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Buildings consume a significant proportion of total energy in Switzerland and Europe. At the same time, many systems operate far below their optimum efficiency — not because the technology is missing, but because the control system is missing. This is exactly where building automation comes in.
What is building automation?
Building automation refers to a permanently installed infrastructure of sensors, actuators and communication systems that controls, automates and optimizes heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and other systems. It is therefore not a unique service, but an integral part of the building — and addresses two key regulatory requirements at the same time: Minimum energy performance standards and the increasing Duty to automate.
Up to 35% saving potential
The potential of building automation has been scientifically proven and through practical studies from leading providers and cross-industry reports — such as the study “Smart and green” from economiesuisse, digitalswitzerland and Accenture — well documented:
- +20% can be implemented in almost every building with low-CAPEX measures: presence-based ventilation, thermostats, night lowering. Low effort, effective immediately.
- ~ 25% can be achieved when all TGA systems work together automatically, as needed and in a networked manner — in accordance with ISO 52120 class A.
- > 35% are realistic when continuous monitoring, data analysis and predictive optimization also take effect. This is where the area where AI makes a measurable difference starts.
Operational optimization vs. building automation — an important difference
Building automation is often combined with the widely used in Switzerland Operational optimization confused by sanitary companies or energy consulting firms. This is a temporary service: Experts check systems, correct adjustments and eliminate losses — typically with 5-10% savings. Building automation, on the other hand, works permanently, autonomously and continuously.
Why individual room control is crucial
Many automation solutions only optimize heating and cooling generation. This already brings savings, but its effect is limited due to the hydraulic connection of different parts of the building.
A building usually has large, inert spaces — and small, fast-reacting rooms. Pure generation optimization must make a compromise between the two: The building is heated up across the board so that the inert space is warm in time — at the expense of efficiency in a small space.
One Individual room control resolves this conflict: It preheats the large room on Sunday evening, the small one only half an hour before the user arrives. The result is more precise, efficient — and more convenient.
Comfort as a value lever: Indoor environmental quality mandatory from May 2026
Building automation not only has an effect on energy consumption, but also directly on the quality of stay. Precise room-by-room control increases comfort and thus the value of the building.
Regulatory systems also take this aspect into account: From May 29, 2026 Do automation systems for non-residential buildings have to monitor the Indoor Environmental Quality (IEQ) enable. This includes continuous measurement of temperature, CO₂ concentration and humidity in every occupancy-relevant zone, logging of these values over at least 24 months, and threshold alarms and visualization for users.
Building automation is one of the most effective measures today to simultaneously increase energy efficiency and comfort and at the same time meet regulatory requirements. It is not only the automation of generation that is decisive, but intelligent, demand-oriented control down to room level.
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White paper: The role of building automation
In our free White paper “The role of building automation in the renovation strategy“It deals with the following topics.
- regulatory and strategic drivers, which increase modernization pressure on buildings
- Building automation as the first measure in the renovation path, including cost and impact assessment
- data-driven support for subsequent investments, for example to correctly size heat pumps or to identify energy weak points
- Business models and modern wireless BMS solutions, which significantly simplify retrofitting, particularly in existing buildings
Viboo is an AI-based building automation solution that brings predictive control at room level to existing buildings — without major investment, with measurable effect. Get non-binding advice now on how your real estate portfolio can become more energy efficient: Book an appointment
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