Improving building efficiencies with LightFi sensors

Knight Frank's trialling of LightFi’s innovative climate technology that helps improve building efficiencies.
Climate Change Mitigation Health, Wellbeing and Social Value Advancing Net Zero Case Studies

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Project Overview

Since 2020, Knight Frank has been trialling LightFi’s innovative climate technology that helps improve building efficiencies. LightFi is a Proptech SME that uses real-time occupancy data to save energy, optimise space & provide a healthy working environment – in line with the race to net zero buildings.

LightFi designs hardware and software tech to help users achieve their energy and resource reduction goals and allows them to monitor their buildings remotely via a dashboard with detailed insights. Their easy-to-install solution can be retrofitted or installed in new-builds, and uses Internet of Things (IoT) sensors to measure in-room conditions such as air quality, pollution and occupancy.

Location

Knight Frank, UK

UK availability

Yes

Date added

Jan, 2022

Project partners

Knight Frank; LightFi

Links

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Case Studies submitted by

Knight Frank

Key Sustainability Objectives/ Outcomes

Why is this technology important for real estate? 

Buildings account for circa. 40% of global emissions and in the UK, 30% of emissions come from the building industry, mainly through operational in-use from: heating, cooling and electricity usage. LightFi’s ultimate goal for this project is to deliver energy savings and significant carbon emission reductions – which all feeds into the sector’s drive to become net-zero by 2030. A wide variety of commercial building and occupancy types can benefit from the savings.

How does it help reduce energy consumption in practice?

By knowing how many people are using a particular space, LightFi can ensure that the building is only using the resources it needs. For example, when occupancy levels are low, LightFi automatically reduces energy consumption when not needed.

LightFi’s IoT technology and its integration for specific building automation and control strategies has the potential to reduce a building’s HVAC energy consumption by up to 50% (depending on the HVAC infrastructure and exactly how the building is controlled).

While reducing energy use, LightFi technology also has the potential to improve indoor air quality and thermal comfort during times of high occupancy, contributing to improved wellbeing & productivity of occupants. A single LightFi Base sensor in a building is quoted to save as much carbon as planting 500 trees.

Notable Approaches And Solutions

Knight Frank are strong believers that with technology and natural solutions we can combat climate change. They have been trialling the LightFi solution in Baker Street for over 12 months, and so far are impressed with the insights, and importantly, potential savings of circa £50,000 in the Baker Street South Wing.

Their goal is to start leveraging their PAM portfolio and to utilise the relationships they have internally with clients, facility/building managers and surveyors. For this project, Knight Frank will facilitate access to receptive commercial real estate owners and occupiers prepared to enable the LightFi technology to be deployed in their assets and portfolios. This will inform future strategies around mass deployment of the innovation through the UK (and global) existing building stock.

​​​​​​​In 2022, Knight Frank will be working with LightFi to install the technology into as many varied building typologies as possible, to contribute towards the net zero goals that many of their clients, customers and peer share.

Related members

Knight Frank

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