Modern Building Services

10 MODERN BUILDING SERVICES APRIL 2023 FEATURE NET ZERO S mart buildings, defined as those employing interconnected digital and automation technologies to optimize performance, are fast being recognized as critical to decarbonizing the built environment and limiting global temperature rise to 1.5°C this century. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) 2020 Global status report1, building construction and operations account for 38% of total energy- related CO 2 emissions globally. Energy production is responsible for 76% of greenhouse gases (GHGs) worldwide 2 . Furthermore, the figures for building operations in isolation have increased to a record high of 28% of energy related CO 2 emissions. The increasing importance of building decarbonization, and the role of innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI) and Internet of things (IoT) solutions, were recognised at the COP27 climate conference 3 in SharmEl Sheik in Egypt, wheremore than 140 of the events focused on real estate and construction. Intelligent, fit-for-purpose buildings solutions, founded on AI and IoT, have a significant role to play in ensuring the long-term viability of the world’s building stock, which, as the 2021 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction points out, needs to be at Net Zero emissions by 2050 4 . Smart technology can be used to monitor and leverage all aspects of building and facility management, from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) to the usage and allocation of energy. AI has the power to take things a step further, upgrading building systems, enabling them to learn, reason and even solve problems, for even greater optimization and decarbonizing infrastructure. How does AI enable smart building systems? We’ve all no doubt encountered the AI that is already embedded in many aspects of our everyday lives, whether that’s on our social media feeds or entertainment streaming services. In an industrial setting, AI can fast track society’s journey to carbon neutrality. According to the Capgemini Research Institute, AI is likely to reduce overall GHG emissions by 16% by 2030 and is estimated to have helped organizations fulfil up to 45% of the Paris Agreement targets 5 . Let’s take HVAC systems as a real- world example of how this works. Since HVAC and lighting alone can account for about 50% of energy use in an average commercial building 6 , implementing central and automated controls has a significant impact in terms of conserving energy and waste reduction. Using a basic, non-programmable thermostat without AI, the desired temperature is set, and when it deviates from this setting the system automatically triggers the heat or air conditioning through an electrical connection. This functionality is commonplace, even for HVAC systems in larger buildings. Artificial intelligence (AI), incorporating Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, is key to enabling building owners and managers to improve performance as well as lowering energy use, costs and carbon emissions, writes Adalbert Neumann , Global Product Group Manager Building & Home Automation Solutions, Smart Buildings Division, ABB Electrification. Artificial intelligence can help unlock efficiency and emissions savings