Title: Business model innovation for the energy management of building networks in smart cities

Authors: Carlo Amendola; Marco Savastano

Addresses: Management Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano, 9 – 00161, Rome, Italy ' Management Department, Sapienza University of Rome, Via del Castro Laurenziano, 9 – 00161, Rome, Italy

Abstract: In recent years, buildings have been equipped with building and automation control systems (BACS) that provide a reliable active energy efficiency measure for reducing energy consumption. Given the need for both evidence and practical applications in this field, this study presents some detailed scenario analyses for evaluating the economic convenience of BACS interventions within a network of buildings, in a smart city context. To this end, a simulator was developed capable of modelling and quantifying the main technical-economic variables to examine potential impacts of several 'building network management' scenario types, according to different scales and application areas. The simulator was tested through the results obtained in the smart village project carried out by ENEA in Italy. Our findings allow to assess the convenience of an investment in automation, control and monitoring systems by varying the complexity of the installed automation network, to determine the optimal solution from a technical-economic point of view.

Keywords: smart cities; business model innovation; digital transformation; impact evaluation; energy efficiency; smart buildings; construction industry; sustainable innovation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEPDM.2019.110316

International Journal of Environmental Policy and Decision Making, 2019 Vol.2 No.4, pp.291 - 303

Received: 23 May 2019
Accepted: 03 Nov 2019
Published online: 14 Oct 2020 *