Schneider Electric’s new research shows that digital and electric solutions can cut carbon emissions in office buildings by up to 70%

HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach – October 6, 2023 – Renovating buildings using a digital-first approach is the best path to decarbonization, according to a new study from
Schneider Electricleader in digital transformation of energy management and automation.

Buildings account for around 37% of global carbon emissions[i]and as around half of current buildings will probably still be in use in 2050[ii]the sector urgently needs to reduce operational carbon emissions, by making buildings more energy efficient.

THE
search results show that the deployment of digital building and energy management solutions from Schneider Electric[iii] in existing office buildings could reduce their operational carbon emissions by up to 42% with a payback period of less than three years. If fossil fuel-powered heating technologies are replaced with electric alternatives and a microgrid with local renewable energy sources is installed, all-electric, all-digital buildings will see an additional 28% reduction in emissions operational carbon emissions, which will result in a total reduction. up to 70%.

Mike Kazmierczak, vice president of the Digital Energy Decarbonization Office, the team that leads scientific research and product innovation to accelerate the energy transition within Schneider Electric’s Digital Energy division, explained that “fighting operational emissions is the key lever to decarbonize existing buildings at scale and achieve net zero emissions targets by 2050. This groundbreaking research reveals that it is possible to reduce carbon emissions by up to 70% if we transform our existing real estate stock in energy-efficient, fully electrified and digitalized assets.

The research, carried out with the global design company
WSPis based on modeling the energy performance and carbon emissions of a large office building constructed in the early 2000s in various climate zones in the United States.[iv]. This digital approach to building retrofit is, however, applicable to all building types and climates and is therefore the most effective building decarbonization strategy, producing rapid results with lower “upfront carbon”.[v].

Renovating through the deployment of digital technologies is not only less disruptive to daily operations, but also more efficient from a life cycle carbon perspective. Failing to decarbonize buildings quickly could also result in stranded assets that lose value and are unattractive to both investors and tenants.

Furthermore,
recent search of
Boston University Institute for Global Sustainability and the
Schneider Electric Sustainable Development Research Institute believes that there is considerable potential to create new jobs through the transition to low-carbon buildings.

Schneider Electric is
widely recognized like a
impact business and a leader in decarbonization. Its connected products, software and sustainability services help improve operational efficiency, eliminate energy waste and provide strategies to reduce carbon emissions in buildings, factories,
data centers, infrastructure and houses. Schneider Electric’s research and decarbonization scenarios offer immediate and practical solutions to help organizations deal with the complexities of the energy transition.

To learn more about Schneider’s research findings and the three-step process (strategize, digitize, decarbonize) to accelerate the transition to carbon-neutral buildings,
visit here.



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