Smart Readiness Research Articles

From efficient to smart: transitioning from certified high-performance commercial buildings

The technology, integrated security, and communication systems building-oriented had a great evolution in the last decades. Likewise, the energy efficiency concepts and the greater concern related to sustainability in the civil construction sector have both been enlarged. Although buildings certified as intelligent have gained more prominence in recent years, their highlight is still minor considering that they are one step ahead of those certified as sustainable due to improving technology and tools to achieve maximum energy efficiency. In this context, this work aims at providing a foundation for a better understanding of the various parameters required for the transition from a sustainable building certificated to an “smart building”, using the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) as a reference. To this end, a checklist was proposed to better guide the transition from sustainable to smart. Moreover, a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certificated building located in Belo Horizonte, Brazil, was taken as the object of study to assess its potential to meet the requirements of building intelligence. The results revealed that the building sustainable certification of LEED does not ensure that it reaches a significant potential for intelligence, but it contributes to the fact that part of the criteria required for its transition is already being met. In general, it is understood that the proposed checklist may be also applied in other cases to assist in the purpose of analyzing the transition from efficient to smart buildings through the analyzed parameters, as well as contribute to a new generation of automated and ecologically sustainable buildings.

The contribution of smart buildings to low-carbon built environment

Decarbonizing the energy sector is one of the most significant challenges of our time. Accordingly, the electrification of the energy system, deployment of renewables, and implementation of smart electricity control in the built environment is at the core of the in-force European Union policy actions. Recently, the European Commission released the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) for buildings framework. The SRI intends to raise awareness of the benefits of demand-based smart electricity control in energy- and carbon-intensive buildings. However, it is unclear whether implementing SRI-compatible smart electricity control technologies truly reduces carbon emissions in the built environment. This study modeled an SRI-compatible smart electricity control to every ground-source heat pump heated building in the Helsinki Metropolitan area. The study evaluated the climate mitigation implications before and after the smart electricity control using hourly-level energy consumption data. The study revealed how the climate mitigation potential of smart electricity control was only 0.02% annually. The reason for such a slight decrease in emissions appeared to be Finland’s relatively clean electricity network. Accordingly, the results questioned whether the SRI delivers its primary objective – i.e., decarbonizing the electricity grid – in northern European countries.

An enhanced framework for next‐generation operational buildings energy performance certificates

The improvement of the energy performance of buildings is identified as one of the core challenges toward achieving a carbon-neutral built environment. In the 2018 recast of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the European Commission has emphasized the need for improved schemes, to ensure the best possible evaluation of the actual energy performance of buildings, taking into consideration all the parameters related both to their construction and operation. Significant research efforts have been designated in this area, to identifying the additional information required to not only improve the energy performance certification process but also to provide more thorough reports to end-users. To increase comprehension, awareness, and thus genuine involvement, cutting-edge digital technologies are expected to be used. The research project entitled “Next-generation Dynamic Digital EPCs for Enhanced Quality and User Awareness” (D^2EPC GA 892984) introduces a comprehensive approach to next-generation Energy Performance Certificates that addresses the main challenges and gaps in buildings' energy assessment process, by introducing additional layers of information for the assessor and the user. A non-exhaustive list of the novel set of Energy Performance Certificates indicators, proposed in D^2EPC includes energy, smart readiness, wellbeing, comfort, financial, and sustainability related indicators. In this study, aspects of employing advanced digital solutions, like Building Information Modelling and Geographical Information Systems for the certification process are also demonstrated, through a well structured, high-level, detailed representation of the next-generation Energy Performance Certificates system architecture. This framework elaborates on individual components and their interaction, toward delivering the envisioned final enriched cloud-based platform, that will enable dynamic Energy Performance Certificates based on (near) real-time field data. This study aspires to initiate the discussion within the scientific community of buildings' energy assessment on the required practices for digitizing and enriching the certification process of buildings, in compliance with Industry 4.0 practices.

