Intelligent Buildings: Key to Achieving Total Sustainability in the Built Environment

Abstract

Are intelligent buildings a pragmatic approach towards achieving a sustainable built environment?' is the research question that this review article aims to answer. It has been argued that there is a serious need for intelligent buildings to be evaluated against the parameters of total sustainability (environmental, economic and social) so as to help the agenda of living in a technologically advanced, healthy and comfortable world. This paper reviews existing theoretical concepts of intelligence and sustainability in the built environment, through an exploration of various scientific literature and U.S Green Building Council's LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) databases. A systematic qualitative review approach has been employed to select an appropriate definition of sustainable development and use it as a theoretical framework to assess the technological impact of intelligent buildings on the environmental, economic and social front. Subsequently five case study buildings from around the world, which exemplify the use of intelligent technologies to achieve sustainable gains were chosen and analyzed to further validate the literature findings. Outputs from the study highlight the various benefits of intelligent buildings, which include decrease in energy and water consumption, operational costs, as well as increase in productivity and investments. Additionally the analysis of the case studies revealed that the use of intelligent building technologies has contributed significantly towards a higher sustainability rating on the LEED rating scale. Moreover, the comparison of the attributes of intelligent buildings and sustainable practices in buildings, illustrates the fact that there is a considerable overlap between the two and intelligence can aid sustainability in the built environment. Thus the research suggests that green technologies and intelligence in combination may be a pragmatic approach towards the sustainability aspect.

Assessment of the challenges influencing the adoption of smart building technologies

“…The authors concur with these assessments as a substantial number of respondents were driven to transition to smart technologies due to their notable advantages in enhancing efficiency, curbing energy expenses, and furnishing analytics that underpin environmentally sustainable initiatives. Nevertheless, the more technology a business integrates, the more exposed it becomes to potential data breaches (Gadakari et al, 2014;Sathesh and Hamdan, 2021). "The lack of descriptive guidelines for the design of different systems in smart buildings" was rated second by facilities managers and third by A/Es, with an importance rating of "Very Challenging."…”

“…In essence, a smart building integrates smart devices and sensors into an intelligent system that provides management, surveillance, assistance, and responsive services. This convergence yields a multitude of advantages spanning diverse areas, including the economy, society, health, emotional wellbeing, sustainability, and security, among others (Jacobsson, 2016;Gadakari et al, 2014).…”

Identificação de Perfis de Consumo Domiciliar de Energia Elétrica a partir de Algoritmos de Agrupamento

“…O interesse em tecnologias inteligentes que envolvem cognição, auto-reprodução, auto-correção e outras características, tem aumentado cada vez mais por parte das grandes empresas [23]. Google, Facebook e Apple são exemplos de empresas cujo interesse está pautado em buscar um aumento na capacidade de entendimento do usuário e de seus serviços.…”