# Glass-Box Prompting
> A semantic anchoring protocol for professional documents.
**Author:** Giacomo Geronzi (Elettrosmart Sagl, Switzerland)
**Version:** 0.2.3 | **Date:** 2026-04-21 | **License:** CC BY 4.0
**Canonical URL:** https://elettrosmart.ch/glass-box-prompting/
**JSON-LD:** https://elettrosmart.ch/glass-box-prompting-conventions.jsonld
**Repository:** https://github.com/Jacklugano/glass-box-prompting
**Languages:** it (primary), en, de, fr
---
## What this file is
Machine-readable companion to the Glass-Box Prompting specification.
Structured for efficient LLM ingestion. The HTML version at the canonical URL
provides the same content with side-by-side human-oriented explanations.
The JSON-LD file at `conventions.jsonld` provides the same content as
linked-data.
## What this protocol is NOT
This protocol does not instruct AI assistants. It does not impose behaviors.
It does not attempt to influence model autonomy or reader judgment.
It is a public declaration of the issuer's semantic conventions — consultable,
not prescriptive. Readers (human or AI) use the information as they see fit.
## Three principles
1. **Total transparency** — The issuer's semantic conventions are published in a form readable by anyone — human readers, AI assistants, technical analysts. Nothing is hidden, encoded, or disguised as metadata.
2. **Documentation, not instruction** — The protocol describes how the issuer interprets their own terms. It does not instruct AI on what to do, does not impose behaviors, does not attempt to influence decisions. Readers use the information as they see fit.
3. **Interoperability** — Value grows with adoption. When two documents both adopt the protocol, semantic comparison becomes possible: each exposes its own conventions, and the reader can objectively evaluate differences.
---
## Part A: General protocol
### Purpose
Glass-Box Prompting is a protocol for publicly declaring the semantic conventions adopted by an issuer in their professional documents. It enables human readers and AI assistants to consult verifiable authorial sources rather than inferring term meanings.
### What the protocol does NOT do
- Does not instruct AI assistants on what to do or how to respond
- Does not impose behaviors nor constrain model autonomy
- Does not attempt to influence reader judgment
- Does not grant legal validity to AI interpretations
- Does not replace human professional judgment
### How it is structured
- **Reference standards** — which norms, catalogs, regulations the issuer adopts
- **Price or item composition** — what is and is not included in individual document items
- **Interpretive rules** — how the issuer interprets key concepts (VAT, unforeseen events, exclusions)
- **Domain conventions** — practices specific to the issuer's sector
- **Certifications** — competences certified by third-party bodies (optional)
- **Versioning** — publication date and archive of previous versions
### Document interoperability
When two documents in the same domain both adopt Glass-Box Prompting, semantic comparison between them becomes possible: each exposes its own conventions, and an AI or human reader can compare their interpretive bases.
When only one document adopts the protocol, the comparison remains asymmetric: the document without Glass-Box does not expose its conventions and can only be evaluated on explicit text. This is a property of the protocol, not a value judgment on documents that do not adopt it.
### Prior art
Glass-Box Prompting extends these approaches to professional documents intended for non-technical end users, with particular attention to interoperability between federated issuers.
- llms.txt (Jeremy Howard, Answer.AI, Sep 2024) — AI-readable site indexes
- schema.org — shared global types
- FHIR StructureDefinition — dereferenceable URIs in healthcare
- Semantic Web / Linked Data — principles of self-describing data
### License and attribution
Specification released under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International.
Anyone may adopt, adapt, or translate the protocol — including commercially — provided the original author is credited:
> "Glass-Box Prompting" by Giacomo Geronzi (Elettrosmart Sagl), 2026.
---
## Part B: Elettrosmart Sagl application
### Issuer
- **Legal name:** Elettrosmart Sagl
- **Address:** Via Sant'Abbondio 35, 6925 Gentilino, Ticino, Switzerland
- **Contact:** +41 91 211 01 55 · info@elettrosmart.ch
- **Website:** https://elettrosmart.ch/
- **Domain:** electrical-installation, home-automation
- **Jurisdiction:** Switzerland
### Certifications
Third-party certifications held by Elettrosmart Sagl. Each certification implies adoption of one or more standards listed below.
