Occupant behavior and business processes in a building environment constitute an inseparable set of important factors that drives energy consumption. Existing methodologies for building energy management lag behind in addressing these core parameters by focusing explicitly on the building’s structural components. Additional layers of information regarding indoor and outdoor environmental conditions and occupant behavior patterns, mostly driven by everyday business processes (schedules, loads, and specific business activities related to occupancy patterns and building operations), are necessary for the effective and efficient modeling of building energy performance in order to establish a holistic energy efficiency management framework. The aim of this paper was to develop a context-driven framework in which multiple levels of information regarding occupant behavior patterns resulting from everyday business processes were incorporated for efficient energy management in buildings. A preliminary framework evaluation was performed in a multifaceted university building involving a number of spaces, employees, business processes, and data from sensors and metering devices. The results derived by linking operational aspects and environmental conditions (temperature, humidity, and luminance) to occupant behavior underlying business processes and organizational structures indicated the potential energy savings: a max of 7.08% for Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), 19.46% for lighting and a maximum of 6.34% saving related to office appliances.

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Dependable systems pose particular challenges to system developers who try to implement agile approaches to tackle the problem of requirements scope creep. However, legislation compliance, safety case development, and other strong contextual influences may be seen to inhibit the implementation of any approaches other than the traditional linear life cycles, even though agility may be able to improve the development process in parts. This article discusses key success factors when integrating agile with structured systems development life cycle approaches. The authors adopt an empirical approach and analyse a historical case study of a personal rapid transit (PRT) system, reflecting on key factors and relating those to the relevant literature. Based on these experiences, a model for the integration of agile with structured systems lifecycle models in dependable systems is developed. This model addresses the challenge of integrating multiple lifecycles of potentially conflicting objectives within a single programme.

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The aim of this research paper is to identify and minimize the gap in energy performance of buildings, taking into consideration not only the qualitative assessment theoretically calculated according to design-phase assumptions about the operation of the building, but also its actual operation that involves occupancy effects. A smart energy management system is developed, focusing on the human factor and the individual operational procedures that are carried out and affect the energy efficiency of buildings. A dynamic approach based on the continuous monitoring of energy performance indicators for buildings is under development, considering all significant loads and creating a dynamic correlation between energy efficiency and the different ecosystem's elements (sites/offices, groups, and processes). The proposed system applies to facilities in the Department of Civil Engineering at University of Patras, and the results are positive towards reducing energy consumption.