[Paper Review] IEEE-GDL CCD Smart Buildings Introduction

Víctor M. Larios, José Guadalupe Robledo-Hernández+2 more|arXiv (Cornell University)|Mar 19, 2024

Impact of Light on Environment and Health4 citations

TL;DR

This whitepaper introduces a standardized framework for smart buildings within the IEEE-GDL CCD working group, proposing a layered architecture and open standards to enhance interoperability. It presents two real-world pilot projects in Guadalajara—new and retrofitted buildings—as proof of concept for scalable, interoperable smart city infrastructure based on open standards and service taxonomy.

ABSTRACT

As part of the activities of the IEEE-GDL CCD working group of physical infrastructure, this whitepaper is intented to be an initial guide to understand the layers, taxonomy of services and best practices for the development of smart buildings. Open standards are claimed in order to increase interoperability between layers and services. Moreover, two buildings in Guadalajara city, one new and another to renew, are described as a proof of concept under development and being part of the strategy to develop the smart city infrastructure based in a master plan. A discussion will be addressed in order to identify the areas of innovation and opportunities for the smart buildings as the contribution of this document.

Motivation & Objective

• To establish a foundational framework for smart buildings through a standardized, open-standards-based approach.
• To define a service taxonomy and layered architecture that enable interoperability across building systems.
• To demonstrate practical implementation via two real-world pilot projects in Guadalajara: a new building and a renovated one.
• To identify innovation opportunities and best practices for smart building development within urban smart city master plans.
• To promote open standards as a key enabler for scalable, interoperable, and sustainable smart city infrastructure.

Proposed method

• Proposes a multi-layered architectural model for smart buildings, emphasizing modularity and extensibility.
• Introduces a service taxonomy to classify functions across layers, supporting interoperability and system integration.
• Relies on open standards to ensure vendor-agnostic communication and data exchange across building systems.
• Uses two case studies in Guadalajara—one new construction and one renovation—to validate the framework in real-world settings.
• Applies a master plan-driven strategy to align smart building development with broader urban smart city goals.
• Engages in a discussion on innovation areas and implementation best practices based on the pilot projects and architectural model.

Experimental results

Research questions

• RQ1 How can open standards be effectively leveraged to ensure interoperability across smart building systems?
• RQ2 What architectural layers and service taxonomy are most suitable for scalable and maintainable smart building systems?
• RQ3 What are the key technical and operational challenges in deploying smart buildings in urban environments like Guadalajara?
• RQ4 How can existing buildings be retrofitted to meet modern smart building standards with minimal disruption?
• RQ5 What innovation opportunities exist in integrating smart buildings into a city-wide smart infrastructure ecosystem?

Key findings

• The proposed layered architecture with a defined service taxonomy enables clear system decomposition and interoperability.
• Open standards are critical for reducing vendor lock-in and enabling seamless integration across heterogeneous building systems.
• The two pilot projects in Guadalajara demonstrate the feasibility of applying the framework to both new construction and building retrofits.
• The integration of smart buildings into a master plan supports scalable, city-wide smart infrastructure development.
• The framework identifies multiple innovation opportunities in data sharing, energy management, and system monitoring.
• The discussion highlights that open standards and modular design are essential for long-term sustainability and evolution of smart building ecosystems.