Retail and supermarket · Dynamic building envelope
Dynamic building envelope in retail and supermarket: 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 Dynamic Building Envelope domain scores within the Smart Readiness Indicator for retail stores and supermarkets.
- 2This domain accounts for 1 of 3 points, less than lighting and cooling, but sun shading and ventilation do save energy.
- 3The services cover automatic sun shading, window control linked to heating or cooling, and reporting on building envelope performance.
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) | at least level 1 |
| 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...) | at least level 1 |
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 7 percentage points (from 32 to 39 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
What is the dynamic building envelope in a retail store?
The building envelope is the combination of walls, windows and sun shading that separates a building from the outside air. This envelope is dynamic when its components automatically respond to light, temperature or weather. Think of sun shading that closes itself in bright sunlight, or windows that open automatically at night to cool the building.
For retail stores and supermarkets, this domain is less decisive than lighting or cooling. Nevertheless, it counts toward the Smart Readiness Indicator, a score that shows how well a building works with smart technology.
Which smart-ready services belong to this domain?
Within the building envelope, three smart-ready services are assessed. A smart-ready service is a specific smart function that a building management system can perform.
- DE-1 Sun shading control: from no sun shading (level 0) to predictive operation based on weather forecasts (level 4).
- DE-2 Window open/close control: from manual operation (level 0) to centralized control of windows for night cooling (level 3).
- DE-4 Building envelope reporting: from no reporting (level 0) to real-time and historical sensor data on wind, light and temperature (level 4).
Each level indicates how comprehensive and automated a function is. A higher level means more control without manual intervention.
Why does this domain count for less?
In retail stores, fixed opening hours and extensive lighting determine the largest share of energy consumption. Supermarkets also have refrigerated display cases that use significant electricity and produce residual heat.
Sun shading and window control do contribute to comfort and energy savings, but have less impact than lighting and cooling. This is why this domain counts for 1 of 3 points in the overall weighting factor for this building type.
Does the obligation already apply here?
For larger retail premises with an installation above 290 kW, building automation has been mandatory since late 2024, separate from the Smart Readiness Indicator itself. The indicator itself is a voluntary tool.
By 30 June 2027 at the latest, the European Commission must determine whether the Smart Readiness Indicator becomes mandatory for non-residential buildings above that power threshold. Retail stores may fall under this, depending on their installation capacity.
What this means for you
- Owner
- An owner of a retail store or supermarket can achieve a higher level in this domain with limited investment in automatic sun shading or window control, even though the benefit is smaller than with lighting or cooling. This is especially relevant if the building exceeds 290 kW of installation capacity, since building automation is already mandatory at that threshold.
- Tenant
- A tenant will mainly notice a difference in comfort: less intense sunlight indoors with automatic sun shading, and more stable temperatures without manually opening or closing windows. These improvements have little effect on the energy bill compared with lighting and cooling.
- Advisor
- For this domain, an advisor should mainly check whether sun shading and windows are actually connected to sensors or to the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system, not merely motorized. Because this domain accounts for only 1 of 3 points for this building type, it is worthwhile to focus more attention on lighting and cooling in the overall score.
Next step
Want to know where your building stands?