A Systematic Review of Smart Energy Management Systems for University Campuses: Technology Synthesis and Framework Development for Developing Countries

Abstract

University campuses are significant energy consumers, particularly in developing nations where electricity expenditure can represent 15–25% of total operational budgets. This paper presents a systematic review of smart energy management technologies applied in university building contexts, examining four categories: IoT-based monitoring platforms, AI and machine learning optimization methods, smart sensor networks, and solar photovoltaic integration. Evidence synthesis across 40+ peer-reviewed studies indicates that IoT sub-metering achieves 5–15% baseline reductions, AI-driven control contributes an additional 8–25%, and coupled solar-BEMS deployments reduce net grid consumption by 25–40%, yielding combined savings of 20–42% under full deployment. These findings inform the development of the Smart Campus Energy Management System (SCEMS) — a three-tier framework calibrated to the technical, economic, and regulatory context of Vietnamese universities, providing a structured deployment pathway from foundational monitoring through advanced AI optimization.