Summary
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Why Building Automation AI Adoption Lags
Despite decades of progress in artificial intelligence, AI adoption in building automation has remained slower than expected. This is not due to a lack of technology, but a persistent misunderstanding of configuration. Most building automation systems still operate within an “80/20” mindset which is adequate for baseline automation, but structurally incapable of extracting the remaining value hidden in variability, edge conditions, and fleet-wide performance differences.
Artificial intelligence changes what is possible.
Key Insights for Non-Technical Readers
- Configuration is not data
Setpoints and parameters are often treated as fixed values, when in reality they are control levers. Misclassifying parameters as data limits optimization possibilities and suppresses asset performance at scale. - The 80/20 rule is a structural ceiling, not a strategy
Traditional building automation configurations intentionally sacrifice the final 20% of performance for simplicity. AI enables persistent optimization, but only if configurations are flexible enough to support it. - Agility matters more than flexibility
Flexibility allows change; agility determines how quickly and safely systems adapt. AI-driven control depends on configurations that can evolve without rewriting core code. - Runtime is a misleading performance metric
Treating all runtime as equal leads to inefficient control strategies. Advanced metrics like ITAE, RMSE, and Value Gained reveal why intelligent staging and control precision matter more than raw equipment usage. - AI reveals value already present in existing assets
Most U.S. commercial buildings are not at end-of-life, rather they are under-optimized. AI enables evolutionary improvement across large, variable building portfolios without requiring full system replacement.
Bottom line:
AI augments existing building automation fundamentals. Organizations that understand configuration as an engineered hierarchy, rather than a static checklist, are positioned to unlock higher efficiency, resilience, and long-term asset value.
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