Design and Smartness Evaluation of Building Automation and Management Systems in Danish Case Studies

The building sector is a key component of energy efficiency and environmental strategies and initiatives worldwide due to its major contribution in the energy consumption and the corresponding share in carbon emissions. These goals along with the evolution towards digitalization of the building stock have called for smarter, flexible, and proactive buildings. In this context, a well-designed and properly installed and operated building automation and control system (BACS) is critical to achieving energy efficiency and environmental goals as well as providing high comfort levels and empowering occupants with information. In this study, an innovative tool ‘IBACSA’ for BACS assessment and building smartness evaluation is used as a basis to evaluate the design functionalities and services provided by the automation and control system. The tool assesses eight various technical domains in the building, covering 60 major building services, reporting the rating and performance of each domain, and considering multiple impact criteria. IBACSA is implemented in three Danish buildings of different type, size, and use. The BACS design and functionalities are evaluated and rated in each case, and actions for improvement are reported.