Smart Buildings meet the Metaverse: A Prototype for Predictive and Ecologically Intelligent Management

The article introduces an innovative software platform designed to manage and oversee urban and industrial smart systems by leveraging digital twin technologies combined with immersive metaverse environments. This approach aims to foster environmentally sustainable urban infrastructure by providing a way to track, simulate, and optimize building performance through predictive analytics and interactive dashboards. The platform is modular and interoperable, allowing it to adapt to various smart building scenarios and requirements. A practical demonstration of the system is given through a multi-residential site management case study. This prototype is developed and tested using both simulated and real-world datasets, enabling real-time computations and visualizations of key performance indicators (KPIs). These KPIs cover a broad spectrum including energy efficiency, preventive maintenance, user experience in design, and economic performance metrics. Such comprehensive monitoring helps in advancing operational efficiency and supports clearer decision-making processes, potentially leading to long-term cost savings. The article emphasizes several specific KPIs such as energy usage intensity, return on investment, and user satisfaction. These indicators are critical for assessing how the technology setup can improve building management outcomes. While challenges remain, such as integrating with existing hardware, ensuring interoperability with current systems, and managing economic costs, early empirical tests suggest that these hurdles are surmountable. The platform especially appears suitable for small to medium-sized players looking for scalable and cost-effective smart solutions. Although the evaluation has so far been conducted mainly with simulated data, the platform is poised for pilot testing in real-world settings. This step aims to validate the system’s capabilities in live environments and to further refine its functionalities. The vision for what the authors call the Smart Infrastructure Metaverse is one where digital governance is transformed through a combination of advanced technology, sustainability principles, and inclusivity of all stakeholders involved. This emerging digital ecosystem promises to bring about smart, participatory urban living that capitalizes on immersive technology's next-generation potential. In essence, this prototype represents a forward-thinking convergence of smart building management and metaverse technologies. By harnessing digital twins and IoT, the platform offers a dynamic, interactive interface for managing urban infrastructures responsibly and efficiently. The work not only pushes the envelope in terms of technological innovation but also stresses the importance of ecological intelligence and sustainability, paving the way for more resilient and adaptable cities in the future.