SMART BUILDINGS Embracing all that AI has to offer


Product innovation that utilises AI technology to collect and respond to data is capable of delivering highly efficient and human centric buildings, says Charles Pelletier.


Charles Pelletier


Vice president, product management at Distech Controls


www.distech-controls.com A


t Distech Controls, we were an early adopter of Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology and could see the opportunities it


offered to the building controls industry, but has the industry caught up and are we embracing all AI technology has to offer?


AI shows extraordinary promise


for transforming the world with its ability to compile and analyse vast amounts of information in real-time, apply reason, and improve processes. Research by PwC UK, commissioned by Microsoft, estimates that using AI for environmental applications could contribute up to $5.2 trillion USD to the global economy in 2030. However, the tremendous


computational power required for AI processes could derail Net Zero pledges. Large corporations are rushing to embed AI into their processes to increase efficiency, improve the customer experience, and lower costs. Many of these also have aggressive carbon-reduction goals, and while these organisations continue to grow, adding more customers and services, keeping emissions down is already a challenge.


Understanding how the thoughtful application of AI frameworks, combined with clean energy and managed energy use, is critical.


Transformative insights Artificial intelligence is rapidly emerging as a transformative tool within the developer’s toolkit, fundamentally reshaping how we approach and solve complex challenges. Its ability to learn


from data and identify intricate patterns empowers us to tackle problems with unprecedented speed and ease. Consider, for example, the power


of training AI models for diverse applications. Sensor fusion techniques leverage AI to intelligently combine data from multiple sensors, extracting richer and more nuanced insights than could be obtained from individual sensors alone. Furthermore, AI-powered computer vision models can be trained to accurately count people in a space, providing valuable occupancy data for building management. The integration of Natural Language Processing (NLP) opens up exciting possibilities, such as the generation of code directly from natural language descriptions, streamlining the development process. Beyond these examples, AI excels at


predictive tasks, accurately forecasting energy consumption peaks, anticipating temperature fluctuations within a room, or even predicting impending equipment failures in HVAC or other building systems. At Distech Controls, we disrupt with purpose; our commitment lies in developing innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate these cutting- edge technologies, including AI, IoT, IDL, cloud amongst many others. ■


EIBI | SEPTEMBER 2025


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