See discussions, stats, and author profiles for this publication at: https://www.researchgate.

net/publication/328955905

Smart Buildings Based On Internet Of Things: A Systematic Review

Article · November 2018

CITATION READS

1 2,906

1 author:

Ahmed Totonchi
International Islamic University Malaysia
3 PUBLICATIONS   2 CITATIONS   

SEE PROFILE

Some of the authors of this publication are also working on these related projects:

Smart Mosque View project

All content following this page was uploaded by Ahmed Totonchi on 15 November 2018.

The user has requested enhancement of the downloaded file.

 Smart Buildings Based On Internet Of Things: A
Systematic Review
Ahmed Talaat TOTONCHI
G1719697
department of Information and Communication Technology
International Islamic University Malaysia,
Kuala Lumpur , Malaysia


Abstract:There is an increasing interest in the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled smart buildings. The main
question is: what are the key challenges, which must be addressed to effectively manage and analyze the big
data for IoT enabled smart buildings. There is a need for the systematic literature review to understand the
challenges and the solutions to overcome such challenges. Using the SLR approach, 30 relevant studies were
identified and reviewed in this paper. The data from these selected studies were extracted to identify the
challenges and relevant solutions.

Keywords: Internet of Things (IoT), big data,smart buildings

1. INTRODUCTION enabled smart building big data can be extracted,

filtered, analyzed and used for smart building
An increasing number of things are being
analytics [6]. For instance, big data analytics
connected to the Internet at an exponential rate
could be used to analyze and improve the energy
resulting in the enrichment of the digital world
efficiency and overall user experience of the
[1]. There are a number of different domains in
residents of the building [7]. It is clear that there
which Internet of Things (IoT) is facilitating and
is a growing interest in smart buildings and big
improving human life and work efficiency [2].
data management and analytics. However, there
There is an increasing interest in using IoT
is a dire need to identify the challenges as well as
devices for making buildings more smart and
the solutions to overcome those challenges in this
efficient [3]. For instance, a significant amount of
domain. Our current research is focused on
energy is being consumed by buildings. The need
developing such framework using a model driven
for energy efficiency in buildings is critical, and
architecture and design research approach [8, 9].
one of the objectives of a “smart building” is to
However, before developing such framework, we
monitor, reduce and manage building energy
consumption without compromising the occupant need to clearly identify the existing
comfort and operational efficiency [4]. Within challenges in this area. Thus, this paper
buildings, Heating, Ventilation and Air presents the systematic literature review
Conditioning (HVAC) systems contribute to (SLR), which is a first step in design
significant energy consumption [5]. Further, research. This will help us to clearly
energy is also consumed by lighting and plug articulate and understand the underpinning
loads. Hence, smart buildings can employ stakeholders concerns or challenges in this
different types of IoT sensors in HVAC and other important area of research. Hence, this will
mechanical systems which make these systems set a foundation for further research and
more intelligent and adaptive. A huge amount of
development of the proposed framework.
data (big data) is generated from the embedded
IoT sensors and their associated controllers
Hence, the focus of this paper is on the
mounted within the smart buildings. This IoT following main research question.
 opportunity and challenge for the world of
2.RESEARCH BACKGROUND: Internet. A major part of these IoT devices are
installed inside buildings [9]; hence, leading
2.1Internet of Things: us to the concept of smart buildings. In smart
buildings various electronic devices and
During the last 10 years, a number of appliances are interconnected and are
technological development and research communicating with each other. In such a
efforts have been made in the IoT domain system where a large number of devices are
targeting smart buildings concepts [10]. The communicating with each other, a huge
primary and most important one is the amount of data (called big data) is generated.
extraordinary growth of smart objects and It is anticipated that big data management and
smart devices that can take part in an IoT analytics will play an important role to
ecosystem [1]. According to reports by enhance the IoT-enabled smart buildings. The
Ericsson [11], the number of interconnected basic features and capabilities of smart
objects will grow over 50 billion by 2020. On buildings are discussed in the following
top of this, it is expected that number of sections.
connected wearable devices and all other
kinds of smart devices that have inherent 2.2. IoT enabled Smart Buildings
sensing and data processing capabilities will
reach trillions in number [10]. Smart buildings integrate and account
There are a number of domains in which information from different embedded devices
IoT is enabling human life and work in a or sources for intelligence, control, materials
noteworthy way, including automation, and construction as an entire building system.
transportation, health-care and disaster This is to enhance adaptability with a view to
management. IoT enables an object to listen, meet the value drivers of the smart building:
