Honeywell has announced a collaboration with Cisco to develop an AI-powered solution designed to automatically adjust building systems in response to fluctuating occupancy levels. This innovation aims to reduce energy consumption while optimising conditions for worker productivity and comfort. By integrating Honeywell Forge Sustainability+ for Buildings with Cisco Spaces, the partnership leverages AI and machine learning to monitor assets and adjust heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in real-time, whether for a single building or an entire campus.
Cisco Spaces gathers occupancy and environmental data from the existing Cisco network infrastructure, environmental sensors, collaboration devices, and third-party IoT devices, all without requiring additional hardware. Honeywell Forge Sustainability+ for Buildings utilises this data to enhance energy efficiency and provide insights into how buildings are being used. Alongside Honeywell’s Optimizer Advanced Controller for Buildings, this real-time occupancy information further improves energy efficiency, contributing to greater resilience.
The system autonomously adjusts room temperatures, lighting, and ventilation based on occupancy and user-selected controls, thereby automating daily building operations, optimising energy use, and ensuring employee comfort, all while monitoring greenhouse gas emissions.
“Buildings have historically been a substantial contributor to overall carbon emissions, but with the rise of hybrid work, operators now have the opportunity to take a fresh look at addressing their environmental impact by moving their HVAC systems away from consistent 9-to-5 schedules,” said Greg Turner, Chief Technology Officer of Honeywell’s Building Automation segment. “By tapping into a building’s existing technology infrastructure and harnessing the power of AI to fine-tune heating and cooling according to zone occupancy levels, our collaboration with Cisco empowers building owners to gain control of their environment and significantly curb emissions.”
This collaboration is part of Honeywell’s broader initiative to help companies minimise the environmental impact of their buildings, aligning with key trends such as automation and energy transition. It is also supported by Cisco’s Country Digital Acceleration programme, a global initiative that works with government and private sector leaders to create sustainable, secure, and inclusive communities through innovative technology solutions.
“The convergence of IT and OT infrastructures, seamlessly interoperable with leading building management system (BMS) platforms, ushers in an era of real-time data insights that can optimise energy usage, regardless of building age or retrofit status,” said Wes Sylvester, Vice President of Cisco’s Industry Solutions Group. “By working closely with Honeywell, we’re enabling building operators with enhanced visibility and control over operational data, setting a new standard for energy efficiency and reduced environmental impact.”
“Energy management is firmly at the forefront of building owners’ minds,” added Harry Wilson, Analyst at Verdantix. “The continued presence of hybrid working policies and lower office utilisation, coupled with new asset-specific realities, has put owners under substantial financial and environmental pressure to ensure they are operating facilities efficiently and not wasting resources.”
There’s plenty of other editorial on our sister site, Electronic Specifier! Or you can always join in the conversation by commenting below or visiting our LinkedIn page.
