Abstract
Smart Buildings are defined more by their objectives, such as optimizing energy performance, sustainability, and occupant well-being, than by specific technologies. They incorporate advanced control systems, interoperable communication protocols, and adaptive, AI-driven automation to sense, interpret, and respond to changing indoor, outdoor, and user-related conditions. These buildings coordinate multiple subsystems (heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, shading, etc.) to reduce energy costs, emissions, and peak demand while enhancing comfort, health, and productivity. International, European, and Nordic definitions share common features, with “Smart Buildings” becoming the preferred term over historical alternatives like “Intelligent Buildings.” The concept has evolved from automated to digitalized, then to intelligent, and finally to smart, characterized by supervisory, cross-system orchestration and two-way data exchange with energy grids, infrastructures, and occupants. Core features of Smart Buildings include occupant-centric and predictive control, continuous data analysis, interoperability, safety and security, energy flexibility, sustainability, predictive maintenance, and building-to-grid services. Minimum requirements include actuated systems, data collection and control infrastructure, adaptive strategies informed by multiple data sources, and user interfaces with bidirectional feedback. One should recognize that building smartness exists on a spectrum from basic to highly advanced implementations.