Smart readiness indicator evaluation and cost estimation of smart retrofitting scenarios - A comparative case-study in European residential buildings

The current research applies the SRI methodology in two typologies of typical residential buildings, Single-Family Houses and Multi-Family Houses, in five EU Countries, to evaluate the retrofitting cost towards buildings smartification and assess the SRI score when different retrofitting scenarios are applied. To that end, a three-step assessment process is adopted. First, the SRI is calculated for the baseline scenario representing the national minimum requirements according to the EPBD. Next, the SRI is calculated after applying a retrofitting scenario that includes market available technologies towards Nearly Zero Energy Buildings. Last, a more comprehensive retrofitting scenario of integrated technologies towards Positive Energy Buildings is assessed. Results indicate that buildings, constructed after the implementation of the EPBD, can increase smartness with a relatively low cost than older buildings, although their initial overall SRI score generally leads to an SRI Class G (0–20%), with buildings performing better in “Health, well-being and accessibility” and “Comfort” impact categories. Smart-orientated retrofitting scenarios focusing on building automation and control measures can increase such buildings class up to “C” (65–80%), performing better in optimizing energy efficiency when applying retrofits towards NZEB. Applying retrofitting scenarios that could potentially lead to energy positiveness mainly supports building interaction with the grid.

ANALYSIS OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF DESIGNED BUILDINGS

In this article, the research is conducted with a purpose to assess energy efficiency of engineering systems. The main role of ALDREN-EPC certificate is described here, which is to determine the indicator of smart readiness of a building and the procedure for its evaluation. Also, the article recommends a tool to improve the effectiveness of SRI. The requirements and prospects of the EPBD ecosystem are outlined as well. Moreover, main causes of project degradation companies are investigated. Such as the lack of specialists of the proper level, the outdated structure of the project organization, as well as the lack of an understandable regulatory framework and training materials.

Smart buildings for smart cities: Analysis of the Smart Readiness Indicator

Subject of this study is the analysis of the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), as well as its application for a residential building in Greece. The indicator, which was firstly introduced in the revised EPBD in 2018, assesses the buildings’ smart readiness through the examination of the presence and the evaluation of the functionality level of smart services. Its goal is the promotion of buildings that are energy efficient, adaptive to their users’ needs, and flexible in respect of their electricity demand, according to the three key - functionalities, as stated by the Directive. A smart building is not only characterized by its sustainability but also by its adaptiveness to the environmental conditions and its users’ preferences. Smart buildings are a basic component of smart cities, which utilize a great range of smart technologies aiming at the improvement of their citizens’ lives. The Smart Readiness Indicator as well as the sub indicators evaluate the smart buildings using a multicriteria assessment method, which is thoroughly described in this paper. Finally, the indicators’ calculation is executed for a residential building in Greece leading to results, which are discussed along with identified methodology shortcomings and difficulties.

Readiness and Maturity of Smart and Sustainable Supply Chains: A Model Proposal

Many companies embrace Industry 4.0 technologies to enable operational sustainability against increasing climate change effects, decreasing natural resources, and raising consumer awareness of environmental issues. Even though readiness and maturity assessment of smartness and sustainability concepts are nested, no study simultaneously focuses on these concepts. As pioneering research, we propose a novel model titled “Smart and Sustainable Supply chain Readiness and Maturity model (S3RM)” and validate it by conducting a case study in the automotive industry. We design our model upon the triple-bottom-line (TBL) approach consisting of smartness and sustainability dimensions. Our study introduces the TBL of smartness covering availability, integrity, and adaptability sub-dimension. TBL of sustainability includes social, environmental, and economic sub-dimensions. The proposed model calculates the Smart and Sustainable Readiness and Maturity Index by averaging sustainability scores’ summation and smartness scores’ multiplication. Each sub-dimension consists of items measured by a readiness and maturity scale. The findings suggest how smartness and sustainability items create strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for the supply chain operations. Our model provides managerial implications in assessing the readiness and maturity of Industry 4.0 tools and sustainability indicators. This study offers a road map to managers on smart and sustainable supply chains’ defined target areas.

Coordination of commercial prosumers with distributed demand-side flexibility in energy sharing and management system

Driven by advances in smart grid technologies, building prosumers have closer interaction in sharing energy and information towards net-zero energy communities with energy flexibility and smart readiness. Many studies have focused on transactive energy systems, whereas limited attention was paid to coordinated prosumer management involving electric and electro-thermal energy storages. In this paper, a hierarchical energy management system was developed for a commercial neighbourhood, where distributed prosumers can share their generation and batteries, and manage cooling loads and thermal storages, in subtropical Hong Kong. Several operational scenarios were formulated considering building-level and neighbourhood-level controls, to explore the synergies through peer-to-peer (P2P) sharing and demand flexibility. Techno-economic-environmental impacts were analysed comprehensively from the perspectives of the network, the utility, and each participant. Results show that by integrating the demand-side flexibility, the P2P system could use electricity more effectively and economically. The formulated P2P operation strategy utilising neighbourhood-level control minimised the operational cost by 24.6% and net equivalent CO2 emission by 7.1%, compared to the traditional peer-to-grid operation. The profit for each participant can be allocated by regulating the compensating price in the dynamic internal trading. The study provides prosumers energy-flexible and grid-friendly operation to facilitate the sustainability of the smart grid.

