Continuous Optimization: The Key to Success in Digital Building Operations

Athletes preparing for a marathon carefully monitor their nutrition, train regularly, and seek professional coaching. They also undergo medical screening to prevent injuries. After just a few weeks, they begin to see noticeable improvements and their performance steadily increases. But what happens if they suddenly stop training, assuming they've already reached peak fitness? Their stamina declines, their body reverts to old habits, and on race day, it becomes clear that their progress was only temporary.

Sustainable Building Value Requires Long-Term Strategies, Not Quick Wins

The same principle applies to buildings. Many property owners are already using cloud platforms to improve building performance through real-time data and artificial intelligence. Digital optimization reduces energy consumption, operating costs, and CO₂ emissions, while increasing long-term returns and competitiveness. However, these benefits only materialize if the solution is used continuously. Just like in sports, sustained success in the highly dynamic field of building operations requires ongoing optimization. The reasons for this are both complex and compelling:

1. Malfunctions must be detected and corrected proactively

If professional athletes only had health check-ups every two years, many injuries would go unnoticed until they became chronic. The same happens in buildings when technical systems and plants are not continuously monitored. Even after initial savings are realized, inefficiencies can creep in due to wear and tear or improper operation.

Example: After maintenance, an event space's airconditioning system remains stuck at an inefficient setting. Without continuous analyses and alerts, the issue might go unnoticed until guests start complaining about poor indoor air quality. Cloud platforms for digital building optimization identify such inefficiencies during operation, preventing discomfort and technical failures.

2. Sustainable savings require continuous operational optimization

One-time savings in a building can be compared to a crash diet: the results may be visible in the short term, but without sustainable change, old habits return, and the gains disappear. CO₂ emissions and costs rise again.

Example: A shopping center reduces its energy consumption by 20 % per year using AI-driven ventilation control. If the solution is switched off after just one year, inefficient system behavior gradually returns. Instead, an intelligent software solution could proactively control ventilation using weather forecasts and real-time data from people-counting systems. In many cases, the associated licensing costs can be passed on to tenants and are offset or exceeded by the savings.

3. Regulatory requirements for buildings are constantly evolving

Long-term success requires compliance with regulations. Just as professional sports have doping controls and safety standards, building regulations are constantly evolving - especially in the areas of digitalization, energy efficiency, and reporting.

Example: The owner of an office complex must demonstrate to investors that his building automation complies with the German Buildings Energy Act (GEG). By implementing aedifion’s TÜV-certified solution for efficient building operations across his portfolio, he can easily provide certification and automatically meet the requirements of the EU’s Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD).

4. Flexible energy procurement and dynamic tariffs are becoming the standard

The energy transition requires buildings to become active players in the power grid. Software for digital operational optimization allows them to not only consume energy but also store it and return it to the grid. However, this requires constantly active, dynamic control.

Example: A building with a photovoltaic system optimizes its energy consumption through demand side management, storing excess energy for later use. During peak periods, dynamic electricity tariffs allow additional power to be purchased at the lowest available rate. Without a continuously active cloud-based control system, this potential would remain untapped.

5. Reliable data basis for reporting and decarbonization strategies

From tracking lap times to monitoring heart rate or strength metrics, only those who systematically record their progress can improve and reach peak performance. The same applies to buildings: only continuous data collection and analyses enables reliable reporting and informed renovation decisions.

Example: An asset manager wants to assess the sustainability of his portfolio. Instead of relying on estimates or sporadic audits, he uses a cloud platform to access structured energy, consumption, and operational data at any time. This provides a solid foundation for taxonomy and ESG reporting that can be leveraged by specialized ESG platforms. The data also makes it easier to compare and evaluate future retrofits along the decarbonization pathway.

6. Sustainable operational efficiency requires continuous performance monitoring

In both sports and building operations, success depends on continuous monitoring. Only those who regularly measure and evaluate their own and their team's performance can maintain control over results and achieve long-term success.

Example: A facility management company contractually guarantees that the heating systems in an office complex will operate efficiently. With cloud-based analytics, property owners and asset managers can verify at any time that performance commitments are being met – just as a coach reviews performance data to ensure his team follows tactical instructions.

‍„Continuous operational optimization is far more than a strategic lever for cost reduction – it is the key to long-term competitiveness and essential to avoiding sustainability-driven value loss.“ Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fütterer | CEO at aedifion

7. Operational requirements for buildings change regularly

Long-term success demands flexibility. In sports, this means adapting to new training methods; in building operations, it means adapting to tenant changes, conversion or new regulatory requirements. In this case, operational parameters must be quickly adjusted to meet evolving needs.

Example: A traditional office building is being transformed into a modern co-working space with open work areas. The new usage model requires individualized adjustment of heating, ventilation, and cooling (HVAC) systems based on occupancy. Thanks to an AI-powered cloud platform, the technical operation can be seamlessly adapted to the new requirements – without expensive renovations.

8. Expanding real estate portfolios require scalable solutions

Many companies manage not just a single building but an entire portfolio, each with different technologies and unique optimization needs. Without a scalable, flexible solution, it becomes nearly impossible to maintain consistently high efficiency standards across all properties.

Example: An asset manager oversees 50 office buildings of varying ages and wants to digitally optimize his portfolio. A cloud platform can be seamlessly integrated into each building via plug-and-play activation ora minimally invasive hardware retrofit, regardless of age or level ofdigitalization. This ensures long-term, portfolio-wide optimization.

Conclusion: From Sprint Mentality to Marathon Strategy for Lasting Success

The examples above demonstrate that success is not a one-time achievement but an ongoing process. Many companies have already embraced cloud-based operational optimization – reaping the benefits of lower operating costs, stable returns, and increased tenant and investor satisfaction.

Now is the time to act – ensuring buildings don’t just achieve temporary efficiency gains but secure lasting value over time!