Don't panic if things are already starting to get dizzy. The evolution is rapid, but has a number of logical steps. The framework is that in order to be emission-free by 2050, at least 3 percent of existing buildings must undergo a thorough energy renovation each year. Belgium is well on its way in this regard. The EU directives of May 30, 2018, which amends directives 2010/31/EU on energy performance of buildings and 2012/27/EU on energy efficiency, require EU member states to take action.

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Smart Readiness Indicator

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Reducing CO2 emissions in heating and cooling starts with a well-insulated building, using the E-level as a benchmark. However, this is a static measure. The Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) - developed at the request of the EU - goes a step further and relies on 3 pillars. Comfort & Convenience looks at the ability to respond to user demand to ensure optimal comfort levels in the building. Energy Efficiency Performance & Operation measures whether energy and resources are managed and used intelligently. And Energy Flexibility examines the extent to which energy demand can be controlled and energy storage is possible. The last pillar involves the exchange of renewable energy with other buildings in the district or on campus. The SRI can be used for both existing and new buildings.

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From SRI to (mandatory) GBS

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So the SRI looks at how a building should be designed to make maximum use of renewable energy, and to best match supply and demand. The ideal tool to manage that is a building management system (BMS). By 2025, the EU will require a BMS for air conditioning and heating systems with a capacity greater than 290 kW, i.e. medium and large buildings. Those who do not already have a BMS are required today to do inspections to see if the installations are properly adjusted. A BMS - which monitors and optimizes the installations and signals problems - does this automatically.

Plant optimization can be reactive or proactive. In the first case, adjusting heating or cooling is done based on presence detection. When no one is in the building, a base temperature is guaranteed. This is scaled up to the comfort temperature as soon as people are present in the building. Proactive optimization is done by linking the BMS to the employees' calendars and the meeting room reservation system, thus anticipating the occupancy rate in advance. The fact that the EU makes a BMS mandatory in (medium) sized buildings is therefore also to the advantage of the building manager/user in terms of energy efficiency and (thus) operational costs.

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Certification imminent

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For large(r) buildings, there are already certificates such as BREEAM (for a building's energy efficiency) and WELL (for user well-being). At Ingenium, we know that certifications are also coming up to check how "smart" a building is. The BMS will play a very important role in this, ensuring a balance between static energy efficiency and the variable comfort demand of the user.

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Campus Level

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Where a BMS operates at the level of a single building, it can be useful to look beyond its own walls as well. Buildings on the same site or in the same neighborhood can also be seen as communicating vessels. Thereby, a building with a surplus of renewable energy will supply energy to buildings currently experiencing a deficit. The net result will be that the entire site becomes self-sustaining and no longer needs external energy. To manage this complex balance, we will talk about a Campus Management System or Site Management System. To many, this seems like a distant future, but the possibilities are already there today.

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Want to learn more about smart buildings, SRI and BMS? You can do so here.

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Do you prefer to get in touch with an expert directly? Wim Boone will be happy to help you: 050 40 45 30 or at wim.boone@ingenium.be.