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Optimizing existing buildings: when digitalization meets sustainability

10.12.2024

Previous newsletter article, week 50:
<-- Land consumption in Europe: a critical challenge for sustainability

The figures on land consumption cannot be ignored, as the annual costs amount to billions of euros, primarily due to the loss of ecosystem services. Against this backdrop, rethinking our approach to existing building stock becomes crucial. Since we cannot always afford new constructions, it makes sense to improve and optimize existing buildings.

This was precisely the focus of discussions at Smart Building Levante 2024 in Bari (Italy), where industry experts and professionals explored the development towards "Intelligent Building Operation" (IBO). It is no longer just about building automation but about a digital transformation that goes beyond the boundaries of traditional building management systems (BMS).

The challenges that Facility Managers face today are complex and interconnected. First, there is the issue of integration: most existing buildings are a mosaic of proprietary systems that do not communicate with each other. A complete renewal of these systems would not be economically viable; the real challenge is to connect them through new integration platforms.

Another challenge is managing the enormous amount of data: a modern building generates an average of 200 GB of data per day from thousands of collection points. Simply collecting this data is no longer enough – it must be interpreted and used effectively. Unsurprisingly, a new professional role is emerging, the "Building Data Analyst", who will become as important as the traditional Facility Manager.

OT cybersecurity is another critical challenge: the more devices we connect, the larger the potential attack surface. It is necessary to strike a balance between data accessibility and its protection.

In this context, integration platforms such as Elionaare emerging, facilitating dialogue between systems from different manufacturers without needing to replace existing infrastructure. These tools enable centralized building management through customizable dashboards and predictive data analysis, optimizing consumption and performance – also with the help of third-party AI services.

The industry is rapidly evolving, as evidenced by the agenda of the upcoming SMART BUILDING EXPO 2025 in Milan, which will focus on standardizing communication protocols and defining common security frameworks. These are no longer isolated experiments but an industry consolidating its practices and setting shared standards.

In conclusion, the digital transformation of existing buildings is no longer an option but a necessity, driven by the environmental crisis and economic efficiency. The technologies are available, and integration platforms are mature: the real challenge now is to implement them systematically and securely.

Photo source: EEA Signals 2019; EEA Land Take Data Viewer (EEA: Signals 2019; EEA Land Consumption Data Viewer).