SMARTeeSTORY project report "Interactions strategies between users and smart buildings control systems", led by TU Delft, has been officially approved by the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA).
The report authored by Alessandra Luna-Navarro, Pedro de la Barra, Pablo Martinez Alcaraz delivers insights into how users interact with smart building systems. The report highlights that well-designed interaction strategies are essential not only for comfort and user satisfaction but also for energy efficiency. Yet technical guidance for these strategies is largely missing in current standards. Researchers at TU Delft have developed a taxonomy for interaction strategies, distinguishing two main approaches:
- Automated control via direct sensing, where sensors monitor indoor environmental quality and occupancy to optimise building systems. While the technology allows advanced user interfaces and integration into control loops, these capabilities are underutilised.
- Direct user control, enabling occupants to adjust lighting, heating, or cooling in real time, offering immediate personalisation.
Applied to the three SMARTeeSTORY demo sites (i.e., Granada, Delft, and Riga), the analysis
confirmed that direct user control dominates, while information-based strategies remain limited. Questionnaires and experiments reveal that users particularly value control over heating, lighting, and cooling, prefer screen-based dashboards, and benefit from grouped controls.
The report also draws on scientific literature and technical standards, confirming that user
satisfaction depends on:
• Meeting expectations and providing the right balance between automation and personal
control
• Enabling two-way information flow between users and buildings
• Addressing privacy and trust concerns
Most importantly, the report highlights the importance of personalised user archetypes to capture individual interaction preferences. This concept was largely presented during the April 2025 training led by TU Delft experts.
This report lays a scientific and technical foundation for smarter, user-centered buildings, bridging gaps in current standards and offering actionable recommendations to enhance comfort, satisfaction, and energy efficiency. The findings will inform the next phase of SMARTeeSTORY, where interaction-related archetypes will be further developed.
Read the full report.
