Smart Buildings

Smart Cities are conceived as a complex and layered interconnection of various systems designed to make the urban environment more intelligent. In this scenario, Smart Buildings are essential building blocks of Smart Cities. But, how Smart Buildings fit into the big picture of Smart Cities?

Certainly Smart Buildings address the need for automation, but building intelligence extend well beyond the simple automation and focuses on how the technology is used and managed.

The modern smart building connects and integrates heterogeneous sensors and systems and usage information into a central view not only to reduce energy consumption and costs in the use of resources such as heating/cooling, electricity, water, and other utilities, but also to foster safety and security, comfort, well being and health of the citizens. In this holistic approach, also sensors and systems, originally developed for other purposes, can effectively contribute to the development of an intelligent building that is able to generate data and share it among systems to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of the whole smart city.

The primary aim of this section is to encourage researchers to publish their theoretical papers, methodological studies and empirical research (or combinations thereof) on the design and implementation of the smart building concept to foster energy sustainability and to improve the quality of life of citizens.

Topics may include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Architectures and protocols for Smart Buildings
• Building Management System
• Home automation System
• Predictive Maintenance System
• Power electronic for management of energy flows in buildings
• Internet of Things
• Cloud computing and big data
• Sensors
• Sensors networks
• Distributed, networked and collaborative systems
• Human interaction and usability
• Ambient and active assisted living
• Practical deployment and case studies