Tutica, Empress Vanessa B.

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Definition of Intelligent Buildings

Conferring to the research conducted by Wigginton and Harris, ‘there exists more than 30 separate
definitions of the term ‘intelligence’ when it is relative to buildings’. Another research done on
Intelligent Building Automation in Construction states the most common theoretical and practical
definitions of the term ‘intelligent building’ such as “Intelligent building is any building that provides a
responsive, effective and supportive environment within which the organization can achieve its business
objectives”. Still, the IBI, which is also known as the Intelligent Building Institute (IBI) of the United
States, as well as the UK-based European Intelligent Building Group (EIBG), proposed that the most
accepted definitions of the term can be summarized as: “one which provides a productive and cost-
effective environment through optimization of its four basic elements including structures, systems,
services and management and the interrelationships between them”. Another mentioned definition
would be: “one that creates an environment which take full advantage of the efficiency of the building’s
occupants, while at the same time enabling competent management of resources with the least possible
life-time costs of hardware and facilities”. The former definition, belonging to the IBI, stresses the
advantages that the owners get and sheds light on their commonly preferred indoor environment. On
the other hand, the latter definition stated by the EIBG focuses specifically on the benefit of the users
and the production of necessary and adequate indoor environment for occupants. Nonetheless, both
definitions are devoted to put the benefit of the managers in the spotlight as well as bringing the
environmental and economic effect of fashioning favored indoor environment to center stage.

The UTBS Corporation, which is also known as the United Technology Building Systems Corporation of
the USA, initially used the term ‘intelligent building’ back in 1981. In the couple of years to come, their
efforts paid off as the City Place Building in Hartford Connecticut, USA, became known to the world as
the first intelligent building to be completed. Since then, several definitions have been proposed for
defining IBs by several reliable sources. Unfortunately, the initial definitions did not consider user
requirements nor technological aspects in the definition process. This changed as recent definitions
began to take into account occupant’s interactions with the internal space as their surrounding
environment. In 1983, Cardin defined IB as “a building which is equipped with fully automated building
service control systems” (ASHRAE, 1989). However, this definition did not stand and was developed in
1988 by the Intelligent Building Institution in Washington as “one which integrates various systems to
effectively manage resources in a coordinated mode to maximize: technical performance, investment
and operating cost savings, flexibility” (ASHRAE, 1989). Also, on more recent terms, Seo et al. said that
‘IBs are not intelligent on their own, but they can supply the users with more intelligent options thus
enabling them to work competently’(ASHRAE, 1989). In addition, it was also proposed that IBs can be a
vital in lessening the initial capital outlay and at the same time enabling a higher impending return on
investment (ROI) (ASHRAE, 1989).

In other terms, some researchers define the intelligent building as a “multidisciplinary effort to integrate
and optimize the building structures, systems, services and management in order to create a productive,
cost effective and environmentally approved environment for the building occupants”.

Therefore, it can be agreed that there is not one common definition of IBs. Conversely, the goal of IB can
be agreed upon which is to lessen energy intake by relying on conservation methods. The percentage of
reduced energy consumption is shown in Fig. 4.
 Fig. 4. The percentage of reduced energy
consumption (%).

Factors and framework

The definition supported by the IBI focuses the owners’ benefits and their how well the indoor
environment meets their requests, whereas that of the EIBG concentrates on building users’ benefits
and how to create the requested indoor environment for dwellers. Nonetheless, either definition
focuses on the benefits of the managers upon creating the required indoor environment as well as its
impact on the environment and economy. Therefore, it is safe to say that intelligent buildings mainly
consist of ten ‘Quality Environment Modules (QEM)’ which are as follows:

M1: environmental friendliness – health and energy conservation;

M2: space utilization and flexibility;

M3: cost effectiveness – operation and maintenance with emphasis on effectiveness;

M4: human comfort;

M5: working efficiency;

M6: safety and security measures – fire, earthquake, disaster and structural damages, etc.

M7: culture;

M8: image of high technology;

M9: construction process and structure

M10: health and sanitation.

