The Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has introduced what it describes as 'pioneering work' to develop standards of good practice for protecting intellectual property and the design and operation of building systems.
Launched on 27 June by IET deputy president Barry Brooks, the technical briefing: the Resilience and Cyber Security of Technology in the Built Environment has been developed by industry experts with the support of the Centre for Protection of National Infrastructure (CPNI).

The document examines the issues in relation to the building's life-cycle; from concept, design, construction, fit-out and operation, to its eventual decommissioning and demolition.

IET cyber security expert, Hugh Boyes, said: 'Our society is increasingly moving towards the creation of intelligent or smart buildings for economic and environmental reasons. In an intelligent building a range of systems will be integrated to improve the efficiency of the building's operations, particularly its utility consumption, and to improve the occupants' enjoyment of the accommodation.'

He continued: 'From a resilience perspective the additional complexity increases the risk of systems failure which could simply cause inconvenience or in some circumstances lead to serious injury or loss of life. In terms of cyber security there is increased risk of corruption or hackers interfering with the safe and secure operation and occupancy of the building.

'This technical briefing examines the different sources of threats across the building lifecycle from initial concept through to decommissioning. It considers potential threat agents that could cause or contribute to a cyber security incident and identifies some of the measures that may be appropriate to reduce the risks.'

To download the briefing visit www.theiet.org/cyber-buildings-pr