AMP Capital is set to introduce new energy saving technology across its real estate portfolio that uses artificial intelligence to automatically regulate heating and cooling.
The autonomous heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) system will be deployed across AMP’s portfolio of CBD office buildings, retail shopping centres and logistics facilities by Canadian-based company BrainBox AI.
The system autonomously controls a building’s heating and cooling to reflect changes in temperature outside the building, as well as internal occupancy levels.
Six AMP Capital managed buildings in Sydney, Melbourne and Wollongong are already in the pilot phase of the new system, which is expected to be rolled out to over 40 buildings in Australia and New Zealand early next year.
“Practically, this technology moves in step and even ahead of the weather,” AMP Capital’s head of asset technology Daniel Lepore said.
“On a cold day it will automatically increase the temperature to suit the climate and vice versa on a hot day.”
Lepore said that traditional HVAC systems have been too slow to react to changes in the weather, resulting in higher energy consumption and poor user experience.
AMP Capital expects the carbon footprint of its portfolio will shrink 20-40 percent as result of more efficient climate control, with a commensurate reduction in energy spend of up to 20 percent.
Head of sustainability and platform operations for AMP Capital, Chris Nunn, added that the new system will help the company achieve its net zero carbon aspirations and 2030 Sustainability strategy.
The company also claims there will be an “up to 60 percent improvement in comfort” for building occupants.
“We won’t have to wait for our customers to pick up the phone, the system will respond before there is even an issue,” Lepore said.