It is quite apparent that buildings have a significant impact when it comes to the environment. There are estimates that go on to suggest that they lead to 40% of global emissions, with construction and operations phases happen to be sharing an equal responsibility as far as this impact is concerned. Besides, it has been suggested by certain organizations that almost 90% of buildings do not happen to have software systems in place in terms of energy management. Despite the fact that there is a lack of systems in this area, the credibility and potential when it comes to AI remain quite significant.
The execution when it comes to digital platforms in the functional space has the potential to majorly improve energy efficiency. Based on the unique characteristics of the building, these executions can range from 10% to 50%. For instance, warehouses that go on to rely on lighting but have fewer heating, ventilation, and air conditioning- HVAC systems may experience decreased cost savings. Commercial buildings that experience higher fluctuations in occupancy could potentially achieve savings of almost 50%. It is expected that each building will go on to experience an average depletion of almost 30% in terms of energy consumption.
The implications can be quite enormous if one can surge the percentage of buildings equipped with energy management systems from the present 10% to more than 50% and take into account the average energy consumption decrease of 30%. This has the potential to reduce one-third of the CO2 emissions that are related to energy efficiency, which comprises 20% of the global CO2 challenges.
The demand for digital systemsÂ
In the years that have gone by, there has been quite a significant increase in the energy management applications demand. This increase can be attributed to shifting priorities within businesses, especially among Fortune 500 companies. In the past, energy management was primarily the ownership of the facility managers and did not hold much significance in the total cost structure of the real estate companies. In light of the rising worldwide energy prices, which happen to be influenced due to geopolitical factors impacting oil and gas prices, there happens to be a growing recognition and also a focus on the requirement to develop as well as execute decarbonization strategies.
Countries like Germany and France are facing quite a substantial increase in energy costs at present. Real estate CEOs from all over the world are increasingly taking into account the financial sustainability when it comes to investing in energy management systems. The investors anticipate to get hold of attractive returns on their investment over a period stretching from 5 to 7 years. They anticipate internal rates of return that would go on to range between 20% and 30%.
So as to achieve the construction of next-generation, sustainable, and green buildings, it is compulsory to discover AI integration in the design along with the construction processes.
So as to provide a transparent understanding, when in case of analyzing energy consumption in a commercial building, it can be witnessed that almost one-third of the energy is used for heating, ventilation, and air conditioning- HVAC, another third happens to be inclined to lighting, and the leftover portion is allocated to other uses such as charging stations and also minor refrigeration requirements. A profitable starting point is to focus on optimizing the HVAC and lighting systems as per occupancy patterns, which can be followed by the solar roofing and advanced storage systems integration to further streamline energy demand and also reduce costs.
It is well to be noted that these trends are particularly noticeable across the US market. The way one communicates and handles customers has undergone a significant shift, and as of date, the focus has shifted from solely adopting these measures in terms of sustainability purposes to also considering the economic sense and also return on investment they offer.
Comprehensive understanding of the origin of data
So as to construct next-generation, sustainable, green buildings, it is quite imperative to explore the potential when it comes to utilizing AI in the design as well as construction processes. But in order for AI to be efficient and effective, it requires data of high quality. Traditionally, the data collected by buildings is stored in separate, isolated systems that are known as silos.
It is necessary to first understand the origins of this data. These data sources can originate from numerous systems, like HVAC, lighting, access control, solar panels, as well as EV chargers. However, these systems are mostly not designed to communicate with each other. With the emergence of industrial IoT, data inclusion that was in the past deemed insignificant into the data lake can be seen.
The major element of AI is its capacity to quickly generate a visual representation of a building by evaluating similarities with other buildings as well as environments, even when there is specific information available that includes factors such as location, utility bills, size, as well as other relevant considerations. Creating a blueprint that offers a potential dip of up to 35% in energy consumption based on use cases that are similar remains a valuable use of data.
Building designs for the future
It is quite important for building designers to discuss with construction companies as well as address operational considerations before the building design process takes place, construction begins, and bricks happen to be laid. In actuality, these parties communicate with each other very rarely. Frequently, there are instances wherein communication breaks down within designers, operations companies, and construction teams, which results in inefficiencies as well as a final design that completely deviates from the original vision that one had.
One efficient method for getting a more objective perspective is to have a digital twin during the building design procedure. This approach goes on to help lessen emotional biases and enable more accurate evaluation. The twin offers a complete 3D representation of numerous aspects, which include design, tenant experience, energy consumption, as well as carbon footprint. It accurately points out the occupied state with all systems in use.
Though there happen to be certain systems that can offer segregated information, one has not reached a stage yet where a comprehensive understanding of a building’s environmental impact and carbon footprint during the design phase can be generated. This information happens to be crucial in terms of determining whether an entire net zero approach or a slightly less than that should be pursued, as the potential in relation to the investment is insignificant.
Utilization of AI
AI will have a major effect on the development of a total understanding of energy usage across the entire lifecycle of buildings. It will also go on to play a crucial role in making sure that buildings are constructed the way they should right from the very start. As of now, there is indeed a strong focus in terms of AI in the consulting as well as services sectors. But it is also crucial for building managers to have a crystal-clear understanding of the RoI when executing the changes.
So as to impactfully decrease energy and operational costs by way of using tools like ChatGPT in decision-making, it is imperative to assist customers in terms of gaining a deeper comprehension of their specific domain. Although it may look like counterintuitive, completing this will help them align the aims of the AI more effectively with the tasks of the business and the needs of the environment. By making sure to embrace this alignment, the decarbonization of buildings can be pushed by considering the RoI rather than only focusing on environmental impact.
Implementation of AIÂ in energy management
In the future development when it comes to smart, energy-efficient buildings, auditing as well as consulting in the construction sector will be crucial. It will have in it assessing the performance of buildings, pinpointing those that are performing well and those that don’t, as well as identifying any gaps that persist. AI will go on to offer a significant benefit to individuals who look to construct environmentally friendly buildings and also reduce their carbon footprint in terms of their assets, which are increasingly becoming costly as well as burdensome.