While considering the modules mentioned above, IBs can be defined as buildings that are “designed and
established based on a suitable selection of ‘Quality Environmental Modules’ that satisfy the user’s
requests by mapping this module with appropriate building facilities to attain lifelong building values”.
One type of IB can be formed upon selecting the appropriate QEM like ‘smart house’ or ‘green building’.
The ten modules mentioned above comprise the first level which is also known as the fundamental
level, of the definition. In the second level, other requested facilities or key elements can be added later
upon demand which are listed in Table 2.
Using this technique, each type of building will have different design criteria assigned to it that transpire
it to be an IB. The buildings can vary in function between residential, industrial, commercial (office or
retail), transportation terminals, educational, public services (libraries or community centres) and those
of religious purposes, etc. After, different modules can be categorized to each type of building according
to priority (P1 the highest priority and P8 the
lowest priority). Table 2 shows some examples of
the proper assignment of modules to four
different types of buildings.

According to K. Taghizadeh Azari, individual key

modules of the original set of eight were allocated
to a number of variables discernible as
“secondary” and “sub-factors” (Fig. 5). In order to
accomplish a wholly comprehensive set of key
elements, a populace of 76-members were chosen
from experts that are significantly dynamic in the
field of Building Management Systems (BMSs).
The evaluation criteria of IBs that impact and
direct the path of life of a building which are
derivative from the quality environment module
are shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5. Intelligent Buildings Criteria Selection with Main Factors

Fig.6. Intelligent Buildings Criteria

Selection Fundamental Level &
Secondary level

In order to achieve the most fitting

research methodology for a successful
experiential study, a number of five
experts in the fields of IBs and BMS
were involved regarding the
importance of intelligence indicators.
They were also asked to propose any
additional factors if necessary. Taking
their response into consideration, two
parameters of “Fashion” and “Repair
and development costs” were added as
the sub-factors to the main factors of
“Culture” and “Cost effectiveness”,
respectively.

The design team typically faces many

challenges. One of the main tasks
includes choosing the optimal arrangements that satisfy the concerns of developers while steadying
these goals and the aspirations of the users. The variations of these multidimensional perspectives
supplement the intricacies that have been included in the processes of evaluation and selection of the
adequate control systems for intelligent buildings. Consequently, there is an indispensable necessity
that the selection of evaluation tools to be acknowledged in order to facilitate proper decision making.
As a result, an all-inclusive list of evaluation criteria is made in an attempt to aid the decision makers in
selecting the correct categories to reach the consumer’s satisfaction.

New approach of intelligent buildings criteria selection

As mentioned previously, the collected data showed that the title ‘Intelligent Building’ is still a vague in
definition and in concept. In many cases, it is used in ways that are not always consistent as showed in
Table 1. Table 1 displays some of different definitions and meanings that have been given to this title. In
fact, the reasons behind the lack of agreement regarding the phrase ‘Intelligent Building ‘is that each
definition based on the expertise of the subjects using them. However, it is agreeable that there remains
one common ground between all the definitions, which is the main target of intelligent buildings design:
Reducing the energy consumption and reducing the amount of CO2 which is produced from building
sectors. With this in mind, the new approaches towards intelligent buildings criteria selection in the 21st
century are showed in Fig. 5.

Table 1. Definitions of Intelligent Building.