hear, see and communicate at the same time energy and efficiency, longevity, and comfort
[1]. IoT thus transforms the devices from and satisfaction [16]. Smart buildings provide
being smart by incorporating its pervasive safe, productive and comfortable environment
and ubiquitous computing, communication to its occupants without compromising on
technologies, embedded devices and many operational and energy performance. A smart
other applications to influence and building will have different infrastructural
revolutionize human life [2]. Looking into components that maintain the occupant
the future, the Internet will no longer be comfort level. Some of them include high
considered a network of computers. Instead it efficiency HVAC systems, smart metering
will consist billions of smart objects along (electricity, gas, water), occupancy
with embedded devices. As a result of this, monitoring systems, and even hybrid vehicle
the application of Internet of Things (IoT) charging technology [17]. Global energy
will exponentially rise both in scope and size, consumption in buildings, including both
providing new opportunities as well as commercial and residential, has steadily risen
challenges [12].A number of countries have reaching figures between 20% and 40% in
developed long-term national strategies for developed countries [14], and has far
the implementation of IoT. For instance, exceeded the other major sectors:
broadband access in Japan is facilitating the transportation and industrial. Population
communication between people, things and growth, higher demand for comfort levels and
things, and people and things [13]. Similarly, building services, together with the increase
smart homes provide the ability to the in building occupancy time, mark an
residents to access smart devices remotely increasing trend in the energy demand. For
from anywhere across the globe[14].The this reason, energy policy at provincial,
above mentioned development initiatives national and international levels is important
formed the foundation of IoT [15]. It is as they determine the course that businesses
evident that IoT is going to be the next big and industries will take when it comes to
smart building design, construction, of big data analytics with it. As the concept of
operation and maintenance. When it comes to big data matured new tools were developed to
building operation, HVAC systems consume address the challenges associated with it. Now
more energy compared to any other building we have tools and technologies that we can
energy system [2]. As per Siemens Smart use to perform iterative analytics, stream
Buildings, the total HVAC consumption in a analytics as well as real time analytics.
building is 60% [3]. The solution to this
problem is the IoT enabled “Smart 3. Paper Organized:
Buildings” which utilizes data from various The paper is organized as: firstly,
sensors to keep the energy consumption to a introduction.Secondly,it provides the
minimum while optimizing the operational research background.Thirdly, it discusses the
efficiency. research method.Fourthly, Defined research
question.fifthly, it provides the review results.
2.3 Big Data Managment and Analytics sixthly ,it discusses the results and at the end
it concluded.
The term “big data” is difficult to
comprehend because it could mean different 4. Research Method
things to different people. Essentially, big
data refers to two major phenomena [18]:The To examine Smart Buildings Based On
extraordinary speed at which data is now Internet Of Things, I have conducted a
being generated.Enhancing the ability to systematic literature review following steps
store, process and analyze that data. listed in Kitchenham’s[34] work. I have
formulated the review protocol with aim to
In simple terms, big data can be define the research question/s, search
understood using 5 Vs of data: Volume, strategy, selection criteria, study quality
Velocity, Variety, Verabuildings and Value assessment, and data extraction strategy.
[19].Big data management refers to the
collection, organization, administration and 4.1. Defined research question
governance of huge volumes of both
structured and unstructured data [20]. For purpose of this research, I have defined
Traditional data and big data are quite the following main research question:
different in terms of structure and context What is known about the IoT enabled
when it comes to the data management. That smart buildings big data analytics and
is why the tools and platforms for the big data management challenges and solutions?
management are totally different from the
tools used for the traditional data
management. In this paper, we will be 4.2. Search strategy
focusing on the challenges of the big data
management and will then identify the We have used two keywords (Internet of
solutions for the big data management.Big things and smart buildings) to construct
data analytics refers to the extraction, search query: smart building AND “Internet
examining and processing of big data to gain of Things”. Next, we have chosen the
useful insights about the data[12] .The following scientific databases as relevant for
analytics process helps in uncovering the our topic: ACM (Association for Computing
facts and trends hidden inside the data. The Machinery), Science Direct, IEEE
emergence of big data brought the challenge
(Institute of Electrical and Electronics titles and abstracts on the before mentioned
Engineers),Scopus,Springerling,Taylor&fra sources to get the initial pool of relevant
ncis,Semantic Scholar,Worldwide Science. articles.
We have executed the search query on paper
 Figure 1 Number Of Papers

