IoB Internet of Things (IoT) for Smart Built Environment (SBE): Understanding the Complexity and Contributing to Energy Efficiency; A Case Study in Mediterranean Climates

Martínez Ruiz, Ignacio (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Cano Suñén, Enrique (Universidad de Zaragoza) ; Marco Marco, Álvaro ; Fernández Cuello, Ángel (Universidad de Zaragoza)

Resumen: To meet the 2050 targets about climate change and decarbonization, accomplishing thermal comfort, Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystems are key enabling technologies to move the Built Environment (BE) towards Smart Built Environment (SBE). The first contributions of this paper conceptualise SBE from its dynamic and adaptative perspectives, considering the human habitat, and enunciate SBE as a multidimensional approach through six ways of inhabiting: defensive, projective, scientific, thermodynamic, subjective, and complex. From these premises, to analyse the performance indicators that characterise these multidisciplinary ways of inhabiting, an IoT-driven methodology is proposed: to deploy a sensor infrastructure to acquire experimental measurements; analyse data to convert them into context-aware information; and make knowledge-based decisions. Thus, this work tackles the inefficiency and high energy consumption of public buildings with the challenge of balancing energy efficiency and user comfort in dynamic scenarios. As current systems lack real-time adaptability, this work integrates an IoT-driven approach to enhance energy management and reduce discrepancies between measured temperatures and normative thresholds. Following the energy efficiency directives, the obtained results contribute to the following: understanding the complexity of the SBE by analysing its thermal performance, quantifying the potential of energy saving, and estimating its economic impact. The derived conclusions show that IoT-driven solutions allow the generation of real-data-based models on which to enhance SBE knowledge, by increasing energy efficiency and guaranteeing user comfort while minimising environmental effects and economic impact.

Idioma: Inglés

DOI: 10.3390/app15041724

Año: 2025

Publicado en: Applied Sciences (Switzerland) 15, 4 (2025), 1724 [26 pp.]
ISSN: 2076-3417

Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/EQUZ-2022-TEC-11
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/SGI-171481
Financiación: info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/ES/UZ/2000-0074 SAMCA

Tipo y forma: Article (Published version)

Área (Departamento): Área Construc. Arquitectónicas (Dpto. Arquitectura)
Área (Departamento): Área Ingeniería Mecánica (Dpto. Ingeniería Mecánica)
Área (Departamento): Área Ingeniería Telemática (Dpto. Ingeniería Electrón.Com.)