Problem Addressed

An ever-changing regulatory and market context makes it challenging for Real Estate professionals to develop and adhere to sustainability goals. Without data that is sufficient in scope and quality and with data often scattered across various manual workflows in spreadsheets in different teams, it is difficult to develop the right strategies for investment and renovation decisions that reduce emissions cost-effectively. Now that CO2e is part of the cost function of real estate, asset managers and consultants must find actionable and data-driven strategies to secure profitability.

Solution Overview

Optiml is a scalable SaaS solution which uses optimisation algorithms and energy models developed at ETH Zurich to understand the potential of assets and portfolios, optimise investment strategies, plan asset-specific renovations, and plan for long-term regulatory compliance. Optiml supports companies in meeting their targets by providing a platform to balance CO2e, cost, and earnings. The solution can be used to manage all types of buildings and is easy to use, scalable to any portfolio size, and deployable with little data to engineering-grade analyses with 3D Digital Twins (Rhino) for Renovation action plans.

To begin using Optiml, organisations can start by just providing an address. Optiml’s Data Warehouse can then begin to provide insights which companies can supplement with a variety of data sources including building master data, cost benchmarks, local policies, energy consumption, smart meters, Capex plans, ESG software, and more. Optiml’s AI-driven solution will then fill in the gaps in data availability and quality by incorporating Capex and Opex benchmarks, real estate market data, GIS and open data, emission and climate data, and policy information including incentives and subsidies.

Next, Optiml will connect all these data streams into their decision-making platform where their algorithms can develop strategies to minimise cost and CO2e (Scope 1-3). Optiml developed engineering-grade Digital Twins of buildings to run energy simulations and optimise for cost and emissions while accounting for Capex, Opex, Energy, Revenue, and Policy to find the optimal investment strategies, prioritizations, and detailed renovation plans for assets and portfolios. Companies can develop their own strategies using Optiml’s Strategy Designer to set targets based on ROI, Net Zero, EPC and more, down to a component-level. These strategies stay up-to-date automatically and provide dynamic insights.

Lastly, Optiml can be used to download data and reports such as Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in multiple formats which can be easily integrated into existing MIS or ESG platforms, in Excel or PDF. Since Optiml’s Data Warehouse is integrating hundreds of data sources and best practices, their solution can provide up-to-date information on climate scenarios, policies, and economics.

Case Study

  • Background: Consultant developing an office building renovation strategy (constructed 1972), currently EPC F, client wants to re-develop office building for improved rentability and efficiency.
  • Building: High glazed area in temperate climate, HVAC systems need urgent replacing, Existing oil heating with heating ceilings, Annual energy data, resorted to Energy simulation with EnergyPlus + SIA norms, District heating available in 2030.
  • Results: Optiml “Feasible low CO2” strategy chosen by client, reduces Capex & achieves ROI goal
    Oil boiler (107 kW) urgently replaced with temporary Biomass (31 kW) with planned envelope renovation in 2027. District Heating installed in 2040 as main source.
  • Outcome: Total CO2e (Scope 1-3) saved: 650 tCO2e, Cost of CO2e (Scope 1-3): 545 EUR/tCO2e.
  • Impact: Results approved by consultant and moved forward to invesment committee by real estate investor towards tendering. 80% workflow (data and analysis) time reduced with “better” strategies using low-CO2 materials with accurate cost data, adhering to local regulations. Capex reduced by 31% vs. Baseline and 70% operational CO2 savings (Scope 1-2) while achieving 3.75% ROI target.

Facts and Figures

>2B EUR
>588 kt
>25 %
>80 %

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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