4.3. Selection criteria 5.OVERVIEW OF THE INCLUDED

Inclusion and exclusion criteria are listed PAPERS
in the Table 1 bellow. First, I have 5.1. Included papers
excluded all duplicate papers (first Executing specified search query on
iteration on Figure 1). Next, i evaluated selected scientific databases resulted in
all remaining papers by their titles and total of 778 papers. After the inclusion
abstracts, and removed the works not and exclusion criteria mentioned in the
related to smart buildings (second previous section of this work were
iteration). On the end, i have read the full- applied, a final number of 34 relevant
text of the remaining papers and exclude papers were obtained proposing IoT-
low-quality papers and works not based solutions for smart buildings.
focusing on IoT-based smart buildings
services (third iteration).

Inclusion criteria Exclusion criteria

Papers written in English Non-English written
papers
Publications in scientific Non-reviewed papers,
conferences or scientific editorials, presentations
journals
Works focused on smart Papers not related to
buildings services enabled by iot smart buildings services
enabled by IoT
Papers that propose IoT- Duplicated studies
based solution(s) for
smart buildings service(s)

Table 1 inclusion and exclusion criteria

5.2.Publications per years
5.3. Types of publications
Just a glance at the Figure 2 is enough to spot
the trend in publishing papers on smart Most of the relevant papers were presented at
buildings services enabled by IoT. Prior to scientific conferences (20 papers). Other 12
2010 research on this topic has been scarce, papers were published as journal articles, and
but starting from 2013 the number of papers two papers are book sections. While
is rapidly increasing. More than 70% of conference papers dominate in IEEE and
papers were published in 2015 and 2016. The ACM databases, SCOPUS and Science
reason for decline in 2017 is the fact that the Direct sources include more journal papers
review was conducted in January 2017. What related to a topic of our research as shown in
these data show is that this is relatively new Figure 3.
field of research, however, both smart
buildings and IoT are recent buzzwords, and
evidently they are increasingly gaining
interest among academic community.

Figure 2 Publications per years

Figure 3 Types of publications

 Cited by 0 1-9 10-19 ≥ 20

No. of papers 38 24 9 3

Table 2 PAPER CITATION CATEGORIES

Rank Citations Paper

1 40 Sanchez et al. [4]

2 24 Kyriazis et al. [5]
3 20 Ji et al. [6]
4 17 Somov et al. [7]
5 16 Rico et al. [8]
6 15 Cenedese et al. [9]
Attwood et al.
7 15 [10]
8 14 Qi et al. [11]
9 12 Zheng et al. [12]
10 12 Abari et al. [13]

Table 3 TOP 10 MOST CITED PAPERS

5.4. Citation Analysis a challenge in studies [27], [28], [29], [30],

[31], [32] and [33]. This challenge has also
Google Scholar’s citation report (see Table 2 been identified as a future research area in
and Table 3) shows that most of the cited studie [21]
papers have low number of citations, which
can be partially attributed to most papers
being recently published.

