The term "smart building" has been tossed around a lot lately, but what exactly makes a building smart? The most basic function of a smart building is that the features (water meters, pumps, fire alarms, power, lighting) within it are linked and "talk" to one another. This technology both optimizes building performance by automating multiple processes, such as heating, cooling, and security, and significantly reduces building overheads through intelligent application. Owners and developers are motivated by the improvement to the environment and their bottom-line.