User-Centred Smart Building Technologies for Climate-Resilient Urban Development: Evidence from Istanbul

Abstract

Promoting sustainable urban development requires strengthening climate resilience while encouraging environmentally responsible lifestyles in cities. In densely urbanised and climatically diverse contexts such as Istanbul, Smart Environmental Control Technologies (SECTs) offer significant potential to reduce energy demand, enhance thermal comfort, and support low-carbon urban living. This study examines the role of SECTs in advancing climate-resilient urban development by analysing occupants’ perceptions, satisfaction, and behavioural responses in residential and commercial buildings. The study aims to: (i) assess user satisfaction with SECTs; (ii) evaluate their contribution to energy efficiency in buildings (EEB); (iii) analyse their role in climate resilience and emission reduction (CRER); and (iv) propose design-oriented recommendations for optimising Smart Energy Building Design (SEBD). A mixed-methods approach was adopted, combining semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants and a quantitative survey of 237 building occupants. Quantitative data were analysed using SPSS (version 24), applying descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression analysis, Pearson correlation, the Relative Importance Index (RII), and thermal comfort modelling based on Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) and Predicted Percentage Dissatisfied (PPD). Qualitative data were examined through thematic analysis to support triangulation. The results reveal high levels of occupant awareness and acceptance of smart technologies, with automated HVAC systems, IoT-enabled sensors, and smart thermostats identified as the most influential solutions for thermal comfort management (RII > 0.85). Regression analysis indicates that SECT adoption significantly predicts user satisfaction and energy efficiency performance (β = 0.64, p < 0.001), while correlation analysis confirms a strong association between objective comfort indices and subjective perceptions (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). PMV/ PPD modelling shows that smart systems maintained generally acceptable comfort conditions, with mean PPD values ranging from 8.4% in residential units to 18.9% in shared offices, and peak dissatisfaction exceeding 22% during highoccupancy periods. Buildings equipped with adaptive SECTs achieved average peak energy demand reductions of approximately 15–20% compared to conventional systems. Overall, the findings provide evidence-based guidance for designing user-centred, energy-efficient, and climate-resilient smart buildings, reinforcing the strategic role of SEBD in sustainable urban development.