This document discusses future trends in intelligent buildings, including: Buildings becoming systems that interact with smart grids and cities through connectivity and data analytics; Increased use of artificial intelligence and machine learning to optimize building operations; Focus on security and resilience as buildings become more connected; and buildings evolving to interact more like living organisms through adaptive systems that respond to their environments.

1. ECVET Training for Operators of IoT-enabled Smart Buildings (VET4SBO)
2018-1-RS01-KA202-000411
Level: 3
Module: 3 - State-of-the-art operation and
maintenance practices for sustainable
buildings
Unit 3.3 - Future trends

2. Future trends
UNIT CONTENTS
• Future development of intelligent buildings as inhabitants of
cyberphysical ecosystems.
• Intelligent buildings as systems of systems.
• Smart homes, smart grids and smart cities.
• Connectivity of the future that includes smart analytics.
• Future security and resilience of intelligent buildings.
• Artificial intelligence in intelligent buildings of the future.
• Buildings of the future as living and breathing cyberphysical
mechanisms.
• The role of service robots in future intelligent buildings.
• Future trends in operation, maintenance and software support.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/business-
search-seo-engine-2082639/

3. Future of intelligent buildings
• With the cost of connected sensors and cloud computing continuously
falling, IoT devices that intelligently monitor and control the operations of
a building are becoming more and more common.
• It is estimated that there will be as much as 10 billion devices installed in
buildings by 2020, making it one of the fastest growing industries
worldwide. As a result, the smart building market is expected to grow from
a size of $8,5 billion in 2016 to around $58 billion globally in 2022 [1].
» [1] The Future of Smart Buildings - Top Industry Trends, https://medium.com/@BlueFuture/the-
future-of-smart-buildings-top-industry-trends-7ae1afdcce78

4. Future of intelligent buildings
• There are are many trends that will change the way buildings are run in the
coming years, helping organizations to save energy and costs, deliver
better occupant experiences and reach higher property values, such as:
1. Air Quality Monitoring,
2. Smart Lighting,
3. Building Security,
4. The Importance of Cybersecurity,
5. Occupant Control,
6. Intelligent Parking,
7. Focus on Wellbeing,
8. Predictive Maintenance,
9. Evolution of Building Management Systems (BMS),
10. Bundling of different smart technologies, etc.

5. Future of intelligent buildings and relation to
Industry 4.0
• Inclusion of many Industry 4.0 concepts in intelligent buildings
and smart cities is also foreseen or already happening.
• Industry 4.0 is the subset of the fourth industrial revolution
[2] that concerns industry.
• Although the terms "industry 4.0" and “4th industrial
revolution" are often used interchangeably, "industry 4.0"
refers to the concept of factories in which machines are
augmented with wireless connectivity and sensors, connected
to a system that can visualise the entire production line and
make decisions on its own.
» [2] Industry 4.0, From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industry_4.0
https://pixabay.com/photos/industry-
industry-4-0-2496188/

6. Future of intelligent buildings and relation to
Industry 4.0
• Technologies driving “Industry 4.0” or
“smart factory” can be summarized
into four major components, of wich
many are also driving concept of
intelligent buildings forward:
– Cyber-physical systems (CPS)
– Internet of things (IoT)
– Cloud computing
– Cognitive computing and artificial
intelligence
https://pixabay.com/photos/industry-industry-4-0-2496192/

7. Robots and intelligent buildings of the future
• Utilizing smart infrastructure technology and robotics, the
companies are creating an automated living environment that can
handle such duties as reception, deliveries, cleaning, and security,
without the need for human intervention.
• Instead of relying on individual robots to perform functions like
human detection and device control, all this is handled by the
building-wide network, which then dispatches robots to perform
various tasks [3].
» [3] Joseph L. Flatley, Robotic smart buildings under development in Japan, endgadget,
2019.

8. Robots and intelligent buildings of the future
• [3] Joseph L. Flatley, Robotic smart buildings under development in Japan, endgadget, 2019.

9. Robots and intelligent buildings of the future – many
mobile robots available as commercial products
• Most popular are robotic vacuum cleaners, which take
maintenance and cleaning tasks.
• iRobot Roomba i7, https://www.irobot.com/
• Dyson 360 Eye, https://www.dyson.com/vacuum-cleaners/robot-vacuum.html

10. Future development of intelligent buildings as
inhabitants of cyberphysical ecosystems
• Intelligent buildings are quickly becoming cohesive and integral
inhabitants of cyberphysical ecosystems [4].
• Modern buildings adapt to internal and external elements and
thrive on ever-increasing data sources, such as ubiquitous smart
devices and sensors, while mimicking various approaches
previously known in software, hardware, and bioinspired systems.
» [4] Manic M. et al, Intelligent Buildings of the Future Cyberaware, Deep Learning
Powered, and Human Interacting, IEEE Industrial Electronics Magazine, Digital Object
Identifier 10.1109/MIE.2016.2615575, 2016.

