Research Programme

Talking Buildings: Adaptive Sensing Infrastructure

(2021-2025)

Semantic Interoperability Conversational AI Building Ontologies NLP Smart Buildings

Internet of Things (IoT) Infrastructure / Systems (IS) Human Computer Interaction (HCI) Sustainability (SU)

Modern smart buildings are equipped with IoT sensors to facilitate efficient and effective maintenance. These sensors can measure structural health, occupant behaviours, and occupant health. However, existing commercial Building Management Systems often lack the flexibility to handle heterogeneous sensor deployments and provide accessible interfaces for non-expert users. This project addresses these gaps by developing adaptive sensing infrastructure that enables buildings to communicate their operational status through conversational AI. The research focuses on creating semantic interoperability layers and natural language interfaces that allow facility managers, occupants, and researchers to query building performance data without requiring technical expertise. Key objectives include building a semantic interoperability layer that extends existing building ontologies to handle IoT sensor heterogeneity across different manufacturers and protocols. The project also develops adaptable analytics that handle variations in sensor accuracy, reliability, and sampling rates across diverse building environments.

A conversational AI chatbot enables natural language dialogue about building performance metrics and conditions. This is supported by a comprehensive literature review connecting useful insights to required data types in built environments, ensuring the system asks the right questions and surfaces the most relevant information for each query.

The chatbot allows non-expert users to query building data without understanding the underlying sensor infrastructure. The project is conducted in collaboration with the Building Research Establishment and contributes to the broader vision of making smart building data accessible to all stakeholders, from facility managers to everyday occupants.