Building automations via smart energy projects are captured in this data-file, using sensors, KNX and/or AI. Optimizing lighting, heating, AC and overall energy use saves 35% energy on average. Leading suppliers of the underlying sensors and drivers are also tabulated across past projects.
500 hardware and software vendors from 45 countries make sensors, controllers, actuators and appliances for building automation, which can be interconnected and communicate with each other.
KNX is a widely used communication standard for these devices. Thus, a smart building can be given a central nervous system, on a green “bus” cable running throughout the building.
Across 45 case studies of smart energy building automation projects in this data-file, the average energy saving is 34%, compared to a prior or counterfactual system with no building automation.
In lighting, the average energy saving 35%. Most commonly, a presence detector switches off lights if no-one is in a room, or measures ambient light, then dims the artificial lights to achieve 300-500 lux of illumination.
In air conditioning, the average energy saving is 32%. The smart energy system might open windows at night or close blinds during the day to prevent heat gain.
In heating, the average energy saving is 30%. The KNX system might use temperature sensors to avoid over-heating a room, especially if no one is present, or scheduled to be present, or at night.
A key question for long-term electricity demand, and especially for US load growth, is whether AI will accelerate the potential energy savings across smart energy systems in buildings.
KNX projects have historically been expensive and complex, costing $100-500k at larger commercial properties, installing over 3,000 devices over 5,000m2 spaces.
Payback times were around 5-10 years in the case studies profiled from 2015-20, but fascinatingly, have dropped to an average of 2-years on studies reported in 2020-2025.
Payback times are also lower in geographies with higher energy prices. Thus over 60% of the case studies took place in Europe, 10% in Japan/Korea, 10% in Australia.
We also screened 70 leading providers of KNX products. It is a large landscape of companies. 30-40% feature components from ABB, Siemens and Schneider. 7-30% feature components from a dozen, private, specialist companies in the next tier.
The data behind the building automation energy savings, KNX case studies, and the full screen of leading companies can be downloaded via the button below.