New ABB building heralds the end of the post-lunch dip forever

There are scientific reasons for the post-lunch dip-the moment when you want to sneak to the photocopier room for a quick nap, but get an espresso instead

The slump is due to fluctuations in our internal circadian rhythms. For most people the dip occurs between 2:00 p.m and 4:00 p.m. During this time, your body temperature decreases and alertness also declines.

But the new building being officially opened for ABB’s Shared Service Center in Krakow uses the latest intelligent building technology to potentially make that afternoon lull a thing of the past.
The 20,000 square meter state-of-the-art Axis office building in the heart of the city, will house a multilingual and multicultural workforce of more than 2,000 people when fully operational. The building is equipped with the latest ABB Ability™ intelligent home and building automation solutions, including air conditioning, ventilation, lighting systems and low-voltage equipment, as well as having electric vehicle charging points. All these innovations make the building as comfortable and environmentally efficient as possible. The estimation is that this building can cut energy consumption by 25 percent and water consumption by 40 percent compared with conventional designs, but how does this stop the afternoon drop in productivity.

For me it’s probably the best example of how ABB Ability™ digitally connected solutions can touch our daily life – here, our working life.   Firstly, lighting can make a big difference.  The building control senses the presence of people and lights the rooms accordingly.  And secondly, there is air quality.  Sensors monitor and control the CO₂ concentration.  Too high a CO₂ concentration will impact concentration, performance and learning.  In the ABB building the air flow is controlled to improve this air quality to optimize concentration.
Colleagues tell me that the intelligent building is a great space; and any researchers are welcome to do a study to see the real impact on productivity.
The building development was managed by ABB’s customer Skanska, a global construction company, and has achieved the international system LEED at the Gold level.

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