THE SUSTAINABILITY INTERVIEW

of buildings that exist today in cities will still be in use in 2050

capabilities of our chillers,” she says.“ But it also provides an opportunity to capture that heat and then put it to work for the community as a whole.” This concept is gaining traction in Europe and parts of the United States like Virginia, where data centres are being integrated with district heating systems. Waste heat from computing can be captured by heat pumps and distributed to nearby schools, hospitals or manufacturing facilities.

“ That’ s an evolution that we think changes the whole story about data centres, from being a challenge on community infrastructure to being an igniter of new investment in and strengthening of community assets and competitiveness,” Katie explains.

The potential for AI While AI development drives increasing energy demands for data centres, it also holds potential for optimising building performance.

Katie explains that during COVID lockdowns, commercial buildings saw occupancy drop by 80 % but energy consumption fall by only 20 %.

“ Buildings are almost all analogue. They are a giant all and off switch, and when they turn off, bad things happen. So we leave them running all the time,” Katie explains.

The shift from analogue to digital buildings, powered by sensors and AI, is changing this reality. Johnson Controls’ digital platforms can process up to a million data points per minute, allowing buildings to automatically adjust based on occupancy, weather conditions and energy pricing. At Stanford University, Katie explains that this approach reduced peak energy needs by 20 % while saving US $ 500,000 annually.

32 August 2025