Driving the European Digital Transition through the Smart Readiness Indicator

Objective of the activity: 

Developing a data-driven approach to improve the current framework for the European Smart Readiness Indicator

Framework of the activity:

The latest revision of the Energy Performance of Building Directive (EPBD IV, Directive 1275/24) establishes the mandatory application for specific buildings of the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) by July 2027. This indicator is a sort of qualitative KPI which evaluates the building's capability to use Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) to adapt its operations to occupants’ need and the demands of the energy grid, always enhancing the overall building performance.

The research activity concerns the implementation of the SRI by addressing the challenges that have emerged from the existing literature and the current testing phase of this indicator. A preliminary analysis of the state of the art regarding the SRI reveals a potentially critical issue: the degree of subjectivity that characterizes the evaluation of services in all domains and the relative level of functionality as perceived by the professionals involved. 

To this end, the BAEDA Lab is investigating the possibility of coupling the current SRI methodology with specific Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to assess the level of smartness in a quantitative way. The target, therefore, is to establish a methodology to assess the SRI in a data-driven manner, using the monitoring data directly from the operational phase of the buildings. This will enable an accurate and objective assessment of the actual level of smartness of buildings, providing insight into the overall performance of the building stock and identifying areas for improvement. In addition, it can contribute to the achievement of the European targets for decarbonization by 2050. 

Figure: Improving the current SRI framework by including data-driven techniques