Digital Readiness Analysis in Bandung Government for Smart City Implementation

Digital readiness is the willing to switch to digital process workflows supported by technological innovation. It is changing the way business is conducted, creating unprecedented opportunities. Digital readiness is known as the pre-requisite for digital transformation in implementing smart governance to build a smart city. The purpose of this study is to explore the effect employing smart strategies and digital readiness of smart innovation initiatives on the governance of Bandung city government. A total of 400 questionnaires were collected from 27 offices of the Bandung city government using online questionnaire, website link and face to face collection from the respective offices. Data collected were examined using multiple regression analysis. This research found that employing smart strategies and digital readiness are positively and significantly affecting the outcome of smart governance of Bandung city government.

A Hybrid Approach in Design of Building Energy Management System with Smart Readiness Indicator and Building as a Service Concept

Improving energy efficiency and increasing the level of intelligence are two main factors determining the current development trends for new and modernized buildings. They are especially important in the perspective of development of prosumer installations and local microgrids. A key tool to achieve these goals is a well-designed and implemented Building Automation and Control System (BACS). This paper presents a new hybrid approach to the design and technical organization of BACS based on the provisions of the EN 15232 standard and the guidelines of the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) defined in the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2018 (EPBD 2018). The main assumptions of this hybrid approach along with examples of functional BACS designs for small prosumer installations organized according to them are provided. Potential impact on building energy performance is discussed as well. Finally, a SWOT analysis of the possibility of merging the EN 15232 standard guidelines and the SRI assessment methodology to develop uniform technical guidelines for the BACS functions design and evaluation of their impact on the buildings’ energy efficiency are discussed.

Implementation of an AI ready BACS system in Treviso school with DCV (Demand Control Ventilation)

The pandemic has highlighted the extreme importance of indoor air quality (IAQ). Especially in schools, so places that have always been critical for the spread of highly contagious viral diseases, IAQ is an increasingly necessary need. In the province of Treviso, a tailored system has been installed: there are both winter and summer air conditioning, plus AHU’s capable of guaranteeing the necessary air exchange to obtain a healthy level of the air inside the classrooms. The county also intends to replicate this experience in all schools of its territory and monitor the operation of these plants continuously. The important matter is not only to implement systems equipped with HRV (heat recovery ventilation), but also to equip them with automation and control systems capable of implementing an high automation standard according to EN 15232-1 and a high SRI or Smart Readiness Indicator defined by the EPBD III directive 844/2018. A high index ensures an implementation of a distributed intelligence system all over the plant, connected to the cloud and capable of extrapolating the physical variables, then processing them with ML (machine learning) and AI (artificial intelligence) techniques optimized for the HVAC algorithms. At the end, it is not enough to detect quantities such as EI (environmental index) but it is also necessary to process the data for the purposes of predictive maintenance and much more.

Towards net-zero carbon performance: using demand side management and a low carbon grid to reduce operational carbon emissions in a UK public office

This paper investigates the performance of an office building that has achieved a low carbon performance in practice thanks to a performance contract and Soft Landings approach. The findings show the potential of this building for further de-carbonisation as a result of electrification of heating and load shifting to take advantage of a low carbon electricity grid. Whilst retrospective modelling based on the past carbon intensity data shows the effectiveness of demand-side management, assessment of the existing smart readiness of the building revealed that the building services and control strategy are not fully equipped with the data analytics and carbon or price signal responsiveness required to facilitate grid integration. The environmental strategy and procurement method used for this building combined with an effective grid integration strategy can serve as a prototype for low carbon design to achieve the ever stringent carbon emissions objectives set out for the non-domestic buildings.

Estimating the Smart Readiness Indicator in the Italian Residential Building Stock in Different Scenarios

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive 2018/844/EU introduced the smart readiness indicator (SRI) to provide a framework to evaluate and promote building smartness in Europe. In order to establish a methodological framework for the SRI calculation, two technical studies were launched, at the end of which a consolidated methodology to calculate the SRI of a building basing on a flexible and modular multicriteria assessment has been proposed. In this paper the authors applied the above-mentioned methodology to estimate the SRI of the Italian residential building stock in different scenarios. To this end, eight “smart building typologies”, representative of the Italian residential building stock, have been identified. For each smart building typology, the SRI was calculated in three scenarios: (a) base scenario (building stock as it is); (b) an “energy scenario” (simple energy retrofit) and (c) a “smart energy scenario” (energy retrofit from a smart perspective). It was therefore possible to estimate a national average SRI value of 5.0%, 15.7%, and 27.5% in the three above defined scenarios, respectively.

