The energy label tells you how efficient a building is on paper. But how smartly does a building actually use energy in practice? Does it adjust heating and lighting when nobody is there? Can it respond to the electricity grid? That is what the Smart Readiness Indicator is about.
What is the Smart Readiness Indicator?
The Smart Readiness Indicator, or SRI, is a European method for assessing how smart a building is. The SRI looks at three things:
- Control and energy efficiency: how well does the building control its systems?
- Users: how well does the building respond to the needs of the people who work there?
- The energy grid: can the building shift its consumption when needed, for example when the grid is busy?
The result is a score from 0 to 100 per cent, divided into seven classes. You can find a clear and independent explanation at smartreadinessindicator.org.
What is assessed?
The SRI looks at how smart nine parts of a building are:
- heating
- domestic hot water
- cooling
- ventilation
- lighting
- the dynamic building envelope, such as blinds that respond automatically
- electricity, such as solar panels and storage
- electric vehicle charging
- monitoring and control
The smarter these parts are controlled and the better they work together, the higher the score.
Will the SRI become mandatory?
In the Netherlands, the SRI has not yet been officially introduced. But that may change. The revised European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) of 2024 states that Europe will decide on making the SRI mandatory by 30 June 2027 at the latest. It is expected to start with larger non-residential buildings with systems of more than 290 kilowatts. These are the same buildings that already need a building automation system.
You can read the current status on the page Is the SRI mandatory?.
SRI and the energy label: what is the difference?
The energy label calculates how much energy a building needs. The SRI looks at how smartly the building uses that energy. Two buildings with the same energy label can therefore score very differently on the SRI. Read more in the comparison SRI and the energy label.
SRI and the IT-Label: two layers of the same building
The SRI and the IT-Label complement each other. The SRI looks at the smart functions: does the heating adjust to occupancy, does the building respond to the grid? The IT-Label looks at the digital foundation underneath: the connection, the cabling, the WiFi and the way building systems are connected to the network.
That foundation is not a side issue. Sensors, smart meters and a building management system constantly send data over the network. If that network is unreliable, or if the systems are not properly separated and secured, the smart functions do not work as intended. A high SRI score therefore requires a good digital foundation.
The SRI shows how smart a building is. The IT-Label shows whether the network underneath can support that smart behaviour.
Why it is worth it now
Even if the SRI is not yet mandatory for your building, smart control already pays off:
- Lower energy costs, because systems only run when needed.
- Fewer peaks on the grid. That matters more and more now that the grid is full in many places. Also read our blog on grid congestion and data congestion.
- A stronger story for tenants, investors and banks, who increasingly ask how future-proof a building is.
Get started
Want to know where your building stands?
- Calculate a first indication of the SRI score with the SRI calculator.
- Take our free sustainability scan. It shows how your building is doing on its digital foundation and on smart energy use.
- Schedule a pre-inspection. We will look at the smart systems and the network underneath together, and at the steps that deliver the most.
Read more about labels and certifications in sustainability labels compared and in the glossary entry for Smart Readiness Indicator.
Source for the SRI information: smartreadinessindicator.org.
