3 Digital Solutions that the Global Buildings Sector Must Implement to Meet Net-Zero Targets
According to the new report by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, digital solutions like Energy Performance Monitoring, Building Information Modelling, and Integrated Data Platforms are crucial to achieve global decarbonisation goals.
exergio.com
OECD released a new report that shows the increasing role of buildings in fighting against climate change. Buildings account for nearly 70% of energy-related CO2 emissions in major cities like New York, Paris, and Tokyo. It highlights the urgency for countries and megacities to decarbonise the building sector.
More than 140 countries have declared net-zero goals, but most of them still lack concrete mechanisms that would help monitor and reduce emissions, especially in the building industry.
Among indicated plans, a global trend has emerged to prioritise retrofitting existing buildings, up from 39% in previous years. Retrofitting is a more efficient option than constructing new energy-efficient buildings.
However, experts from Exergio, a company specializing in AI-driven energy solutions for commercial real estate, state that adopting digital technologies with AI can save up to 30% of energy without the need for deep renovations.
3 Key Digital Technologies That Can Decarbonise Buildings
According to the latest OECD report, Global Monitoring of Policies for Decarbonising Buildings, building owners can incorporate digital technologies into their systems, optimise energy use, and meet sustainability targets.
- Energy Performance Monitoring and Reporting Systems (EPMRS)
Energy performance systems track and analyze how buildings consume energy in real-time. They show building owners' existing inefficiencies and assist in optimizing energy use. Traditional energy monitoring includes smart meters, data analytics, and comprehensive reporting programs.
Donatas Karčiaukas, CEO of Exergio, has been improving the approach by introducing AI-driven analytics into similar models.
"AI-based analytics is a more advanced way to monitor energy as it can identify inefficiencies more precisely and faster than traditional ones. With AI, we can detect issues like a malfunctioning sensor before it becomes noticeable, based on subtle changes in energy consumption patterns,” explained Donatas. “AI not only analyzes data but also predicts potential problems, and optimises energy use in real-time. This way we can save up to 30% of energy for our customers.”
- Building Information Modelling (BIM)
Another digital solution, BIM, uses software that can re-create a 3D digital representation of a building's physical and functional features.
It offers a better way to design, plan, and manage structures, allowing such a "digital twin" to be used for energy performance purposes.
“Digital twins is something that all huge building complexes are going to have alongside traditional monitoring. They help us track how a building uses energy in real-time, and then we can make precise adjustments to optimise performance. Using BIM, we can simulate different scenarios, a key method to foresee and overcome upcoming challenges," explained Karčiauskas.
- Integrated Data Platforms (IDP)
Lastly, IDPs aggregate and harmonise data from various stages of building management to make sure that building managers can access all information on demand.
Unlike BIM systems, IDPs operate through the cloud infrastructure and provide a unified view of energy consumption, project timelines, and other key data that users can access through web interfaces.
“This technology is not yet widely used but is a part of the future of building management. Upon increasing data volumes and huge operational systems, there is a need for platforms that would integrate all of this information and systemise it for end-users. While working with our platform, we realised that the next step is to allow building managers to understand where the biggest issues currently are or may emerge soon," elaborated Karčiauskas. “We can only achieve that by integrating the data from thousands of sensors and inputs, and we’re talking about a single building here.”
One of Exergio’s use cases of implementing similar digital platforms happened in Poznan, Poland, and helped a complex of commercial buildings reduce energy consumption by 20% in 9 months, resulting in over €80,000 in savings. According to Donatas Karčiauskas, AI-powered solutions are crucial for these savings.
OECD’s recognition of digital tech can help achieve decarbonisation goals. Governments, building owners, and companies are expected to invest in these technologies now to meet net-zero targets by 2050.
www.exergio.com
