BPIE report identifies barriers to smart buildings adoption

The Buildings Performance Institute Europe (BPIE) has concluded work on a project designed to encourage the growth of smart buildings. In a policy paper published today, the organisation provides a working definition of a ‘smart building’ and makes detailed policy recommendations to encourage their growth. It also explores the challenge of measuring how smart a building is -- using the capacity of its functions and the degree to which different components interact and complement each other.

"For smart buildings to become a success story, multiple benefits must be recognised on an equal footing," it states. "Buildings have the potential to be at the forefront of providing flexibility for the energy system, including through energy production, control, storage and demand response, as well as providing a means to integrate electric vehicles. Just as importantly, smart buildings must enable a healthy and comfortable living and working environment for their occupants." Analysis has shown that more must be done in this area.

The BPIE reiterates in its report that both market and legislative frameworks need to allow buildings to connect to and interact with the energy system, noting that this is not always the case across Europe. The legislative framework is one of the biggest barriers to the widespread penetration of smart buildings, and current policy discussions lack ambition to encourage buildings to play their role as micro energy-hubs.

The BPIE's policy paper recommends ways that the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Renewable Energy Directive and the Electricity Directive should be strengthened to ensure buildings can take up a leading role in the energy transition, at the same time as ensuring high building performance, dynamic operability between components of a building and its occupants and responsiveness of buildings to interact with the energy system around them. It says these components must be embedded in the criteria for judging whether a building truly is a smart building.

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