6. Challenges: 6.2 PREDICTING BUILDING

The identified major categories represent a OPERATIONS:
combination of big data management and
analytics challenges for smart buildings . Another challenge which is highlighted as a
future research work in [27] is predicting the
6.1 Energy efficiency: operations of the smart building by analyzing
the data gathered from the IoT sensors inside
One of the major challenges associated with the smart building. This helps in reducing the
the IoT enabled smart building is to improve energy cost and helps in pointing out any
the energy efficiency of the smart building. major failures that can cause failure in normal
Energy is scarce and is expensive, to operations of the building.
construct buildings that are more energy
efficient is a key challenge when it comes to
big data analytics. This has been identified as
6.3 PLUG AND PLAY IOT DEVICES: solutions for monitoring traffic, environment,
energy consumption, critical events and
One of the challenges which have been emergencies, and buildings infrastructure.
highlighted as a future research work in study IoT solutions, however, do not stop at sheer
[25] involves using the plug and play IoT monitoring the heartbeat of the buildings.
devices in smart devices. These devices can Rather, they process and analyze the data,
be swapped by other IoT devices and and proceed to intervene into concrete
different parameters can be obtained from situations. Good examples of IoT’s active
multiple locations using less number of participation can be found in reviewed
sensors. papers. Intelligent road lane management
systems, dynamic and adaptable traffic light
6.4 REAL TIME ANALYTICS OF systems, waste collection optimization
SMART CITY IOT SENSOR DATA: systems, dynamic street lighting, emergency
and evacuation systems are just some of these
For planning and improving the smart cities examples.In order to answer research
the data from various IoT sensors should be question we present Table 4 with a
analyzed in real time. Since smart cities have categorized IoT enabled smart buildings
lots of sensors including parking sensors, services. It is evident that the most fertile
water usage sensors, pollution sensors, traffic ground IoT has found in enhancing existing,
sensors and participatory sensors the solution and offering novel services in the category of
to improve the living conditions in a smart traffic, transport and parking. This comes as
city is to analyze the data in real time. This no surprise, since traffic is one of the most
has been proposed a solution in studies [22], important aspects of modern buildings. It
[23], [24], [25] and [26]. affects people’s time, productivity, health,
safety, as well as pollution and energy
consumption.and evacuation systems are just
7. Results and discussion some of these examples.In order to answer
research question we present Table 4 with a
After obtaining the list of relevant papers, the categorized IoT enabled smart buildings
papers were categorized by the smart services. It is evident that the most fertile
buildings services they proposed or ground IoT has found in enhancing existing,
described. The papers were not restricted to and offering novel services in the category of
only one smart buildings service, therefore, traffic, transport and parking. This comes as
some papers do appear in several categories. no surprise, since traffic is one of the most
Also, the boundaries between each category important aspects of modern buildings. It
were not strict, because one particular smart affects people’s time, productivity, health,
buildings service may span over more than safety, as well as pollution and energy
one category. In such cases we considered the consumption. ther categories also offer
intention of authors, and placed the service number of prominent smart buildings
into category which we recognized as services. For example, a number of solutions
dominant. We have recognized the following for monitoring environmental parameters
categories: (1) traffic and transport, (2) have been proposed, starting from those
environment monitoring, (3) accessibility & monitoring temperature and humidity, to
healthcare, (4) waste management, (5) public those focusing on measuring pollution levels.
lighting, (6) energy management, (7) Papers dealing with accessibility and
buildings infrastructure, and (8) other. IoT is healthcare prove that smart buildings are
the main enabler and driver of smart aware of the specific needs which elderly
buildings services. It delivers the means for people and people with disabilities have.
sensing the buildings and its inhabitants, and Waste generation is one of the top problems
collecting huge amounts of data about in the world, and is being addressed from
activities and events in the buildings. This is different fields and perspectives. IoT offers
witnessed by a large number of proposed its contribution in a form of smart buildings
services such as optimized waste collection. norm in a near future. Even more, new ideas
Public lighting is one of the largest for IoT application and smart services
infrastructural systems of the buildings, and emerge daily, and they will continue to
as such takes significant part in buildings’s influence our environment and our lives.
energy consumption. Therefore, it is only Some of the possible future works and
logical that optimization of lighting systems improvements in this area include:
has been in focus of number of papers. The Comparison of IoT enabled smart buildings
support for other forms of buildings services from the perspective of technology,
infrastructural elements have also been maturity, validity etc.
explored, such as water, heating, gas, Creating taxonomy of IoT enabled smart
electribuildings and irrigation systems. buildings services,
Simulation environments and testbeds,
Security has perhaps never been more Integration frameworks for IoT and related
important at global scale, and buildings, technologies,
where the people and goods are the most Interoperability between various kinds of
densely concentrated, are especially devices and middleware systems in the smart
vulnerable for various kinds of natural and buildings environment.
man-made threats. IoT, in a form of different
disaster management and surveillance
systems, offers help in predicting,
identifying, preventing and managing such
critical events.

