Leveraging artificial intelligence and smart building technologies to reduce carbon emissions

In this article, John Bohlmann, founder and CEO of HawkenQA, takes a deep dive into smart building technology, how it works, and how artificial intelligence can make the technology mainstream while reducing costs , automating operations and creating a healthy environment that impacts carbon emissions.

When most people think of carbon emissions, they think of rush hour traffic jams and industrial activity. Many experts are urging people to keep their focus closer to home when thinking about how to create a greener world. However, few people think that the buildings they live or work in are what experts refer to as buildings.

The United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) explains that buildings account for one-third of global greenhouse gas emissions and consume 40% of global energy, and the sector is the largest contributor to carbon emissions.

But how do buildings have such a large impact on the global climate? The answer is simple: operations and construction. During operation, emissions can be constant. These are driven by electricity usage, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC) and equipment. Buildings also have “embodied carbon,” which refers to the carbon footprint created during the construction process. The carbon factor includes everything from the operation of construction equipment to carbon emissions generated in the supply chain, such as when sourcing steel and concrete.

Despite these serious impacts, buildings remain one of the most important potentials for the green transition. Today, data-driven technology powered by machine learning models, or artificial intelligence (AI), creates smart buildings—software that automatically integrates with the building’s components. HVAC, air quality, temperature, energy use, occupancy, downtime, ventilation and many other factors can be continuously monitored through sensors paired with monitoring technology and automated decisions can be made to optimize performance.

Over the years, installing smart building platforms has been challenging because every building is different. Artificial intelligence technology has solved this problem, reducing installation time and costs. AI-based construction solutions are a big step in the right direction to reduce carbon emissions, not just in the United States but globally. Today, smart building platforms are more advanced, more affordable, and easier to install and use than ever before.

How Artificial Intelligence Building Technology Works

Reducing a building’s carbon footprint doesn’t mean turning off the lights. This means optimizing resources such as airflow, electricity and water, or installing solar panels. Because HVAC systems consume so much energy, indoor air quality technology is critical to a low carbon footprint. Indoor air monitoring technology uses artificial intelligence to intelligently control HVAC energy balance without affecting the comfort and health of those indoors.

Artificial intelligence “learns” the habits of building occupants and can predict when to increase, stabilize or decrease use of heating and air conditioning systems. Additionally, these new systems can be space-specific, with changes made only in the rooms or common areas where needed. The same AI can optimize air quality in buildings by revealing and treating sources of indoor air pollution, such as carbon dioxide, humidity or high particulate matter.

Artificial intelligence can also improve operations and maintenance. When smart building systems are combined with smart devices or the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence will detect any anomalies in the equipment. For example, if a heating device fails, it will consume less or more energy and affect the temperature of the room. Therefore, AI can identify if there is a problem with the equipment, make adjustments, and notify managers. Smart AI systems can also manage scheduled HVAC filter changes or other maintenance and review and approve work orders.

Automated processes not only remove human error from the equation, but also save building owners significant labor, energy expenditures and costs on jobs that were previously done manually.

Business Case: What should leaders pay attention to?

New trends in the construction industry to reduce carbon emissions include using alternative green materials or sourcing materials from low-carbon producers. Additionally, architects and engineers are integrating solar, wind and renewable energy into buildings to maximize building operation and reduce impact on the grid.

On the other hand, during construction, it was necessary to maximize the use of natural resources through innovative ventilation mechanisms and to manage temperature through the use of windows. Keep the sun out during the cold season and block it out during the summer.

Policymakers should pay close attention to new developments in smart buildings as they offer many benefits. Smart buildings can reduce carbon emissions, improve performance, build a strong reputation, and reduce liability.

Next-generation smart building platforms can also drive better financial outcomes for real estate managers. Green buildings have higher rents and sales prices, and significantly lower vacancy rates. On the other hand, smart AI technology can bring direct economic savings. Typically, businesses pay $1 per square foot per month for energy, $10 per square foot for office rent, and $100 per square foot for employee wages.

But leaders investing in smart AI building technologies are changing the economic equation of construction while adding significant health and wellness value and creating better green workplaces.

Building a Sustainable Future

According to the U.S. Department of Energy (USE), smart building technology can save more than 60% of energy in residential buildings and up to 59% in commercial buildings. Additionally, investing in AI-powered smart building technologies that provide good indoor air quality standards has been shown to improve office building employee productivity and cognitive function by more than 10%.

International professional services network Deloitte Insights explains that smart buildings combine physical assets with digital structures that connect spaces. The organization explains that leaders should not spend money on smart building technology without a clear strategy. Before installing smart building technology, decision-makers should draft a solid business case outlining its benefits and savings, goals, revisions and milestones.

In addition, smart building technology should consider technical needs (energy saving) and consider human factors such as health, comfort and performance. Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly an innovative disruption, and data is the raw material that drives it. However, data governance and data management are essential. Buildings should not have a predetermined purpose for collecting data. Finally, it is crucial to choose a technology that is flexible and allows users to install updates and keep up with modern trends.

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