11. Future development of intelligent buildings as
inhabitants of cyberphysical ecosystems
• Intelligent buildings of the future
can be observed from a range of
perspectives, such as impact on
world energy consumption to
insights into the future of
intelligent buildings based on
the latest technological
advancements. https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-home-house-technology-2769239/

12. Intelligent buildings as systems of systems
• What makes a smarter building? Systems that talk to systems.
• The unprecedented proliferation of smart sensors and control
systems from the last decade can detect and sense various
conditions and emit alerts or responses from many disparate
systems.
• This data can feed insights into the management and process
of each of these systems.

13. Intelligent buildings as systems of systems
Current situation
• Portfolio
– Estate management
• Asset management
– Llfecycle
• Energy use
– Passive and active
• Building services
– Maintenance
• Occupancy
– Space management
• Tenant services
– Help desk
• Waste management
– Trash and recycling
• Compliance
– Environmental reports
• Industry specific
– Hospital, hotel, etc.
Future scenario
• Weather
– Advance predlctlon and pre-
emptive action
• Emergency services
– lnformallon about occupants
• Utilities
– Smart grid, water, efficiency, real-
estate pricing, demand
management
• Transportation
– Congestion avoidance, networked
buses and trains
• Vehicles
– Onslte energy generation and/or
storage
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-home-house-
technology-3991584/

14. Intelligent buildings as systems of systems
• System of embedded systems in a building:
– Energy
• Smart meters, demand response
– Lighting
• Occupancy sensing
– Fire
• Functionality checks, detector service
– 24/7 monitoring
• Condition monitoring, parking lot utilization
– PEHV charging
• Chargng of hybrid and electric vehicles
– Water
• Smart meters, use and flow sensing
– HVAC
• Fans, variable air volume, air quality
– Elevators
• Maintenance, performance
– Access and security
• Badge in, cameras, integration perimeter, doors
• https://pixabay.com/photos/singapore-river-skyline-building-255116/

15. Smart Grids and Smart Homes
• The concept of smart buildings, while typically referring to smart
homes, can be easily extended to all types of buildings (residential,
commercial, and industrial)—in other words, smart cities.
• https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-city-brain-buildings-head-4184710/

16. Interactiveness of Buildings and Smart Grids
• One of the key elements of smart grid
technologies is the interactive relationship
between grid operators, utilities, and consumers.
• Smart grids can be viewed as interconnected
resources and consumers of energy, with
buildings as major entities of the equation
[mainly because of central heating ventilation
and air-conditioning (HVAC) and lighting].
• Hence, buildings play roles in both energy usage
and as energy generation entities (with storage
capabilities).
https://pixabay.com/photos/power-line-pylon-
electricity-2881462/

17. Interactiveness of Buildings and Smart Grids
• Through interaction with smart grids, smart buildings
(as building blocks of smart cities) can perform load
reduction and peak shaving (reducing demand for
electricity during peak usage times) and load shifting,
and can reduce blackouts (total loss of power) and
brownouts (voltage drops).

18. Connectivity (Smart = Connected + Analytics)
• HVAC and lighting systems, the largest energy consumers in
buildings, are being highly modernized through the
penetration of IoT devices.
• The key issue here is extracting knowledge from monitoring
building energy and automation systems—in terms of what a
particular machine or appliance is doing at what time.
• IoT devices provide quantitative measurements of the
processes they are involved in, which in turn generate data
streams that have not existed before.

19. Connectivity (Smart = Connected + Analytics)
• The concept of smart appliances is based on several attractive
features:
– convenience (e.g., remote control and monitoring via smartphones
and tablets),
– intelligent automation and control (autonomous, intelligent learning
and prediction of user behavior patterns, and smart scheduling),
– and the ability to control and improve energy efficiency.

20. Connectivity (Smart = Connected + Analytics)
• Connectivity is the underlying characteristic of IoT
devices, such as connected coffee machines, beds,
ranges, refrigerators, and frying pans.
• For example, Wi-Fi touchscreen smart refrigerators
can sync across family calendars, perform smart
inventory via integrated cameras that detect food
expiration dates, notify users of food that needs
restocking, and even automatically place orders for
such food.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/cat-fridge-
food-drink-refrigerator-2177429/

21. Connectivity (Smart = Connected + Analytics)
Manic M. et al, Intelligent Buildings of the Future Cyberaware, Deep Learning Powered, and Human Interacting, IEEE Industrial Electronics
Magazine, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MIE.2016.2615575, 2016.