Positive Energy Building Definition with the Framework, Elements and Challenges of the Concept

Buildings account for 36% of the final energy demand and 39% of CO2 emissions worldwide. Targets for increasing the energy efficiency of buildings and reducing building related emissions is an important part of the energy policy to reach the Paris agreement within the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. While nearly zero energy buildings are the new norm in the EU, the research is advancing towards positive energy buildings, which contribute to the surrounding community by providing emission-free energy. This paper suggests a definition for positive energy building and presents the framework, elements, and challenges of the concept. In a positive energy building, the annual renewable energy production in the building site exceeds the energy demand of the building. This increases two-way interactions with energy grids, requiring a broader approach compared to zero energy buildings. The role of energy flexibility grows when the share of fluctuating renewable energy increases. The presented framework is designed with balancing two important perspectives: technical and user-centric approaches. It can be accommodated to different operational conditions, regulations, and climates. Potential challenges and opportunities are also discussed, such as the present issues in the building’s balancing boundary, electric vehicle integration, and smart readiness indicators.

Internet of Things (IoT) as Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Enabling Technology towards Smart Readiness Indicators (SRI) for University Buildings

Non-residential buildings contribute to around 20% of the total energy consumed in Europe. This consumption continues to increase globally. Smart building proposals (focused on Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB), air quality monitoring, energy saving with thermal comfort, etc.) were already necessary before 2020, and the pandemic has made this research and development area more essential. Furthermore, the need to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and obtain technological solutions based on the Internet of Things (IoT) requires holistic contributions through real installations that serve as spaces for measuring, testing, study and research. This article proposes a “measure–analyse–decide and act” methodology to quantify the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) for university buildings as a reference environment for energy efficiency and COVID-19 prevention models. Two conceptual spaces (physical and digital) within two dimensions (users and infrastructures) are designated over an IoT three-level model (information acquisition, interoperable communication, and data-driven decision). An IoT ecosystem (sensoriZAR) was implemented as a proof-of-concept of a smart campus at the University of Zaragoza, Spain. Focused on CO2 and energy consumption monitoring, the results showed effectiveness through real installations, demonstrating the IoT potential as SDG-enabling technologies. These contributions allow not only experimental lab tests (from the authors’ expertise in several specialties of Industrial, Mechanical, Design, Thermal, Electrical, Electronic, Computer and Telecommunication Engineering) but also a reference model for direct application in academic works, research projects and institutional initiatives, extendable to professional environments, buildings and cities.

The meaning of convenience in smart home imaginaries: tech industry insights

<div class="page" title="Page 1"><div class="layoutArea"><div class="column"> Smart home technology (SHT) is being promoted for the enhancement of occupants’ convenience, as well as more efficient and sustainable energy consumption. However, recent research indicates that convenience often takes precedence over energy reduction, threatening to affect inhabitants’ everyday practices in a non-sustainable way. In order to understand the social and environmental consequences of SHT, the meaning of convenience is investigated. How is the concept of convenience developed in concert with technological development? Presenting SHT imaginaries from the industry, the paper builds on qualitative interviews with 11 SHT professionals. By exploring the practices, roles, and relations at play in SHT development, it is demonstrated how the vision to enhance convenience in everyday life is related to a user imaginary characterized by passivity and disengagement from energy savings. Furthermore, convenience is enabled and enforced through the notion of interoperability. Interoperability refers to not only technologies ‘speaking together’ but also a strong interdependency between professional actors. By exploring the practices at play in SHT development, the meaning of convenience is revealed to be an outcome of this interdependency as well as the collectively shaped ideas, and technological standards embedded in the industry. <strong><br /></strong> <strong>Policy relevance</strong> SHT is shaping our domestic futures, influencing material environments as well as social life and energy consumption. Currently, SHT is promoted and supported widely in policy. For instance, the European Commission stresses automation as a means to ensure the more efficient operation of buildings, generating cost and energy savings. However, a focus on convenience risks counteracting sustainability considerations. This study shows how convenience can take precedence across various branches of SHT development, with a consequence of creating passive users who are disengaged from sustainability issues. When policymakers promote the adoption of SHTs and automation of the built environment, a more critical stance is needed toward convenience in order to avoid user passivity and masked energy consumption. Policy instruments, such as the smart readiness indicator (SRI), should not only include calculations of what is technically possible in terms of automation but also examine the outcomes, practices, and behavior that SHT promotes. </div></div></div>

