Today’s systems speak different languages
Manufacturers, sectors and applications use their own names, data structures and meanings. Technical connectivity alone therefore does not ensure understanding.
Public working presentation • 2026
A common language for technology ecosystems.
UTEA is a proposed open reference metaarchitecture and semantic standard for the unified representation of devices, systems, relationships, processes and knowledge across technology domains.
UTEA – Unified Technology Ecosystem Architecture
An Open Reference Metaarchitecture and Semantic Standard for Technology Ecosystems
UTEA is not a finished industry standard. It is an evolving architecture intended to be validated through research and progressively specified.
meaning • structure • context • time
Energy
Industry
Transport
Buildings
Security
Research
Data remains confined to domains
Energy, building management, CCTV, intrusion detection, battery storage, transport and industry are managed separately, although in practice they form a single operational ecosystem.
A shared representation of reality is missing
UTEA aims to establish a unified architectural and semantic foundation rather than another isolated application or proprietary data silo.
Definition
What is UTEA
UTEA is an open reference metaarchitecture and semantic standard defining a unified way to represent technology ecosystems across different application domains.
UTEA does not prescribe a particular database, communication protocol or single application. It defines principles, rules, identities, relationships and semantic models that enable interoperable implementations.
Reference architecture
From physical reality to knowledge and decisions
UTEA creates a common framework over existing technologies. It preserves their differences while enabling them to be described and interpreted in one consistent space.
7
Execution & Autonomycontrol, execution of changes, safe autonomous processes
6
Decision & Intelligenceanalysis, inference, prediction, recommendations and decisions
5
Knowledge & Digital Twinknowledge graph, digital representation, behaviour and scenario models
4
Unified Semantic Spaceshared meaning of objects, relationships, events and knowledge
3
Reference Ontology & Universal Data Modelunified classes, entities, identities, properties and links
2
Integration & Mappingmapping manufacturers, protocols, APIs, documents and historical data
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Physical Technology Ecosystemdevices, systems, buildings, infrastructure, people and organisations
Reference models
Nine perspectives on the same reality
A full understanding of a technology ecosystem requires more than a list of devices. UTEA therefore works with interconnected models.
Reference implementation
GridKeeper — a platform putting UTEA into practice
GridKeeper is one of the platforms that demonstrate UTEA in practice and apply its architectural and semantic principles. It connects technologies, operational data and their meaning in one environment, showing how the shared UTEA framework can support the management of real systems.
GridKeeper connects records, documentation, inspections, maintenance, monitoring and control of technological systems in one environment. It also serves as a platform for practical validation and further development of UTEA principles.
Visit GridKeeper ↗UTEAstandard and metaarchitecture
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GridKeeperreference implementation
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Living Labsexperimental validation
Research and validation
From theory to experimentally validated architecture
UTEA is intended to be validated in real operational environments. Living Labs are not part of the architecture itself; they are a method for its experimental validation.
1Hypothesiscan a transferable semantic model be created across domains?
2Implementationprinciples are implemented in the GridKeeper reference platform
3Living Labsvalidation in energy, industry, municipalities, research and education
4Validationmeasuring interoperability, scalability, consistency and transferability
Working scope of the STEP project
Development of the first reference implementation of the open UTEA metaarchitecture for technology ecosystem management
The project is not intended to realise the entire long-term UTEA vision. It addresses a specific research and development stage: the foundations of the metaarchitecture, selected semantic models, a reference implementation in GridKeeper and their experimental validation.
Research dimensionontology, data model, interoperability, semantic representation, validation methodology
Implementation dimensionGridKeeper as a functional reference implementation in selected technology domains
Experimental dimensionvalidation using real data and Living Lab operational environments
Long-term vision
UTEA Compliant
The goal is an environment in which manufacturers and developers declare not merely that they “support UTEA”, but that their products and data models are compatible with UTEA and meet its specification.
Certification or a formal compliance programme is a long-term prospect. It does not describe the current project status or a commitment for a single funding period.
future concept
UTEA
COMPLIANT
semantic interoperability
Contact
UTEA Initiative
For professional cooperation, research projects, Living Labs and upcoming UTEA implementations.