The construction industry is embracing advanced digital technologies, such as the Internet of Things and automation systems, to enhance energy management and occupant comfort in smart buildings. Recognizing the need to assess the readiness of buildings to support energy-efficient and adaptive functionalities, the European Commission introduced the smart readiness indicator (SRI) in 2018. While the SRI provides a standardized framework, its adoption, limitations, and potential to drive the evolution of smart buildings remain underexplored. This study addresses these gaps through a systematic literature review, incorporating bibliometric and qualitative analyses to evaluate the state of research on the SRI. The bibliometric analysis reveals that research on smart readiness is growing rapidly, with a strong focus on energy efficiency and smart buildings. This literature primarily evaluates and promotes the adoption of the SRI within buildings, aligning with the need to explore the paths for the evolution of smart buildings. The qualitative review summarizes six understudied research topic required to drive the evolution of smart buildings in the literature: The applicability of the SRI to different contexts, including various building types and climatic conditions; the subjectivity in the framework; the alignment with other certificates and standards; the SRI as a tool for smart retrofit; expansion to the neighborhood and district levels; and the score correlation with energy performance. The findings show that, although the SRI was originally introduced for buildings, it has much wider applicability, at the more detailed building component level as well as at the broader neighborhood and district levels. Future research could focus on the role of the SRI in evaluating smart readiness at the neighborhood scale and determining the minimum acceptable SRI score.

The reduction of environmental impact in buildings and the enhancement of environmental performance in the built environment are the key objectives of sustainable development. To achieve this, the adoption of green buildings requires a comprehensive construction approach that focuses on delivering environmentally friendly solutions throughout the entire construction process. This research aims to bridge the gap between theoretical concepts and the practical realities of construction in Iran. It proposes essential criteria and assigns weights to them for creating green buildings based on the opinions of experts from different backgrounds. To understand how buildings are influenced by the environment, society and economics, relevant factors were identified using library research. Web-based surveys involving experts, including architects, engineers, and environmental specialists, were conducted to gather insights into these criteria. A total of 14 criteria were accepted and categorized into economic, environmental, and social dimensions. The Analytic Network Process (ANP) methodology was employed to assess the opinions of 45 expert participants, as provided in the questionnaire. The findings indicate that, among sustainability features, the environmental factor holds the highest significance in Iran, while the social factor is considered the least important. Looking at the sub-criteria, reducing water consumption, financial incentives, and achieving energy efficiency at a reasonable cost are given the highest priority within the environmental, economic, and social aspects of green buildings.

Buildings account for substantial energy consumption and carbon emissions globally. While sustainability certifications, such as LEED Platinum, are widely recognized, they often overlook the potential of smart technologies to further enhance building performance and reduce life cycle emissions. This study uses the Smart Readiness Indicator (SRI) framework to evaluate and compare smartness capabilities in three LEED Platinum-certified buildings: the David Brower Center, Sello Shopping Center, and Tripla Shopping Center. Each building was analyzed for its integration of smart technologies, with SRI scores revealing a wide variation in smart readiness despite similar sustainability credentials. The Sello Center achieved a high SRI score due to its advanced demand-responsive automation, grid interaction via battery storage, and renewable energy integration. At the same time, the David Brower Center and Tripla exhibited lower SRI scores, primarily due to limited automation and adaptability features. These findings highlight the importance of further developing prominent sustainability certifications according to net zero emission requirements or incorporating both sustainability and smart-readiness certifications to maximize operational efficiency, energy flexibility, and occupant comfort. The SRI framework emerges as a critical tool for identifying gaps and guiding the adoption of intelligent systems that complement environmental sustainability, thus paving the way for more resilient, adaptive, and high-performing buildings.