Zhou, N; Chang-Richards, A; Wang, K I K and Dirks, K N (2022) Prototyping an IoT-based system for monitoring building indoor environment. Journal of Engineering, Design and Technology, 20(4), pp. 965-992. ISSN 1726-0531
Abstract
Purpose: This study aims to develop an architectural prototype of a Cyber-Physical System (CPS), as well as lay a technological foundation for future smart housing with improved health and well-being outcomes for its occupants. Design/methodology/approach: This study deploys smart sensors to monitor the key environmental parameters of a house. Using Internet of Things technology, a prototype of a CPS has been developed for capturing the environmental conditions over time. A case study involving a property in New Zealand was undertaken to validate the prototype. Findings: The study proposes a monitoring platform, enabled by the CPS and smart sensing devices, that collects, shares, stores, analyses and visualises indoor environment data. The reliability and accuracy of the monitoring system were enhanced by comparing the activity of house occupants with sensor data. Research limitations/implications: Due to limited time, the prototype was tested in one house for a period of one month. Air quality was not considered in this study. However, the work suggests that such an approach provides an effective solution for government organisations and housing agencies to collect information for the purpose of assessing building thermal performance. Originality/value: This research proposes a new lens consisting of a home environment monitoring application with health and well-being implications. It could also be used to inform the future design of healthy homes and buildings, both in New Zealand and internationally.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | cyber-physical system; health and well-being; indoor environment; New Zealand; smart housing; wireless sensor network |
| Index terms: | thermal performance, methodology, prototyping, housing, environmental conditions, agency, smart housing, wireless sensor network, sensor data, accuracy, health and wellbeing, prototype, monitoring, air quality, internet, platform, case study, New Zealand, indoor environment |
| Subjects: | data collection methods, construction type, mental health and wellbeing, climate science, control systems, computing systems, research products and data, modelling and simulation, innovation and technology management, energy systems, environmental science, research methods, computer vision, Geography, professional development, digital design, sociology |
| Topics: | Digital Applications, Site Management, Geographical Context, Research Practice, Engineering Principles, Information Management, Health and Safety, Construction Technology, Sustainability |
| Descriptive scope: | 4 PCTE |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here