A new method for estimating the smart readiness of building stock data using display energy Certificate data

Abstract

The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) was introduced by the revised Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018/844/EU, as a voluntary scheme for rating the smart readiness of buildings. The methodology addresses the benefits of smart technologies and their functionalities in buildings to offer low-energy, healthier, and environmentally comfortable buildings that balance the needs of occupants and the energy grid. This is a case study implementation of the SRI calculation to the university campus scale. The SRI methodology is applicable on a building-by-building basis; however, the assessment of large stocks and energy hubs is not addressed and will be the focus of this study. Other studies have proposed a method to extend the calculation to building clusters which, however, involves assessing all the buildings in the cluster in detail. The current case study extends to a much larger number of buildings, therefore, the assessment of each individual building was not considered effective. A critical implementation of the SRI calculation is presented here that leverages publicly available information like Display Energy Certificate (DEC) advisory recommendation reports for a university campus. A complex building is used to verify the proposed method based on the SRI detailed methodology. The proposed method provides a solution to the large-scale processing of building information across multiple complex buildings, hence benefiting decision-makers early on. Furthermore, the method benefits from the inclusion of building-specific recommendations based on DEC surveys. For the 98 buildings examined, a campus SRI score range has been estimated and focus areas have been identified as the foundation of smart energy and net-zero transition pathways.