energy consumption, predictive maintenance of high-intensity assets, such as HVAC, and system-level optimisation that adapts dynamically to weather, occupancy and equipment health,” he said.
He also revealed the growing role of digital twins and advanced sensing technologies in helping operators visualise building performance and improve sustainability outcomes.
Sinha said the rise of autonomous building systems would fundamentally transform the role of facility managers over the next decade.
“Facility management will shift fundamentally from a reactive, labour-intensive function to a more strategic, oversight-driven role,” he said.
“Autonomous systems will increasingly manage routine activities, reducing the need for continuous manual intervention.”
The shift towards smarter buildings is also changing what occupants expect from commercial and residential spaces, according to Sinha.
“We’re seeing a shift from occupants tolerating buildings to expecting that buildings will adapt to keep them comfortable,” he said.
He added that occupant expectations now extend beyond temperature control to include air quality, lighting, acoustics and personalised digital experiences.
“Buildings are expected to behave like platforms,” Sinha said. “Poor digital experiences, such as slow response, lack of feedback or opaque system behaviour, are now seen as building shortcomings rather than user issues.”
Sinha believes many technologies currently viewed as advanced features will become standard expectations by 2030, including continuous indoor air quality monitoring, automated environmental adjustments and predictive maintenance systems.
“Buildings will be expected to do more than claim performance,” he said. “They’ll need to demonstrate it through clear metrics.”
He also said the concept of the ‘healthy building’ is increasingly influencing design and technology decisions at a strategic level.
“Health is being treated as a dynamic condition,” Sinha said. “It requires adaptive systems and ongoing optimisation as conditions, usage patterns and environments change.”