8.Conclusion

The goal of this paper was to systematically

review IoT enabled services in smart
buildings. The conducted review showed that
this is relatively recent research area, and,
judging by the growing number of papers in
a last few years, it is currently in its hype
phase.
The results showed that indeed the IoT is the
key enabler and driver of different smart
buildings services. It enables both the
transformation of existing buildings services
into smart services, and the creation of novel
smart buildings services. In order to do that,
it collaborates and complements with other
modern technologies such as big data and
cloud computing.
The real application of IoT in smart buildings
services is still in its infancy phase, even in
the buildings which are leaders in this area.
However, the IoT potential has been
recognized, and it is not hard to imagine the
services reviewed in this paper to become
 Stream Mining & Processing (DSMP),
REFERENCES pp. 392-396, 2016.
[8] T. Dybå and T. Dingsøyr, “Empirical
studies of agile software development: A
[1] Cisco, “The Internet of Things How the systematic review,” Information and
Next Evolution of the Internet Is Software Technology, vol. 50, pp. 833-
Changing Everything,” ed, 2011. 859, 2008.
[2] M. R. Bashir, “Model Driven Big Data [9] A. Duffy and F. J. O’Donnel, “A Design
Analytics Framework for IoT enabled Research Approach,” in Proceedings of
smart buildings: A systematic literature the AID’98 Workshop on Research
review”, Intellisys 2017, in press. Methods, Lisbon, Portugal, pp. 20-27,
[3] M. M. Rathore, A. Ahmad, A. Paul, and 1998,.
S. Rho, “Urban planning and building [10] M. A. Uusitalo, “Global Vision for
smart cities based on the Internet of the Future Wireless World from the
Things using Big Data analytics,” WWRF,” IEEE Vehicular Technology
Computer Networks, vol. 101, pp. 63-80, Magazine, vol. 1, pp. 4-8, 2006.
2016. [11] Ericsson, “More than 50 Billion
[4] M. Jia, R. S. Srinivasan, and A. A. Connected Devices,” ed, 2011.
Raheem, “From occupancy to occupant [12] D. Zeng, S. Guo, and Z. Cheng,
behavior: An analytical survey of data “The Web of Things: A Survey,”
acquisition technologies, modeling Journal of Communications, vol. 6, pp.
methodologies and simulation coupling 424-38, 2011.
mechanisms for building energy [13] L. Srivastava, “Japan’s ubiquitous
efficiency,” Renewable and Sustainable
mobile information society,” info, vol. 6,
Energy Reviews, vol. 68, Part 1, pp. 525-
540, 2017. pp. 234-251, 2004.
[5] R. Fan, Y. Li, Y. Cao, W. Xie, Y. Tan, [14] United-Nations, “Summary for
and Y. Cai, “An optimization Decision-Makers,” in Building and
management strategy for energy Climate Change U. N. E. Programme,
efficiency of air conditioning loads in Ed., p. 62, 2009.
smart building,” in 2016 IEEE 16th [15] F. Xia, L. T. Yang, L. Wang, and A.
International Conference on Vinel, “Internet of Things,” International
Environment and Electrical Engineering Journal of Communication Systems, vol.
(EEEIC), pp. 1-5, 2016. 25, pp. 1101-1102, 2012.
[16] A. H. Buckman, M. Mayfield, and S.
[6] M. R. Bashir and A. Q. Gill, “Towards B. M. Beck, “What is a Smart Building?,”
Smart and Sustainable Built
an IoT Big Data Analytics Framework:
Environment, vol. 3, pp. 92-109, 2014.
Smart Building Systems,” IEEE Smart
[17] D. J. Mullassery. (2016, Sensors And
City 2016, 2016.
Analytics for Smart Buildings.
[7] V. Horban, “A multifaceted approach to
smart energy city concept through using
big data analytics,” in 2016 IEEE First
International Conference on Data
[18] U. Sivarajah, M. M. Kamal, Z. Irani, [24] C. Y. Lin, C. C. Li, W. H. Huang, W.
and V. Weerakkody, “Critical analysis of C. Liao, and W. M. Chen, “A Sensor Data
Big Data challenges and analytical Processing and Access Platform Based on
methods,” Journal of Business Research, Hadoop for Smart Environments,” 17th
vol. 70, pp. 263-286, 2017. International Conference on Network-Based
[19] A. McAfee, E. Brynjolfsson, T. H. Information Systems, pp. 455-460, 2014.
Davenport, D. Patil, and D. Barton, “Big
data,” The management revolution.
Harvard Bus Rev, vol. 90, pp. 61-67,
2012. [S25] J. Jin, J. Gubbi, S. Marusic, and M.
Palaniswami,“An Information Framework
[20] M. Rouse. (2013). Big Data
for Creating a Smart City Through
Management. Available:
Internet of Things,” IEEE Internet of Things
http://searchdatamanagement.techtarget. Journal, vol. 1, pp. 112-121, 2014.
com/definition/big-data-management

