R2S, the connected building label

The R2S label (Ready2Services) was launched in 2018 by the Smart Buildings Alliance (SBA). It is awarded by Certivéa.

Its aim is to turn the building into a services platform, much like a smartphone: open, communicating and upgradable.

The standard imposes a strict network architecture, which ensures data flows between equipment (lifts, lighting, HVAC) and users. It is broken down into six themes.

Connectivity

4G and 5G coverage everywhere, including basements and lifts; dual fibre-optic entry so internet access is never lost; guest Wi-Fi behind a secure, seamless captive portal.

Network architecture

A single, independent IP network for the building (RSI), separate from the tenants’ networks; open protocols required (BACnet, Modbus, MQTT) to avoid closed proprietary systems.

Equipment and interfaces

The ability to add wireless sensors easily (LoRa, EnOcean); equipment that exposes its data through documented APIs.

Cybersecurity

Protection against hacking of cameras or the BMS; strict handling of occupants’ personal data under the GDPR; segmentation of critical flows by VLAN.

Responsible management

Deployment of a BOS (Building Operating System), the building’s operating system; digital commissioning to check that data is flowing correctly before handover.

Services

A single app for occupants, to book a room or adjust the air conditioning; real-time energy consumption monitoring, which makes the link with the environment.

R2S works on points, which unlock levels expressed in stars.

The main challenge with R2S is breaking down silos. Lift and heating contractors often install their own closed systems; the label requires every work package to connect to a shared network, with no proprietary protocol.

DesignSmart building consultant

Definition of the equipment naming convention and the network diagram; choice of BOS.

ConstructionSmart work package

The MSI (systems integration project manager) coordinates the technical work packages so that they speak the same language.

HandoverCybersecurity audit

Penetration tests check that the building cannot be hacked.

Costs of the smart work package

R2S adds an engineering cost and a hardware cost (network, servers).

Additional works cost and return on investment

The share of the budget to allocate to the smart work package, and the expected benefit, depend on the target level.

Advantages

• A better occupant experience, delivered through a mobile app.
• Interoperable systems: no more dependence on a single maintenance provider.
• Automatic reporting of energy data to the OPERAT platform, under the French tertiary decree (décret tertiaire).

Limitations

• If poorly managed, the building becomes an entry point for hackers.
• Technology moves faster than concrete: some equipment risks becoming a gimmick.
• The label calls for new skills that are rare on the market (MSI, smart building consultant).

Reaching two or three stars does not require digitalising every theme in the same way. The following table shows, by project type, how easy it is to secure the points in each theme for the 2-star level. It says nothing about their return, which is covered further down.

To help you decide, each theme has been converted into potential financial value: rent, reconfiguration savings, productivity. These figures are based on the returns on investment observed in smart buildings (SBA, MSI).