EU taxonomy requires intelligent real estate management

The study "Environmental Footprint of Buildings in Germany," commissioned by the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR), shows that in 2014 40 percent of Germany's greenhouse gas emissions were caused by the production, construction, modernization and operation of residential and non-residential buildings. Another study by the German Sustainable Building Council found that, assuming 50 years of use, about 65 percent of greenhouse gas emissions are generated in the operation of buildings and about 35 percent in the production and demolition of buildings. The situation is also reflected in energy consumption. In Germany, around 38 percent of primary energy is consumed in buildings, 37 of which in non-residential buildings, i.e., buildings owned by companies as well as the public sector.

"Recording and monitoring energy consumption in buildings are fundamental corporate tasks," explains Christian Wild, Managing Director of Iconag-Leittechnik GmbH in Idar-Oberstein, "this is the only way to produce ESG reporting (environmental, social and governance information) that complies with the specifications." All of the approximately 15,000 non-SMEs(small and medium-sized enterprises) in Germany are already required by EN 16247 to conduct regular energy audits and must at least collect energy consumption data. More and more will also have to operate an energy management system in accordance with ISO 50001.

"Companies will only be able to position themselves in the competition in the long term if they continuously improve in terms of sustainability," Wild emphasizes. "If retail and service companies not only want to report their carbon footprint, but also improve it in terms of a management approach, they should look to introduce an energy management system soon, along with a management system for optimized building operations." 

Wild elaborates that the energy management potential for shopping centers, for example, would be 49 percent, for office buildings 39 percent, for schools 39 percent, for hotels 25 percent and for hospitals 18 percent. In addition, he said, adapting the building to new usage scenarios such as flexible and virtual teamwork plays a major role in office properties. "There is a need for digitization here, because building automation must not remain an island," explains Wild, "the data from it is also important for other agencies and systems. For example, for cost development and billing, occupancy of rooms, control of the cleaning service provider and many more."

Trends and goals of building automation are, in addition to the requirements for energy efficiency, IT security and the increasingly extensive collection, storage and evaluation of process data from the building. More and more "IoT devices" (Internet of Things) are also entering the building: waste management, indoor navigation, workplace occupancy, parking lot reservation, energy measurement, charging station management or IT monitoring. Building automation of the future will be able to do all this. Possible applications include IoT devices such as trash cans that monitor the fill level themselves or sensor technology in toilets that reports when soap or paper needs to be refilled. Indoor navigation, controlled via Bluetooth, is part of the Smart Office. It reports the occupancy of rooms and workstations and guides employees to them. All this not only saves space and energy, but also optimizes the deployment of personnel.

The Iconag building control system provides a wide range of solutions. The technical building management systems created with the B-CON software offer customized management functions for different types of buildings. By using the software, the required technology can also be brought into older buildings and existing systems can be transferred and networked into modern building management.

"Building owners, planners and operators of real estate are facing important challenges," says Wild. "We offer them our support and provide them with clear recommendations. In this way, they can make their properties 'digitization-ready' to simplify processes and manage buildings in a more energy- and resource-efficient way."

Corporate ESG reporting

ESG reporting including a carbon footprint is expected to become mandatory for every German non-SME from January 1, 2023. In perspective, it will become mandatory for all companies.