[26] M. J. Kaur and P. Maheshwari,

[21] J. L. Hernández-Ramos, M. V. Moreno, “Building smart cities applications using
J. B. Bernabé, D. G. Carrillo, and A. F. IoT and cloud-based architectures,”
Skarmeta, “SAFIR: Secure access International Conference on Industrial
framework for IoT-enabled services on Informatics and Computer Systems
smart buildings,” Journal of Computer and (CIICS), pp. 1-5, 2016.
System Sciences, vol. 81, pp. 1452- 1463,
2015.
[27] T. Weng and Y. Agarwal, “From
Buildings to Smart Buildings 2014; Sensing
[22] M. M. Rathore, A. Ahmad, A. Paul, and and Actuation to Improve Energy
S. Rho,“Urban planning and building smart Efficiency,” IEEE Design & Test of
cities based on the Internet of Things using Computers, vol. 29, pp.
Big Data analytics,” Computer Networks, 36-44, 2012.
vol.101, pp. 63-80, 2016.

[23] E. Theodoridis, G. Mylonas, and I. [28] M. V. Moreno, L. Dufour, A. F.

Chatzigiannakis,“Developing an IoT Skarmeta, A. J. Jara,
Smart City framework,”Fourth International D. Genoud, B. Ladevie, et al., “Big data: the
Conference on Information, Intelligence, key to energy efficiency in smart buildings,”
Systems and Applications (IISA), pp. 1-6, Soft Computing, vol. 20, pp.
2013. 1749-1762, 2016.
 [29] A. González-Vidal, V. Moreno-Cano, [32] A. Kavousian, R. Rajagopal, and M.
F. Terroso- Sáenz, and A. F. Skarmeta, Fischer, “Ranking appliance energy
“Towards Energy Efficiency Smart efficiency in households: Utilizing smart
Buildings Models Based on Intelligent meter data and energy efficiency frontiers to
Data Analytics,”Procedia Computer estimate and identify the determinants of
Science, vol. 83, pp. 994-999, 2016. appliance energy efficiency in residential
buildings,” Energy and Buildings, vol. 99,
pp. 220-230, 2015.
[30] J. -S. Chou and N.-T. Ngo, “Smart [33] M. Peña, F. Biscarri, J. I. Guerrero, I.
grid data analytics framework for increasing Monedero, and C. León, “Rule-based system
energy savings in residential buildings,” to detect energy efficiency anomalies in
Automation in Construction, vol 72, pp. 247- smart buildings, a data mining approach,”
257, 2016. Expert Systems with Applications, vol. 56,
[31] K. Zhou and S. Yang, pp. 242-255, 2016.
“Understanding household energy [34] B. Kitchenham, O. Pearl Brereton, D.
consumption behavior: The contribution of Budgen, M. Turner, J. Bailey, and S. Linkman,
energy big data analytics,” Renewable and “Systematic literature reviews in software
Sustainable Energy Reviews, vol. 56, pp. engineering – A systematic literature
810-819, 2016.
review,”Inf. Softw. Technol., vol. 51, no. 1,
pp. 7–15, Jan. 2009.

View publication stats