Sustainability in Construction: AI Provides Solution to Building’s Energy Efficiency Without Reconstruction

In the current real estate market, operational costs and sustainability are crucial, particularly after the 116.4 % increase in energy prices by the first half of 2023. 

Donatas Karčiauskas, CEO of Exergio. Image Credit: Exergio

​​​​The European Union's Taxonomy for Sustainable Activities has become a key factor in this context, emphasizing environmentally friendly buildings' role in market valuation and alignment with broader environmental goals. Since Exergio, an AI-based solution, tackles the same problem, its goals align with the EU Taxonomy’s values.

The international company's AI-based platform is designed to bring energy efficiency to commercial buildings.

"Sometimes a building's heating and cooling systems operate simultaneously by error, which wastes a large quantity of energy, CO₂, and money. Our system, integrating the latest in AI technology, operates 24/7, continuously optimizing building operations," says Donatas Karčiauskas, CEO of Exergio.

Exergio itself promises substantial savings of up to 20 % for commercial buildings through advanced energy optimization. In Poznan, Poland, the application of Exergio's platform in 2 out of 5 buildings (52,000 sq. m.) on a five-building complex led to nearly €80 K savings in just nine months, highlighting the platform's capability to reduce operational costs and contribute to sustainability without reconstruction.

"The good news is that to expand the building's energy efficiency and, at the same time, increase the real estate value, it is not necessary to completely reconstruct the building, which requires huge investments. First of all, it would be appropriate to prevent excessive energy consumption in different engineering systems of the building by using intelligent building management," says Karčiauskas.

There are several ways in which buildings are being reconstructed to achieve energy efficiency, and scientists debate whether renovation or demolition and construction of a new building is more cost-efficient. Despite that, the European Building Automation Controls Association supports the use of building automation and control systems, which are crucial to reaching energy efficiency goals.

"If you undertake building reconstruction, the payback through energy savings occurs over 15 years. If you improve engineering systems, payback occurs from 3 to 7 years. However, if you install the Exergio platform, the payback can happen within a year," concludes Karčiauskas.

Building Management Market is Facing Rapid Growth, Echoing Global Call for Carbon Neutrality

Amidst a growing market for building management solutions, which was worth $14.33 billion in 2021 and is expected to reach $48.79 billion by the end of 2030 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 14.64 %, Exergio's achievements align with an increasing demand for energy-efficient technologies. This focus is also crucial in the global drive toward carbon neutrality by 2050, a goal prominently highlighted by the United Nations Secretary-General.

”Before the publication of the EU Taxonomy, 10/10 building owners said that their energy costs are covered by tenants, so they don't care about how much energy is consumed, but in recent years, 8/10 are already planning to implement sustainable building management solutions, and it doesn't matter that those energy costs are covered by tenants,” CEO of Exergio adds, explaining how sustainability issues have been taken seriously.

With ongoing projects in Poland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Oman, Sweden, and Lithuania, and plans to extend its reach to Germany and France, Exergio is at the forefront of the transition toward sustainable building management.