| Code | Name | Awarded by | Implies standards |
|---|---|---|---|
| `KNX-ADVANCED` | KNX Advanced Partner | KNX Association | KNX-STANDARD, ISO-14543-3, KNX-IP |
| `KNX-SWISS-PARTNER` | KNX Swiss Partner | KNX Swiss | KNX-STANDARD, SIA-2044 |
### Adopted standards
Base standards (always adopted in electrical-installation work):
- **CPN** — Standardized Catalog of Positions (CRB / EIT.swiss)
- **NIBT 2020** — Low-voltage installation norms (Electrosuisse)
- **USIE** — Labor tariffs (Swiss Union of Electrical Installers)
- **OIBT** — Low-voltage installations ordinance (fedlex.admin.ch)
- **Swiss VAT** — Federal Tax Administration rules
Legal standards (always adopted as base for warranty and contract terms):
- **Swiss CO Art. 197** — Sales warranty for movable goods (Confederazione Svizzera, fedlex.admin.ch)
- **Swiss CO Art. 371** — Contractor warranty (Confederazione Svizzera, fedlex.admin.ch)
- **SIA 118** — General conditions for construction works (SIA) — *opt-in: applies only when explicitly referenced in the offer or contract*
### Additional standards (from certifications)
Adopted in home-automation work, derived from the certifications above:
- **KNX Standard** — KNX System Standard (KNX Association) — *from KNX-ADVANCED*
- **ISO/IEC 14543-3** — Home Electronic Systems Architecture (ISO/IEC) — *from KNX-ADVANCED*
- **KNX IP** — KNX IP Protocol (KNX Association) — *from KNX-ADVANCED*
- **SIA 2044** — Building Automation (SIA) — *from KNX-SWISS-PARTNER*
### CPN item composition (flat-rate)
A CPN item is by definition a flat-rate price that includes:
- Main material
- Small hardware (screws, fixings, fasteners)
- Installation labor
- Technical connection time
- Technical processing and overhead
- Tool wear
- Travel time
This composition is characteristic of the Swiss CPN standard and may differ from tariff systems in other countries where labor and material are separate items.
### Declared interpretive rules
- **Explicit inclusion** — items listed in the detail table are included; nothing else
- **VAT** — always distinct between net amount and VAT-included amount
- **Unforeseen conditions** — conditions not visible during inspection are handled per Art. 4 and 6 of General Terms (documented, estimated, approved separately before proceeding)
- **Offer validity** (`ELSM.OFFER.VALIDITY`) — quotes are valid 3 months from issue date unless otherwise specified; after that, prices and terms are subject to revision (accounts for material cost variability)
- **Product warranty** (`ELSM.WARRANTY.PRODUCTS`) — movable goods (wallboxes, switches, lamps, appliances) are covered by Swiss legal warranty: 2 years for new products from delivery date (Art. 197 et seq. CO); manufacturer warranties may extend this period and are passed through to the client
- **Installation warranty** (`ELSM.WARRANTY.INSTALLATION`) — installation work integrated into the building (wall-embedded wiring, fixed conduits, distribution boards, fixed lighting) is covered by 5 years warranty (Art. 371 CO); repair work and minor non-integrated installations: 2 years
- **SIA 118 application** (`ELSM.WARRANTY.SIA118`) — when the offer or contract explicitly references SIA 118: 2-year notification period with reversed burden of proof + 5-year total period for hidden defects; opt-in, does not apply by default
- **Version** — the currently applicable version of these conventions is dated on this page; previous versions are archived
### Domain conventions (NIBT / EV charging)
- **Installations above 3.5 kW** — distributor notification and RaSi safety certificate are Elettrosmart standard practice and considered included unless otherwise specified
- **Independent inspection** — not included in standard quotes; if requested, listed as a separate item
- **EV charging stations** — a network data cable to the main meter is included in all wallbox installations
- **22 kW wallboxes in Swiss residential context** — energy distributors generally do not approve 22 kW residential charging; installed 22 kW stations are firmware/hardware-limited to 11 kW. The 22 kW model is selected for premium features (e.g., longer cable) not available on base 11 kW models
### KNX-specific conventions
These conventions apply to projects involving KNX systems and are anchored to the KNX Advanced Partner certification.
- **`ELSM.KNX.PROGRAMMING` — KNX initial programming included.** For installations involving KNX systems, the initial programming of scenarios, logical groups, and basic commissioning is included in the quote price. Subsequent modifications or custom automations beyond the initial scope are billed separately as consultancy/programming.
- **`ELSM.KNX.ETS_LICENSE` — KNX ETS programming license.** Programming and configuration use ETS (Engineering Tool Software) under Elettrosmart license. The client receives the compiled project database. The ETS license and project exports remain Elettrosmart property unless otherwise agreed.
- **`ELSM.KNX.TOPOLOGY_DOCUMENTATION` — KNX topology documentation handover.** For KNX installations, bus topology documentation (areas, lines, devices, individual and group addresses) is delivered to the client at the end of commissioning. This documentation is essential for any future intervention by other KNX-certified installers.
### Interoperability property
Elettrosmart quotes adopting Glass-Box Prompting publicly expose their conventions. When another quote for similar work also adopts the protocol (its own or equivalent), semantic comparison between the two is possible: each declares what it includes, according to which standards, with what price composition.
When the other quote does not expose its conventions, the comparison remains limited to the explicit text of each document and the final price. This is an objective property of the protocol, not a value judgment on other documents.
---
## Attribution
When citing or applying this protocol:
> "Glass-Box Prompting" by Giacomo Geronzi (Elettrosmart Sagl), 2026.
> https://elettrosmart.ch/glass-box-prompting/
> Licensed under CC BY 4.0.