Software Platforms for Smart Building Ecosystems: Understanding the Key Architectural Capabilities and Trade-offs (CMU-ISR-13-104)

This report examined the technical aspects of a future ecosystem-ready software platform for the smart building domain. We analyzed the type of contributors that may exist in a smart building ecosystem, the quality attributes that those roles are concerned with, and the key functional attributes that the software platforms of future smart buildings should provide in order to make smart building ecosystems successful. Combining analyses of interviews, use-cases, and architectural scenarios, we identified a collection of key functional capabilities and several architectural trade-offs that need to be evaluated and carefully considered.