SmartLivingNEXT FAQs

What does the project office do?

The project office is the central point of contact for enquiries. At the office, we establish contact with the consortium management or respective specialist experts. Additionally, the project office manages operational contracts, documentation and appointment management for those involved in the pilot project and other SmartLivingNEXT projects. The Electrical Engineering Research Association at ZVEI e.V. operates the project office.

What is the difference between ForeSightNEXT and SmartLivingNEXT?

ForeSightNEXT is the pilot project within the call for funding applications, which was launched on the basis of the “Development of Digital Technology funding program, led by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Protection (BMWK).

How do you ensure that users’ privacy is protected when implementing networked technologies in smart homes and smart buildings?

The protection of users’ privacy in the SmartLivingNEXT ecosystem is ensured by several measures:

The data remains under strict control of the authorized persons or organizations and can be held in a decentralized manner.The data remains under strict control of the authorized persons or organizations and can be held in a decentralized manner.The data remains under strict control of the authorized persons or organizations and can be held in a decentralized manner.
European standards, such as the GDPR and the EU Data Act, are strictly adhered to.
Data is exchanged in a protected data room with appropriate authorizations and security mechanisms. Finally, a so-called federator or data trustee is planned for later real operation, which ensures, among other things, that data is only used for coordinated application purposes.

How do you ensure that the technologies can be operated intuitively by all users, including older people or those who are inexperienced with technology?

The smart living ecosystem is initially a B2B platform and therefore not directly accessible to private users. However, digital applications that can also be used by private individuals will be developed on this basis. It is therefore primarily the programmers of these applications or apps who ensure user-friendliness. To this end, the ecosystem offers supporting functions, such as basic AI services.
To ensure that the technologies can be operated intuitively by all users, including older people or people with little experience of technology, the developers in the SmartLivingNEXT ecosystem rely on several measures:

Applications and services are developed with a strong focus on simple and intuitive user interfaces. In our vision, the apps automatically draw the data they need from the ecosystem.
Convenience functions: Simple convenience functions are provided to support everyday life, which are easy to understand and operate and are supported by AI.
Individual assistance: AI-supported assistance services recognize the needs or, for example, the health status of users and offer individual support based on this.

To what extent does SmartLivingNEXT contribute to reducing energy consumption and how is the environmental friendliness of the technologies used ensured?

SmartLivingNEXT contributes to reducing energy consumption and ensuring the environmental friendliness of the technologies used in the following ways:

Energy efficiency: Digital applications in the field of energy efficiency help to reduce the consumption of electricity, heating, (hot) water and cooling without restricting living comfort. This is achieved through energy management solutions and the visualization and evaluation of consumption in real time.
Energy Efficiency Data Portal (EEDP): In SmartLivingNEXT flagship project, an energy efficiency data portal is being developed that will serve as a national virtual access point. All energy efficiency data collected in the project will be made accessible and visualized here. This makes it possible to analyze and evaluate energy consumption data, which leads to better energy transparency.
AI-supported analysis: AI-supported analysis and evaluation of the data enables precise identification of potential savings and optimization of energy consumption.
Open standards and modularity: The use of open standards and modular blueprints promotes the interoperability and reusability of technologies, which leads to a more efficient use of resources.
Decentralized data storage: Data can be stored decentrally, reducing the need for large central data centers and thus lowering energy consumption.

These measures help to reduce energy consumption and ensure that the technologies used are environmentally friendly.

What challenges do you see in the commercialization of the developed solutions, especially in terms of market acceptance and price point?

There are numerous challenges that we will take into account when designing the system:

1. market acceptance:

Trust and data protection: Users must have confidence in the security and data protection of the solutions. Solution: Strict compliance with the GDPR and the EU Data Act as well as transparent communication about data protection measures.
Complexity of integration: Integration with existing systems can be complex. Solution: Provision of onboarding service providers and support services to facilitate integration.
Awareness and education: Potential users must be informed about the benefits in real operation. Solutions can be: Running information campaigns, webinars and workshops to raise awareness and educate users.

2nd price point:

Costs for end users: High initial investments could act as a deterrent. We therefore rely primarily on existing hardware and components. Additional hardware acquisition costs are therefore automatically minimized. Solutions for the use of the software could be: Development of flexible pricing models, such as subscriptions, micropayment or pay-as-you-use solutions, to reduce entry costs and running costs.

3. competitiveness:

The solutions must be competitively priced. Solution: Here we are focusing primarily on the economies of scale and efficient processes that occur in the ecosystem, which drastically reduce costs. In addition: promoting broad market acceptance through our SmartLivingNEXT community and the associated cooperation with key players in the industry.

4. interoperability:

Ensuring compatibility with existing systems. Solution: Use open standards and modular architectures to ensure interoperability.
These targeted measures enable SmartLivingNEXT to successfully overcome the challenges of commercialization and improve the market acceptance and competitiveness of the solutions.

