NFPA report reviews risks associated with smart buildings

New building technologies are always developed with their potential benefits in mind, whether it be cost savings, greater efficiency or some other type of operational improvement. Smart sensors embedded into smoke detectors enhance detection accuracy, monitoring software allows for real-time emergency response from remote locations and interoperability features allow various building solutions to “talk” to one another, creating a holistic view of how facilities operate and how they can operate better.

But for all these pros, there are cons as well. According to a report conducted by the Fire Protection Research Foundation and sponsored by the American Society for Health Care Engineering, increased connectivity presents vulnerabilities that must be assessed so that proper mitigation strategies can be developed and implemented.

The report, “Review of Smart Features of Building Systems Impacting Fire, Electrical and Life Safety,” provides a landscape analysis of smart and connected building systems, with insights gathered through examination of literature reviews and stakeholder mapping exercises and workshops. The report identifies a broad ecosystem of stakeholders, including building owners, fire safety professionals, engineers, technology providers, cybersecurity experts, regulatory bodies, insurers, occupants, emergency responders and urban planners.

The report also identified knowledge gaps for certain technologies, like digital twins, that require further research so that they can be better understood and planned for in development of future codes and standards. Other challenges identified in the report include artificial intelligence, cybersecurity risks, interoperability challenges and regulatory gaps.

Despite the challenges that new technologies may present, the report acknowledges that the evolution of smart building solutions has still been a net good for society and can be even better as stakeholders work to fully understand the risks of new technologies and devise solutions to manage those risks.

The report proposes a phased research roadmap addressing:

• Short-term research areas. Cybersecurity protocols, interoperability frameworks, AI validation and awareness campaigns for standards compliance.

• Medium-term research areas. Predictive maintenance models, occupant tracking systems, autonomous emergency systems, and privacy frameworks.

• Long-term research areas. Unified digital twin ecosystems, AI governance, dynamic evacuation compliance, and fully integrated emergency management platforms.

Read the report to learn more about the Fire Protection Research Foundation’s work.