Care building · Dynamic building envelope
Dynamic building envelope in care building: what the SRI measures
The envelope is dynamic when shading and windows respond automatically: shading that closes in bright sun and opens for free heat in winter, and windows that open for night cooling. Reporting on performance is included.
In short
- 1This page shows how the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) assesses the dynamic building envelope domain in care buildings.
- 2Solar shading, windows and reporting carry significant weight, as this domain accounts for 2 of the 3 points for this building type.
- 3Automatic control helps maintain comfort and indoor air quality without staff having to intervene constantly.
Weight of this domain for this building type
Which services count
| Service | Lowest level | Highest level | Advice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window solar shading control DE-1 · A · 5 levels | No sun shading or only manual operation | Predictive blind control (e.g. based on weather forecast) | level 2 or higher |
| Window open/closed control, combined with HVAC system DE-2 · 4 levels | Manual operation or only fixed windows | Level 2 + Centralized coordination of operable windows, e.g. to control free natural night cooling | – |
| Reporting information regarding performance of dynamic building envelope systems DE-4 · A · 5 levels | No reporting | Position of each product, fault detection, predictive maintenance, real-time & historical sensor data (wind, lux, temperature...) | level 2 or higher |
Worked example
If everything in this domain is at level 0, the domain contributes nothing. At the highest level for all services, the indicative total score for this building type rises by about 6 percentage points (from 33 to 39 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
Why does this domain carry so much weight in a care building?
A nursing home or care facility operates continuously, including at night. Night setback, common in offices, is usually not possible in residential areas because occupants remain present.
For this reason, the building envelope, which is the exterior of the building with windows and solar shading, must maintain comfort in a different way. Automated solar shading and window control capture solar heat or cooling without requiring occupants to act. This explains why this domain weighs 2 of the 3 here.
What exactly does the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) measure?
The SRI examines three smart-ready services in this domain: concrete technical functions that determine the score. Each service has functionality levels from 0, no automation, to 4, the most advanced form.
The first service, DE-1, concerns solar shading control. Level 0 means manual operation only. Level 4 means the solar shading anticipates weather forecasts.
The second service, DE-2, regulates windows in combination with heating or cooling. Higher levels switch the climate system off once a window opens, and at the highest level coordinate night cooling throughout the building.
- DE-1: solar shading, from manual to predictive based on weather forecast
- DE-2: windows linked to heating or cooling, up to centralised night cooling
- DE-4: reporting on faults, position and sensor data from the building envelope
Why is reporting (DE-4) important for care?
Fault notification is not a minor matter in a care building. If solar shading or a window mechanism jams, the technical service must know quickly, without an occupant complaining about heat or draughts.
DE-4 assesses whether the system only reports the position of solar shading and windows, or also signals faults and enables predictive maintenance. At the highest level, historical sensor data such as wind, light and temperature are also recorded for analysis.
What does this mean in practice?
A care building with only manual solar shading and fixed windows scores levels 0 or 1 on these three services. This pulls down the score for the entire domain.
Automatic control based on sensors, combined with clear fault reporting, raises the score to higher classes. This directly translates to less manual work for care staff.
What this means for you
- Owner
- Invest in motorised and sensor-controlled solar shading and window operation, with fault detection that automatically notifies the technical service, as this domain carries significant weight in the overall SRI score of a care building. This prevents vulnerable occupants from depending on staff having to manually adjust blinds or windows.
- Tenant
- Occupants and care staff experience less heat stress in rooms and fewer draughts, because solar shading and windows adjust automatically to sun, wind and temperature. Faults are resolved faster, because the system sends a notification itself before anyone is affected.
- Advisor
- When assessing, verify that solar shading and window operation are actually linked to sensors and to the HVAC system, which is the heating, ventilation and cooling system, and not merely motorised without automatic control. Also check whether reporting goes beyond position information alone, as predictive maintenance and historical sensor data determine the difference between middle and highest classes.
Next step
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