Software architecture challenges in building automation

In the last decade intensive efforts to develop systems that control buildings has brought several standard approaches. However, recent technological advances have yielded numerous ubiquitous devices that can sense, act and re-act in a pervasive way. Current building automation standards have difficulties in following these technological trends that require dynamic and open structures, ad hoc behavior, self-organization and adaptability. The paper summarizes present software architectures, discusses their difficulties and indicates new challenges in the area of building automation.