Schneider Finds Occupant-Based Controls Save $$

MISSISSAUGA, Ontario -- Schneider Electric, a developer of energy management and automation solutions, has found that applying occupancy-based controls in meeting rooms leads to an average of 22 per cent savings in operational energy use and carbon emissions for the meeting rooms.
 
The study, which is being released at MIPIM 2025 in a new white paper, “Reduce Carbon in the Real World: Occupancy Setbacks Deliver Big Impact for Commercial Offices,” presents compelling evidence around the impact of smart building technology and an approach for businesses seeking energy-efficient solutions that do not require extensive building retrofits.

It analyzed how real-time occupancy detection could optimize room conditioning, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining indoor air quality and occupant comfort.

Key findings include:

• Energy Efficiency Gains: Occupancy-based controls allowed the meeting room to remain in a resting state — at a lower temperature setpoint with minimized HVAC, lighting, and plug load use — 76 per cent of the time during business hours, significantly reducing energy consumption.

• Energy and Carbon Reduction: Comparing high-occupancy business days to low-occupancy days over a 4-week period, the study observed the lower occupancy days had an average of a 22 per cent reduction in operational energy and carbon in meeting rooms than on higher occupancy days, associated with fan coil, lighting, and plug load use as direct result of occupancy-based controls applied to these rooms.

• Cost Savings & ROI: The estimated payback period of two years for implementing the advanced sensoring that enables occupancy controls, is conservative, as the analysis only accounted for room-level energy cost savings. If energy cost savings from other HVAC components such as air handling units were included, the payback period would be even shorter.

• Indoor Air Quality & Comfort: Despite the application of controls, CO2 levels, relative humidity (RH), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remained within industry-recommended healthy ranges, supporting occupant well-being.

The research was conducted during January and February 2024 at 150 Holborn in London, a 9-story, 200,000-square-foot smart office building designed for sustainability and occupant well-being. A technology-first approach equips the building with a modern Building Management System (BMS) EcoStruxure Building Advisor, IoT-enabled sensors EcoStruxure Connected Room Solutions, and an integrated room booking system via Planon’s Integrated Workplace Management System.

The facility represented an ideal test case for evaluating the impact of energy conservation measures (ECMs) in a real-world environment.

The research team intentionally focused on meeting rooms as the unit of measure—spaces common to all office environments—to ensure broad applicability across commercial buildings.

“This study is compelling and demonstrates how simple, smart adjustments to room settings can have a measurable impact on energy efficiency and carbon, without compromising comfort or air quality,” said Jean-Marc Zola, Building Segments President at Schneider Electric. “These savings are not hypothetical—they are based on real-world data from a fully operational office building.”

A Scalable Blueprint for Smarter Offices
While 150 Holborn showcases a state-of-the-art smart building, the study’s findings are widely applicable to both new and existing office spaces, where similar savings can be achieved in any building equipped with a modern BMS and sensor-based occupancy detection.

As businesses face growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and operational costs, solutions like occupancy-based controls present an accessible, high-impact strategy for commercial buildings. This research reinforces Schneider Electric’s commitment to driving smarter, more sustainable buildings and ensuring that energy efficiency and reduced emissions are not just a goal, but a practical, data-driven reality for offices worldwide.

To access the full white paper, go to www.se.com/ww/en/download/document/998-23759500_GMA/.
Schneider’s purpose is to create Impact by empowering all to make the most of our energy and resources, bridging progress and sustainability for all.

For more, go to www.se.com/ca.