“The notion of ‘intelligent design’, where human designers produce an
architecture, which is itself intelligent, rather than just an assembly of
intelligent components. The idea presented by Walter Kroner is about
restoring the basic priorities of ‘bioclimatic design’ by working in alliance
with environmental engineers to achieve interior comfort through
responsive climatic design”
“The term ‘intelligent building’ originated in the early 1980s in the United
States, where it was used to denote building with sophisticated
telecommunications, building management and data networking services
that provided shared tenant services (STS) to their occupants. Definitions
of the intelligent building during this period therefore focused on major
technological system such as building automation, communications and
office automation” (Andrew Harrison, Eric Loe, James Read. Intelligent
Buildings in South East Asia, 1998)
“An Intelligent Building is designed and constructed based on an
appropriate selection of quality environment modules to meet the user's
requirements by mapping with the appropriate building facilities to
achieve long-term building value”
“Intelligent building is any building that provides a responsive, effective DEGW and Technibank,
and supportive environment within which the organization can achieve its The Intelligent Building in
business objectives” Europe
Conferring to the Intelligent Building Institute of the United States, an
intelligent building can be defined as “one which provides a productive
and cost-effective environment through optimization of its four basic
elements including structures, systems, services and management and the
interrelationships between them” while the European Intelligent Building
Group described it as “one that creates an environment which maximizes
the effectiveness of the building’s occupants, while at the same time
enabling efficient management of resources with minimum life-time costs
of hardware and facilities”.
“Intelligent Building is multidisciplinary effort to integrate and optimize
the building structures, systems, services and management in order to
create a productive, cost effective and environmentally approved
environment for the building occupants”
“Intelligent Building a building that integrates technology and process to
create a facility that is safer, more comfortable and productive for its
occupants, and more operationally efficient for its owners. Advanced
technology-combined with improved processes for design, construction
and operation-provide a superior indoor environment that improves
occupant comfort and productivity while reducing energy consumption
and operations staffing”
The Intelligent Building Institute defines an intelligent building as: ““…. Abiodun Iwayemi,
one that provides a productive and cost-effective environment through Wanggen Wan and Chi
optimization of its four basic elements – structure, systems, services and Zhou . Energy
management – and the interrelationships between them. Intelligent Management for
buildings help building owners, property managers and occupants realise Intelligent Buildings
their goals in the area of cost, energy management, comfort, convenience,
safety, long term flexibility and marketability”
“Intelligence in the built environment pertains to the vision of Ambient
Intelligence and ubiquitous computing. Computer scientists and engineers
that are concerned with this vision aspire to create so-called Intelligent
Environment. These environments are able to proactively respond to the
needs and activities of people be means of adaptive systems, ubiquitous
computing and user-friendly interfaces”

Table 2. Second level of Intelligent Building criteria.

Raised Floor Fire Fighting Daylighting Training
False Ceiling Electrical Services Indoor touring Shared meeting and
guidance conference services

Curtain wall Plumbing and drainage Public address Restaurants

HVAC Maintenance management PABX Entertainment areas
Roof and floor Property management Office automation Building directory
loading Asset and facilities auditing Parking and public Interior design
Floor height Transportation

Rise space Security control Voice mail After hour Emergency escape High
Fixture and Indoor air quality operation speed data communication
furnishing

Vertical Cleaning Energy saving and Satellite conferencing

transportation conservation

Building Artificial lighting Trend logging and Internet gateway

automation Structural monitoring analysis Gas supply
Fire detection Domestic hot water
supply

Based on the Eight Quality Environmental Modules (QEM) in 1999 by Architect/Albert T.P. So and
professor Wong, (Fig. 5) showed the fundamental level or main factors of definition of Intelligent
Buildings from an architectural point of view, which are Building Management System (BMS), Building
Automation System (BAS), Sensors, Smart Materials, Intelligent Skin or Interactive Facades, and
Passive Design Techniques. This level of understanding and criteria selection will support the main
challenge and objective facing the project team to reach the most efficient management of energy
supplies through rational use of present resources and finding ways to optimize energy consumption
while maintaining high level of living standards.
On the secondary level of definition, most of the main factors were divided into two or more
subdivisions to expand the scope of architectural techniques to support the main objective that is
optimizing energy consumption through secondary level, which is showed in Fig. 6. Interactive facades,
Intelligent skins, BAS, BMS, Environmental Sensor, Interaction Sensor, Interactive Materials, Intensive
Properties, Indoor Environmental Control, Environmental Techniques, Solar Cells, Wind
Turbines, Geothermal and all the criteria mentioned before fall in the secondary level of Intelligent
Building Evaluation Criteria.

The third level of evaluation criteria selection is found in the Core Level, which contains 64 parameters.
This level ensures that the fundamental level and secondary level are working coherently to reach the
final target of intelligent building design which is decreasing energy consumption while producing clean
energy and reducing the CO2 emission showed in Fig. 7. This paper seeks to evoke progress in the state-
of-art knowledge on what an Intelligent Building is, what it can do such as giving its users the most
efficient environment, while utilizing and managing resources resourcefully and minimizing the life cost
of hardware and facilities.
Fig. 7. Merging Several Criteria from several point of view in one diagram