Editorial: Whither intelligent buildings?

*E-mail: Jennifer.veitch@nrc-cnrc.gc.ca Colloquially, among those in the building and design industries, the phrase ‘intelligent building’ seems to be most often defined as ‘buildings run by computers’. The presumption is that such buildings will necessarily be more energy efficient because automated systems can ensure that the various components work in harmony. This may occur, of course; but it remains an empirical question as to whether or not it does. In military circles, ‘intelligence’ means ‘information’; and this journal will certainly provide that. Among psychologists, there is ongoing debate concerning the nature of intelligence (Sternberg, 2005; Gardner, 2006). Theories about the nature of intelligent people may be applied to intelligent buildings by analogy; each such analogy has its strengths and weaknesses, the discussion of which is beyond the scope of this editorial. The commonalities are important, however; these definitions all relate individuals’ to their ability to achieve goals within a context that is constantly changing. The scope of this journal shows common cause with psychological definitions of intelligence: ‘Intelligent buildings are ones in which the building fabric, space, services and information systems can respond in an effective manner to the demands of the owner, the occupier and the environment.’ (http://www. earthscan.co.uk/Default.aspx?tabid=31232, accessed 2008-Nov-27). An intelligent building is one that embodies the intelligence of its creators and inhabitants together. The most intelligent building may be technologically simple or complex, but it must demonstrate