Human-Centered Assessment Methods for Smart Building Systems: A Systematic Review of Ergonomics and Human Interaction

Abstract

Smart Building Systems (SBS) are becoming increasingly integrated into everyday life, and their effectiveness depends not only on technological performance but also on how well they fit human needs, capabilities, and limitations. This systematic review examines Ergonomics and Human Factors (E&HF) assessment methods applied in SBS. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, a literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and ScienceDirect for studies published between 2020 and 2025. Of the records screened, eight studies met the inclusion criteria. The included studies covered residential smart homes, inclusive housing, educational buildings, and industrial settings, and evaluated interfaces such as mobile applications, web interfaces, voice assistants, chatbots, tablet-based systems, and multimodal solutions. Most studies focused on cognitive ergonomics, while only one explicitly addressed both cognitive and physical ergonomics. The main assessment methods identified were: (i) subjective questionnaires, including usability, trust, comfort, and user experience scales; (ii) behavioural and performance-based measures, such as task completion time, effectiveness, and observational methods; and (iii) physiological measures, namely eye-tracking and heart rate. The findings highlight that usability and user acceptance are strongly influenced by interface modality, task demands, and user characteristics. However, the evidence remains methodologically fragmented, with small samples and limited ecological validity. Overall, the review underlines the need for more integrated, multimethod, and human-centered assessment frameworks to support the design of SBS that are usable, inclusive, and responsive to diverse users.

Keywords: Smart Buildings, Smart Home Systems, Ergonomics, Assessment Methods

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1007257