Sports facility · Dynamic building envelope
Dynamic building envelope in sports facility: 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
- 1Sports facilities and swimming pools have a dynamic building envelope that controls solar shading and windows automatically.
- 2This domain counts for 1 of the 3 weighting factors within the Smart Readiness Indicator for sports facilities.
- 3The three services cover solar shading, window opening combined with heating or cooling, and reporting on the performance of these systems.
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 6 percentage points (from 33 to 39 percent, with all other domains at level 1).
What is a dynamic building envelope at a sports facility?
A dynamic building envelope responds automatically to light, heat and air. Solar shading closes during bright sun and opens to capture free heat in winter. Windows open automatically for night cooling, without manual intervention.
At sports halls and swimming pools, this domain is less dominant than at office buildings. It counts for 1 of the 3 weighting factors within the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) for this building type. Yet automated control delivers savings, especially with large glazed areas in sports halls.
Which smart-ready services fall under this domain?
The methodology distinguishes three services for this domain at sports facilities. Each service has functionality levels from 0 to 4, where a higher level means more automation and control.
- DE-1, solar shading control for windows: from no or manual shading to predictive control based on weather forecasts.
- DE-2, window opening and closing control combined with the heating or cooling system: from manual operation to centralised control of moveable windows for natural night cooling.
- DE-4, reporting on the performance of building envelope systems: from no reporting to real-time and historical sensor data on wind, lux and temperature.
At swimming pools, humidity control plays a larger role than at sports halls. Well-functioning window and solar shading control helps limit overheating of glazed areas.
Why does this domain weigh less heavily?
At sports facilities, hot water, dehumidification and ventilation account for the largest part of energy consumption. Therefore the building automation and control system (BACS) domain for heating and ventilation weighs more heavily than the building envelope.
This does not mean this domain is unimportant. A score on DE-1, DE-2 and DE-4 shows whether a building is also prepared for automated control in this area, alongside the larger installations.
What this means for you
- Owner
- As owner of a sports hall or swimming pool, you can check whether solar shading and windows are already motorised and sensor-controlled, especially with large glazed areas in sports halls. This raises the functionality level of this domain and can contribute to a higher class within the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI), although participation is voluntary.
- Tenant
- As a user of a sports facility, you will notice mainly less intense sun glare and a more stable indoor climate during training or competitions. Automatic night cooling via windows can also provide a fresher hall at the start of the morning.
- Advisor
- When assessing, look for the presence of sensor-controlled solar shading and coordinated window opening, as this is often lacking in older municipal sports buildings. Take into account that this domain forms only 1 of the 3 weighting factors, so its impact on the overall score remains limited compared with heating and ventilation.
Next step
Want to know where your building stands?