AI as an accelerator for energy efficiency in buildings – reducing emissions and saving costs in real time

“Artificial intelligence is one of the most powerful tools for aligning economic value with climate goals. It enables buildings to achieve substantial energy savings without compromising comfort or functionality. This ability to strike the right balance is what makes smart energy management such a great solution,” writes Ahmet Köse, CEO of R8 Technologies.

Sustainability, energy efficiency and AI have been my passions since my doctoral studies. The real estate industry – which forms 36 percent of energy-related emissions globally – is crucial in carrying out environmental responsibility. The journey of our technology company R8 Technologies with AI-based property management and smart energy management has been a constant learning process. Yet information on the potential of AI in energy efficiency motivates me every day.

AI in real estate management – average of 23 percent energy savings and 28 percent cost savings

My journey with questions of energy efficiency began as a doctoral student, and through deep theoretical information, I understood that by addressing energy consumption in the real estate industry we can create significant change. Buildings consume an enormous amount of energy and produce significant emissions. However, as an engineer, optimization has been my greatest passion – how to get systems to work better and with less resources?

R8 Technologies was created from our wish to solve real world problems with technology. We realized that AI may be the key to saving energy and improving how buildings work. AI enables smart and automatic optimization, which brings significant savings without having to compromise the functionality or comfort of the building.

AI optimizes buildings’ systems – heating, cooling and ventilation – in real time. Not only does it react to situations, it also predicts and constantly learns, which enables the prevention of energy waste without having to lower indoor air quality. R8‘s software is an add-on to the real estate management system installed remotely, and it does not require separate devices or even a visit from our company representative.

Skepticism of building owners turned into measurable results

At the start of our story, one of our greatest challenges was the general distrust towards AI. Many building owners did not believe that AI could produce better results than traditional methods. This is inevitable when a new technology is developed.

We solved this by focusing on transparency and producing measurable results. This approach has been a central factor in convincing our stakeholders that AI can offer reliable and lasting solutions. When building owners and managers see clear and measurable results, their trust grows and they are ready to adopt AI as part of their toolkit.

The results were rewarding. For example, our company’s AI made over 15 million adjustments, reduced 29,000 tons of carbon dioxide emissions and saved 9 million euros of our clients’ energy costs. These results show how AI can reduce the environmental load and financial costs.

The future of buildings is completely automated and data based

According to our view, the future of our buildings is automated and data based. Buildings can communicate with each other, share energy and optimize the use of energy produced and stored in real time. This brings enormous environmental benefits and enables new ways for building owners to manage energy use. Smart energy management is not only limited to single buildings, but can also extend to entire building communities, which can produce more energy than they consume.

If you are a building owner and want to make your building more energy efficient, start by analyzing your current energy consumption. Information is the key to everything: once we understand how energy is used, we can make smart decisions and take buildings towards greater energy efficiency. AI lives off information, and once deployed, it can take efficiency to the next level. Our goal is to expand AI-based solutions globally and make smart energy management a new standard in buildings. The future of real estate management is smart and automated, and I hope that the entire real estate industry adopts the role of AI implementing environmental responsibility. We all hold the keys to success.

Ahmet Köse
CEO
(ahmet.kose@r8tech.io, +372 54585454)
www.r8tech.io