Exploitation of dynamic simulation to investigate the effectiveness of the Smart Readiness Indicator: application to the Energy Center building of Turin

To achieve the energy and emissions reduction goals for the building sector, actions are needed to improve energy efficiency and occupants’ wellbeing. To increase the uptake of smart technologies and the awareness upon their benefits, in line with the smart building revolution that is starting, the EPBD recast introduced the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) as a tool to evaluate the capability of buildings to easily adapt to both energy systems and occupants’ needs. However, there is a growing interest in studying the SRI features in terms of performance assessment, and, thus, dynamic simulation models can be exploited to better analyze its points of strength and weakness. The Energy Center building of Turin was chosen as case study. By means of EnergyPlus modeling, the current situation was simulated, as well as different scenarios of energy management and control, evaluating to what extent these actions can influence the overall SRI assessment. The analysis allowed to deepen and comment on the effectiveness of the SRI of being a real tool of building behavior assessment, able to link the indicator itself with the energy needs of the building and to understand if and how the indicator is sensible to energy needs variations.

Application of smart readiness indicator for Mediterranean buildings in retrofitting actions

Recent years have seen an increasing need to invest in smart, energy-efficient technologies in buildings to improve health and convenience for occupants and to reduce energy consumption and carbon emission impacts. Digitalization and developments in the information and communication technology sector play a critical role in improving the efficiency of the European energy market and remaining in the current progress of sustainable and renewable energy systems. Therefore, the European Union Member States are required to establish an optional common scheme for defining and calculating a descriptor, called a smart readiness indicator to assess the capabilities of buildings to adapt their operation to the needs of the occupants and the electricity grid and to achieve more efficient operation.This indicator is calculated using a methodology proposed and developed by the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy which depends to a great extent on various factors such as building type and climate conditions. The effectiveness of these parameters on the Smart Readiness Indicator is reflected by the weighting coefficients which need to be initially defined by the legislator. Therefore, the main step to assess the viability of this methodology, is to test it in different situations, i.e., various building types, climate conditions, etc. To this end, the proposed methodology is applied in two service buildings with different levels of energy and indoor environment quality performance located in an area with a Mediterranean climate. The possible effects of smart services and retrofit actions on indoor environment quality and energy performance in the buildings were assessed through energy simulation for two separate rooms in the buildings, a monitoring campaign and a survey to assess the occupants’ subjective opinion about the indoor environmental quality using the questionnaire proposed by the Centre for the Built Environment of the University of California.The results imply that, although the proposed methodology was able to recognise the overall characteristics of the sample buildings, some amendments are still required to capture the specific features of non-residential Mediterranean climate buildings. More specifically, the defined weighting factors fail to reflect the actual energy performance of the service buildings and need to be revised. Moreover, the current retrofitting actions which were implemented to improve energy efficiency and thermal comfort in the building were not as effective as expected in enhancing the SRI value.

Strategi Penerapan Tata Kelola Smart City Dengan Elemen Smart Readiness

The application of electronification is an important aspect towards implementing the smart city concept which is expected to improve the performance of district / city government services to produce a more effective and efficient work process. Thus, cities that use ICT in meeting market needs (city residents) require community involvement in a process. The research method used is the Decision Support Systems (DSS) approach with the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results showed that the implementation of governance must be endeavored to fulfill the Smart Readiness Element in an effort to overcome urban problems, readiness of the Ministry of Communication and Information, local government and human resources, infrastructure, integration, public services and budgeting.

How Are the Smart Readiness Indicators Expected to Affect the Energy Performance of Buildings: First Evidence and Perspectives

In 2018, the European Commission adopted the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) concept in the recast of the directive on the energy efficiency of buildings. The set of SRIs is a measure of the intelligence of buildings systems, and its promotion is expected to contribute to the energy savings of the building sector. These indicators are relatively new and were developed only at the beginning of last decade, within European standards. This study introduces and elaborates on these indicators, as delivered in the final report of the European Commission. Some first results, which are obtained using a tool developed by the European Commission, are also presented. The work identifies gaps and perspectives for improvement of this system, as well as predicting the evolution of its implementation in the coming years, through specific numerical scenarios.