How much funding goes into the program?

EUR 25 million will flow into the funding project. The project is targeting a large group of 178 million homes in Europe that already have networked technologies and are actively using them. In addition, there are digital components and systems in almost all buildings that are currently unable to exchange data with other units.

When can consumers expect market-ready products?

We expect that the market launch will take place step by step after the end of the funding phase from 2027/2028 and that a mass market will gradually develop by 2030.

What new technologies and standards is SmartLivingNEXT developing for the smart living sector?

SmartLivingNEXT develops and integrates several new technologies and standards for the smart living sector. Here are the five most important ones:

Standardized semantics (SENSE WoT): Provision of a uniform and comprehensible data description to ensure interoperability between different systems.
AI-based basic services:Development of AI-based services that can be used across multiple applications to enable intelligent analysis and decision-making.
Gaia-X Compliance: Use of Gaia-X Federation Services to support a federated and sovereign data infrastructure that complies with European data protection standards.
Eclipse Dataspace Components: Development of connectors between the data layer and the application layer to enable seamless integration and use of data.
Digital twins: Structuring data and resources as digital twins to ensure a better overview, efficient access management and optimal simulation and analysis.

These technologies and standards help SmartLivingNEXT to create an innovative and future-proof basis for the smart living sector.

How is it ensured that smart living technologies are compatible with existing systems?

The compatibility of smart living technologies with existing systems is ensured by the following three measures, among others:

Open standards: Use of open standards that enable interoperability between different systems and platforms.
Modularity: The SmartLivingNEXT Dataspace is provided as a modular blueprint that can be flexibly adapted to different infrastructures.
Standardized semantics: Use of standardized semantics (e.g. SENSE WoT) to describe technical interfaces and data in order to ensure uniform communication between systems.

These measures ensure that smart living technologies can be seamlessly integrated into existing systems.

Is the data processed as part of SmartLivingNEXT stored and processed exclusively in Europe?

Yes, the data processed as part of SmartLivingNEXT is stored and processed in accordance with European data protection standards. The cloud infrastructure and the choice of cloud provider take into account compliance with Gaia-X, which also ensures that the data remains within Europe. This ensures that the data complies with the very strict European data protection regulations.

What do you do to minimize possible complexities during installation and use?

To minimize possible complexities during installation and use,
SmartLivingNEXT relies on the following measures:

Modularity: The SmartLivingNEXT Dataspace is made available as a modular blueprint so that interested parties can use their own instance within the infrastructure offered or operate and adapt the blueprint in their own infrastructure.
Standardized connectors: The SmartLivingNEXT Toolbox offers standardized connectors and open source applications that simplify integration and use.
Technical onboarding: Structured technical onboarding, supported by GitLab, helps with the management of source code and team collaboration. This also includes a wiki for knowledge management and project documentation.
Open standards: The use of open standards lowers barriers to entry, shortens deployment time and reduces entry costs and risks.
Agile development: Software development is agile according to the so-called Scrum methodology, which ensures that a practicable system is created from the outset that is continuously expanded.

These measures help to make the installation and use of the technologies as simple and user-friendly as possible.

How do you deal with concerns that increasing automation and digitalization could lead to a decrease in human interaction in the home environment (keyword: loneliness)?

We take into account the concerns of the people who use the space, tenants – also from a social and ethical perspective. Furthermore, the ecosystem does not lead to isolation per se; on the contrary, it can also promote social interaction. Here are a few examples:

Development of applications that promote social interactions, such as digital platforms for neighborhood assistance, virtual community spaces or communication tools for exchanging ideas with family and friends.
Assistance systems: Use of intelligent assistance systems that not only provide technical support, but also facilitate social contacts, e.g. through reminders for social activities or the organization of virtual meetings.
Combination of technology and human support such as hybrid models: Combination of digital solutions with human support, e.g. by caregivers or social services that are supported by technology but still offer personal interactions.
Complementary services: Possible provision of services that include both technical and human support to ensure a balance between automation and human interaction.

How does SmartLivingNEXT create trust so that participating companies share their data without hesitation?