22. Security and Resilience of Intelligent Buildings
• If intelligent buildings are the future, so are cyberthreats to
building services.
• The technology is expected to grow rapidly due to benefits such as
increased energy efficiency, occupant comfort, and productivity as
well as seamless operation of HVAC, electricity, lighting, and other
systems.
• Furthermore, the increasing demand for security and life safety
systems (e.g., systems that indicate the presence of fire) in
education, hospitality, and large commercial complexes is expected
to give a boost to the adoption of intelligent buildings automation.

23. Security and Resilience of Intelligent Buildings
• At the heart of all these are the communications
among sensors, hubs, and numerous smart
devices, whether small (e.g., coffee machines,
power outlets, and smart locks) or large (e.g.,
large energy storage batteries and electric cars).
• As highly integrated as they are, such systems run
high exposure risks.
https://pixabay.com/photos/security-
protection-anti-virus-265130/

24. Security and Resilience of Intelligent Buildings
• The same information flow that enables users and managers of
large building complexes and residential home users to monitor
and control smart buildings can, if compromised, give attackers
unprecedented power to interact with devices and gain insight into
behavioral patterns.
• For example, monitoring occupancy sensors can tell when a person
leaves home, controlling cameras can provide ways for unlawful
surveillance and invasion of privacy, and worse, usurping control
power can remotely enable structural and material damage or even
loss of life (in the case of critical infrastructure).

25. Artificial Intelligence in Buildings
• Due to the interactive, adaptive, and
interconnected nature of buildings, their
components, and outside environments,
modern buildings must be capable of
negotiating constantly changing scenarios.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning
(ML) techniques exhibit proven capabilities for
learning from heterogeneous data sets.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/artificial-
intelligence-brain-think-4389372/

26. Artificial Intelligence in Buildings
• Such techniques can identify patterns or trends
that exist in data and extract crucial performance
knowledge, make accurate predictions of future
system states, and identify anomalous scenarios
that may lead to suboptimal behavior due to
benign or malicious faults.
• These approaches can be effectively used for tasks
ranging from building energy management and
energy efficiency, self-healing, and adaptation to
the security, information assurance, and resiliency
of such systems.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/artificial-
intelligence-brain-think-3382507/

27. Some Further Future Developments
• Buildings will continue their evolution toward
becoming living and breathing cyberphysical
mechanisms.
• The concept of living buildings will likely further
the analogy with human beings.
• Just as the human body sweats to release
excess heat, buildings may use evaporative roof
systems.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-home-system-
collection-bulb-3720021/

28. Some Further Future Developments
• Rain-absorbing matting could act in the same
way as perspiration to cool the buildings as the
rain evaporates.
• Similarly, as blood vessels constrict or dilate to
preserve or release heat, buildings will be using
intelligent adaptive insulation systems and
smart transparent windows and shading.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-home-system-
collection-bulb-3720021/

29. Some Further Future Developments
• Mechanisms should exist for humans to
interact with and provide feedback to
the building management system.
Individual occupant feedback is
extremely important for maintaining
comfort levels because human comfort
is subjective.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/home-smart-automation-
house-system-4100193/

30. Some Further Future Developments
• Deep learning has revolutionized a
multitude of fields, such as speech
recognition, natural language processing,
and face recognition.
• Together with other AI and ML techniques
it can be expected to influence Intelligent
buildings of the future.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/home-smart-automation-
house-system-4100193/

31. Future trends in operation and software support
• Switch to mobile phone and tablet oriented software
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/smart-home-house-technology-2769238/
https://pixabay.com/photos/smart-home-house-technology-4008572/

32. Future trends in operation and software support
Manic M. et al, Intelligent Buildings of the Future Cyberaware, Deep Learning Powered, and Human Interacting, IEEE Industrial Electronics
Magazine, Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/MIE.2016.2615575, 2016.

33. Thank you for your attention.
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/thank-you-polaroid-letters-2490552/

34. Disclaimer
For further information, related to the VET4SBO project, please visit the project’s website at https://smart-building-
operator.eu or visit us at https://www.facebook.com/Vet4sbo.
Download our mobile app at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.vet4sbo.mobile.
This project (2018-1-RS01-KA202-000411) has been funded with support from the European Commission (Erasmus+
Programme). This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible
for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.