Methods for comparing digital applications in buildings and districts

Abstract

The so-called Energiewende is a complex task with a variety of stakeholders, regulations, technical infrastructure, and proposed solutions. Buildings are an important sector for increasing resource and energy efficiency, as in Germany around 35% of end energy usage can be attributed to them. Digital applications can help reduce these emissions through more efficient planning, operating, renovation, or demolition. Depending on the task and the parties involved, the complexity of descriptions and data models can vary from simple energy efficiency labels used in the labeling process of buildings to complex individual data models used for simulation. However, these specific information systems are often non-transferable, are hard to compare in their restrictions and requirements, and hence increase the overall costs of digital solutions. A good understanding is needed to preserve economic and ecological benefits while maintaining privacy and security aspects. To compare digital applications, a variety of solutions are identified. This paper first provides an overview of the identified solutions, namely frameworks, taxonomies, and ontologies. While the identified frameworks focus more on technological aspects and are complex to use, they provide an in-depth understanding. Taxonomies can be used for a scientific (e.g., classification of methods) comparison and provide simple relationships. Ontologies provide relationships and definitions while being task-dependent. We conclude that comparing the underlying data models of digital applications is a complex task and dependent on the application and its infrastructure. However, a variety of tasks refers to the same tools and data. After discussing these approaches, we then give an overview of digital applications developed by German researchers. Last, we give an insight on how to combine these aspects in our ongoing research. To summarize, in this paper we give an overview of the complexity involved in transferring digital solutions in the building sector, provide a method used for comparing applications and describe a solution to compare infrastructure and digital tools built for it.