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The Future of the Built Environment: How AI is Powering Autonomous Buildings
Irina Koitz, Director of Data Strategy and Intelligence at Johnson Controls, recently joined a panel discussion with Commercial Real Estate AI industry experts exploring the evolution from traditional Building Management Systems to AI-powered autonomous buildings.
Her message was clear: we’re moving beyond smart buildings into a new era of autonomous, self-driving buildings—and AI is the engine driving that transformation.
AI is embedded across our OpenBlue digital portfolio in two key ways:
Intelligent Capabilities – From forecasting occupancy and energy use to enabling fully autonomous operations, AI is unlocking new levels of performance.
Enhanced User Experience – Generative AI (GenAI) is making insights more accessible, translating complex data into clear, actionable recommendations—even for non-technical users.
Irina gave a great example of this capability in action with Stanford University, where our OpenBlue enabled:
- $500,000 in annual energy savings
- 68% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions
- 15% reduction in domestic water use
In closing, Irina laid out a practical roadmap for building owners and operators:
- Start with Anomaly Detection & Forecasting: Leverage early-stage AI to uncover inefficiencies and anticipate usage trends. This foundational step helps identify where energy and operational savings can be made.
- Implement Predictive Maintenance: Use AI to monitor equipment health and detect early warning signs. This reduces unplanned downtime and extends asset life—saving time and money.
- Enhance the Occupant Experience: Introduce systems that learn and adapt to individual preferences, creating more comfortable, responsive environments for tenants and staff.
- Adopt Closed-Loop Optimization: Enable AI to make real-time adjustments within safe operating limits, continuously fine-tuning systems for peak performance without manual intervention.
- Move Toward Interconnected Autonomy: Deploy systems that not only act independently but also explain their decisions. This builds trust and reduces the need for constant human oversight—true autonomy in action.