SmartLivingNEXT creates trust through the following measures so that participating companies share their data without hesitation, which is the focus of the research project:

Data sovereignty and control: Decentralized data storage: Data remains under the control of the authorized persons or organizations, which means that they can determine who has access to their data and how it is used.
Self-determined control: Data users retain self-determined control over the use of their data.
Security mechanisms and authorizations: Implementation of authorizations and security mechanisms that allow access to data only for authorized persons or organizations.
Encryption: Ensure that data transmission and storage is encrypted to prevent unauthorized access.
Compliance with data protection requirements: GDPR compliance: Compliance with the data protection requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the European Data Protection Act (EU Data Act, Data Governance Act).
Technical integration: Integration of European data protection standards into the technical platform to ensure compliance with legal requirements.
Governance structure: Overarching governance: Establishment of a governance structure that ensures the secure exchange of data and compliance with data protection requirements.
Data trustees: Use of federators and data trustees to ensure that data is not misused and is only used for agreed purposes.
Contractual agreements: Contract-based use: Use of contractual agreements that clearly regulate the conditions for data exchange and data use.
Membership agreements: Conclusion of membership agreements and accession agreements that define the rights and obligations of the participating companies.
Transparency and openness: Open standards: Use of open standards and open source components to ensure transparency and traceability.
Documentation and knowledge management: Provision of comprehensive documentation and knowledge management tools to inform all stakeholders about processes and standards.
Neutrality of the data intermediary: Neutrality of the federator: The federator acts as a neutral intermediary and ensures fair and transparent mediation between data providers and data users.

Through these comprehensive measures, SmartLivingNEXT creates a trustworthy environment in which companies can share their data securely and without hesitation.

To what extent is SmartLivingNEXT able to offer truly efficient solutions in order to achieve broad acceptance?

SmartLivingNEXT offers a decisive advantage over all other previous approaches available on the market: New applications can be based on existing building and smart home technology without having to replace it and then also scale as required because manufacturer-specific standards do not have to be taken into account when programming the application. At the same time, all manufacturers can continue to rely on their tried-and-tested systems. If this advantage is recognized, implemented and demanded by the industry and the housing sector – and we are already well on the way to achieving this – it will also prevail on the market.

How was the willingness of the companies involved to participate actively and sustainably ensured?

The size of the SmartLivingNEXT community that has already been established (over 65 organizations) and the “Berlin Declaration” that has already been signed at the Digital Technologies Days on 7 October 2024 speak for themselves.

How does SmartLivingNEXT justify the economic benefits of the platform for participating companies and how realistic is the expected economic benefit?

The decisive key to economic success today is the scalability of products and services. Those who can address a large number of users at a one-off cost and thus roll out their product very easily are the winners in global competition. That is the principle of global hyperscalers.

Until now, this has not been possible in the field of building automation (smart building) because the data is not universally accessible. Also, hardly anyone has been able to link globally available smart home technology with the usual technologies in the building envelope in a scalable way in order to use the data from both worlds to feed these AI-supported applications.

The economic advantage is therefore immense, not only for users in Germany, but also for German industry, which can use this know-how to stay ahead of the global competition.

What business models can be developed from this or are conceivable?

An infinite number of new applications and business models are conceivable, comparable to the dynamic that arose in 2007 with the market launch of the first smartphones, because for the first time it is possible to build on a standardized ecosystem.

Why is the concept of a shared data space, or “shared data economy”, so important for the industry?

The concept of a shared data space, i.e. the “shared data economy”, is very important for the smart living industry for several reasons:

Increased data availability: Relevant data is more easily accessible, enabling digital service providers and physical component manufacturers to develop new business models or improve existing ones.
Cooperative data exchange: The controlled and cooperative exchange of data creates synergy effects that individual players could not realize on their own. This leads to innovative solutions and added value for everyone involved.
Lower barriers to entry: The use of open standards lowers the barriers to entry for providers of data-based services, shortens the time to market and reduces costs and risks.
Improved services: Tenants, owners, housing providers, municipal utilities, local authorities and external service providers benefit from additional or improved services that make their processes more efficient and increase the quality of life.
Data sovereignty and data protection: Participants retain control over their data and compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU Data Act is ensured, which creates trust and security in the handling of data.

Through these benefits, the shared data economy promotes innovation, efficiency and collaboration in the smart living industry, which ultimately leads to a better use of resources and a higher quality of life.

From the perspective of the electrical and digital industry, what are the biggest challenges on the way to a “shared data economy”?

From the perspective of the electrical and digital industry, there are three major challenges on the way to a “shared data economy”:

Data security and data protection: Ensuring that data is secure and protected from unauthorized access while meeting the requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the EU Data Act. This requires robust security mechanisms and clear rules on data usage.
Interoperability and standardization: Development and implementation of uniform standards and interfaces that enable seamless integration and interoperability between different systems and platforms. This is necessary to facilitate cooperation and data exchange between different players.
Trust and acceptance: Building trust and acceptance among all stakeholders, including businesses, end users and regulators. This includes creating transparent and fair business models and ensuring that all players can participate in the data space on an equal and non-discriminatory basis.

These challenges must be overcome in order to fully exploit the benefits of a “shared data economy” and promote sustainable and innovative development in the smart living sector.

Is licensing and certification a separate process when adding services & data assets?

