Autonomous AI HVAC optimisation

A fully autonomous advanced artificial intelligent solution that optimizes commercial HVAC systems.
Climate Change Mitigation Retrofit Advancing Net Zero

Problem Addressed

Real estate accounts for over 40% of annual global energy usage and 40% of this energy usage comes from a building’s HVAC system (source). Considering that 80% of the current building stock will still exist by 2050, we cannot just rely on the development of new, efficient and sustainable buildings. We must make that 80% more sustainable, which starts with the way they are operating. After all, the cheapest and cleanest energy a building will ever use is the energy it doesn’t use in the first place. The opportunity to turn these inefficient systems into efficient ones to reduce energy consumption and fight climate change was the inspiration behind the innovation.

Solution Overview

BrainBox AI is a fully autonomous advanced artificial intelligent solution that optimizes commercial HVAC systems. It requires no human intervention and with the power of AI, turns HVAC systems from reactive to pre-emptive. The standalone solution is offered as a SaaS, requiring no retrofitting or sensor installation, and is deployable around the world with virtual set up in no time, making buildings smarter, leaner, and greener.

The solution is connected to a building’s HVAC system where it maps the system and applies industry standard tagging to the equipment. Once the data is normalized, the AI-powered solution begins to learn the thermal behaviour and integrate external data (weather predictions, utility tariff structures). With this knowledge BrainBox AI can predict with up to 99.6% accuracy the future state of each zone in the building. It then begins to make adjustments every 5-minutes by sending guidelines to individual pieces of equipment, reducing their runtime. This in turn allows for up to 25% savings in HVAC energy, up to 40% reduction in carbon footprint, an improvement of up to 60% in occupant comfort, and an extension in equipment life up to 50%. The reduction in both energy consumption and carbon footprint as well as the improvement in comfort are all shown on the building’s dashboard.

Reducing carbon emissions connected to HVAC systems is a direct result of the reduction in energy consumption by them. However, with the help of BrainBox AI buildings also curtail their reliability on non-renewable energy sources through peak shaving.

BrainBox AI’s solution is offered as a SaaS. The energy savings alone outweigh the monthly subscription cost for the solution. Client’s are immediately cash-positive and they derive many more benefits. The improved occupant comfort allows for happier more productive tenants as well as a more attractive building for tenants to occupy.

The extension in equipment lifetime also allows for longer times between necessary repairs and replacements, avoiding more frequent capital intensive projects.

Company name

BrainBox AI

UK availability

Yes

Solution launch date

May 2019

Links

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Case Study

Westcliff, a Canadian private real estate development and investment company, has a portfolio of more than 10 million square feet of leasable space in Canada and the United States. For this asset, Granby Galleries located in Quebec, the primary project objective was to achieve energy savings while also improving the efficiency of the building’s individual HVAC equipment.

This resulted in electricity savings on HVAC equipment of 205,214 kWh (21%) after a year of operation with BrainBox AI. Total monetary savings for the year amounted to 19,249 CAD, significantly reducing the shopping centre’s operating expenses and improving its net operating income.

Aligned with the clients primary goals, BrainBox AI’s technology helped improve operational efficiency by optimizing the usage of certain HVAC equipment autonomously, the result of which was an average reduction in equipment runtime of 55%. BrainBox AI was able to achieve these savings and reduction in equipment runtime while avoiding any fluctuations in average zone temperature (average temperature of 69 °F with BrainBox AI, versus 68.9°F without BrainBox AI).

Facts and Figures

<25 %

Savings in HVAC energy.

<40 %

Reduction in carbon footprint.

<60 %

Improvement in occupant comfort.

<50 %

Extension in equipment life.

This page presents data, evidence, and solutions that are provided by our partners and members and should therefore not be attributed to UKGBC. While we showcase these solutions for inspiration, to build consensus, and create momentum for climate action, UKGBC does not offer commercial endorsement of individual solutions. If you would like to quote something from this page, or more information, please contact our Communications team at media@ukgbc.org.

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