This paper proposes and implements a smart architecture for Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS) that enables interoperability among devices from different manufacturers. This is achieved through the use of standardized elements and the design of an innovative middleware. The system comprises a control unit that communicates with smart outlets using the Wireless Smart Ubiquitous Network (WI-SUN) Home Area Network (HAN) specification, while smart metering is achieved using the WI-SUN Field Area Network (FAN) specification. To manage important data, a web platform and mobile app were created. Additionally, machine learning techniques are utilized to identify energy consumption of individual appliances when only the aggregate energy consumption of the house is available. The architecture presented here supports real-time control of energy use and generation through HEMS, and new devices can be added transparently. Finally, a comparison of the proposed system with similar systems in literature highlights its many advantages in terms of functionality.

A middleware software can be seem as an abstraction layer between hardware and user applications, that facilitates the development and deployment of services in various scenarios, such as those found in Home Energy Management Systems (HEMS). There are several middleware proposals for HEMS, with most of them taking the cloud computing approach. This approach is unconcerned about computing resources but raises a dependency on external connections. This paper presents a middleware for energy management systems, based on the concept of edge computing for smart homes. The paper presents a reference model for the proposed architecture, considering specific requirements for this type of application. The proposed architecture employs the concept of microservices for data access and system configuration. The proposed middleware is designed to work with embedded systems under computational constraints, such as processing capability and storage, to reduce costs and allow its application closer to the user. The middleware is open and customizable to meet the developer’s needs. The proposed solution was implemented and tested in a university laboratory, as well as at the Eldorado Research Institute to confirm the effectiveness of the middleware. The proposal stands out from others found in the literature as it can be implemented using low cost hardware. In addition to using microservices concepts, the proposed middleware is a valuable option for applications that need an edge computing approach. A performance analysis was carried out, using low cost hardware with limited resources. The results show that the proposal can handle a significant number of devices, offering low latency and low error rate, and consuming few processing resources and memory.

This paper investigates the integration of Internet of things (IoT) technology with blockchain to enhance transparency, accountability, and operational efficiency in smart contract execution for IoT ecosystems. The proposed approach extends the Three-Phase Methodology (TpM) by introducing an innovative entity, the IoT Operator, which acts as a custody caretaker, contract enforcer, and mediator. By leveraging blockchain’s secure and immutable ledger, the IoT Operator ensures the reliable monitoring and governance of IoT applications. A PoC implementation conducted at the Eldorado Research Institute demonstrates the methodology’s effectiveness, realizing a significant reduction of 95.83% in equipment search time. This work highlights the practical advantages of integrating blockchain and IoT within a structured framework, emphasizing the need for tailored, application-specific solutions rather than generic decentralization. The findings offer actionable guidelines for implementing blockchain in IoT systems, paving the way for more secure, efficient, and resilient IoT applications.