This is not yet necessary in research operations. An onboarding process with governance and, if necessary, certification steps is to be established in later real operations (fall 2026). This will ensure that only trustworthy providers and assets from the smart living sector are accepted and that access is strictly in accordance with European rules in order to exclude non-European providers that are not GDPR-compliant, for example.

What are the costs for onboarding?

For the partners in the flagship project and the satellite projects, there are no additional costs for the onboarding process during ongoing research operations. A transparent pricing model is to be developed for real operations, which can consist of basic contributions and usage-dependent components. In this way, onboarding remains calculable and the costs grow with the benefits.

Have the existing services been developed by the German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) itself?

Yes, in research operations, German Research Center for Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) uses its own developments, such as AI basic services, semantic components and compute infrastructure, and combines these with open source software (Home Assistant and EDC). In real-world operations, these services will be standardized and continuously developed as part of the toolbox.

Who is/will be a federator?

In research operations, the consortium will jointly assume the role of federator: the Electrical Engineering Research Association at ZVEI with a view to governance and Materna with a focus on technical operations. In real operations, a neutral federator organization will be set up to assume the central role for governance, role allocation and permission administration.

What is the status quo regarding the “Light-weight Minimal Viable Blueprint” and how dynamic and compatible is the whole thing?

The flagship project developed a dataspace blueprint that can be used by legal entities to participate in the SmartLivingNEXT federated data space. This provides a reliable basis for all participants in the SmartLivingNEXT ecosystem. It has a modular structure and follows standardized approaches such as Gaia-X. This enables a high degree of flexibility, for example to integrate legacy systems and new services interoperably regardless of the manufacturer. It contains a large number of domain-specific technical components so that not only the participation process and sovereign data exchange are possible, but also specific data sets such as sensor data from IoT devices, historical data or even static data sets can be used across domains. However, the large number of technical components also means that providing the blueprint in your own environment requires a corresponding amount of effort and resources. As not all data room participants require this large number of components for their purposes, the so-called Light-weight Minimal Viable Blueprint was developed and is available after successful testing. This minimal blueprint only contains the components that are necessary for successful participation and data exchange via the SmartLivingNEXT data room. However, this means that some specific data provision processes and services cannot be used. Each data room participant must decide individually to what extent and in which environment the blueprint provided by Materna should be used.

What experiences have been made with the Eclipse Dataspace Connector (EDC) so far?

The EDC is used in research operations, meaning that all requirements have been successfully implemented to date. For real-life operation, we are continuously evaluating whether the EDC or alternative solutions should be used permanently in order to ensure the necessary stability, interoperability and compatibility.

What are the pricing models?

There are currently no final pricing models. Various short- and long-term feasible pricing models are currently being developed for setting up and, in particular, operating the data room, which are based on a fair combination of basic services and usage-based fees, among other things.

What obligations does a data provider enter into?

In research operations, the obligation is limited to compliance with the GDPR as part of the project work. After completion of the SmartLivingNEXT technology program, each data provider undertakes to only provide data for which it has rights, to comply with the governance rules including exit processes and deletion concepts and to ensure transparency towards the data owners.

Which countries are included as part of a European solution?

In research operations, data storage is limited to the project partners. In real operations, the regulations of the EU data strategy (EU, EEA, Switzerland) apply. Data on servers in third countries can only be integrated if they comply with the GDPR requirements, for example via adequacy decisions or standard contractual clauses.

Who manages the products and catalog usage (keyword: product manager)?

In research operations, the project office of the Research Association for Electrical Engineering at ZVEI e. V. assumes the role of the central contact point and provides support in finding data and services. In real operation, one of the possible options is dedicated product management, which maintains the catalogs, toolbox and services in order to offer participants continuous professional support.

How is the cold start problem solved?

We are very aware of the cold start problem, which is why we have adopted a multi-pronged strategy right from the start:

Anchor use cases and satellite projects: We bring concrete, market-relevant applications into the data space right from the start of the project, such as energy efficiency, digital assistance systems and building management. These “lighthouses” ensure that real data flows and services are available immediately.
Blueprints and onboarding: We have developed technical and organizational blueprints that make it very easy for new partners to connect quickly. In this way, we create a low-threshold and standardized onboarding process with which additional providers and services can be continuously integrated.
Public and semi-public data sources: We provide a wide range of open or semi-public data from the outset in order to make the services immediately usable. To this end, we are already working with suitable data providers, preferably from the environment of the associated partners.
Community and governance: The ForeSight community, which already comprises more than 80 partners, creates a vibrant ecosystem right from the start. Clear governance and coordinated rules ensure that data and service providers have trust, participate and immediately see added value.
Trust and visibility: With projects such as COMET or DuITeasy, we give users control over their data right from the start and demonstrate concrete everyday benefits. This increases the attractiveness for users and accelerates the demand for services.

This ensures that the ecosystem does not start from scratch, but offers relevant data, services and partners from day one and thus grows continuously.