Non-residential buildings are now more than ever the focus of attention when it comes to energy efficiency and reducing CO₂ emissions. There are several reasons for this, which are very clear in reality. These buildings are often large, technically complex and used for many hours – sometimes even around the clock. While a typical residential building usually has a relatively constant rhythm, loads, user numbers and requirements in non-residential buildings change almost every minute. As a result, their technical systems consume enormous amounts of energy because they have to constantly respond to changing situations – but simply cannot do so without modern control systems.
This is particularly evident in the daily routine of many institutions: in office buildings, occupancy rises sharply in the morning within a short period of time, drops at lunchtime and rises again in the afternoon. Retail spaces react to weekdays, promotions or peak times – they are often crowded on Saturdays, but empty on Mondays. Schools and universities follow timetables, with rooms only being used at certain times. Hospitals, on the other hand, operate continuously but have completely different requirements depending on the ward, time of day or weather conditions. All these usage profiles vary not only from day to day, but sometimes even from hour to hour. And each of these changes affects the demand for heating, cooling, fresh air and humidity.
When systems are running even though nobody needs anything
In practice, it is precisely this dynamic that causes technical systems to run much more frequently than they need to – not out of malice, but because the control system simply cannot keep up. In countless buildings, heating systems are already at operating temperature early in the morning, even though the first employees do not arrive until hours later. Ventilation units circulate the same amount of air throughout the day, regardless of whether there are ten or a hundred people in the room. Cooling systems start automatically at fixed times without checking whether there is any significant heat load. From an energy perspective, this means that the systems operate in “continuous mode”, regardless of whether there is a real need for them or not.
Surprisingly, these energy losses are rarely caused by defective or outdated technology. Much more often, they are due to inefficient plant operation and a control system that does not know what is really happening in the building. Many control systems are still based on rigid time schedules that were set years or even decades ago – at a time when completely different working models applied and buildings were used much less flexibly. Today, however, people work in a hybrid manner, use rooms spontaneously, shift working hours or temporarily close off parts of the building. The technology does not respond to this because it does not “think for itself”, but simply follows its old schedule.
The result is an oversupply of energy – heat, cooling or air that nobody needs. And this often happens day after day, month after month. All in all, this results in enormous losses that are neither economically nor ecologically justifiable. Without modern control technology, buildings lack the ability to sense their actual requirements. It does not know whether a room is full, empty or half full, whether the air quality is good or bad, or whether a system really needs to be running. This is precisely why, in many non-residential buildings, it is not the technical substance that is inefficient – but the way in which it is operated.
This is precisely where modern direct digital controllers come in. They form the digital nervous system of a building. By recording real measurements such as temperature, air quality, occupancy and weather data, they can control the operation of the systems so that it always matches demand. This type of intelligent control transforms building operation from a static to a dynamic system that continuously learns and optimises. Heat is generated when it is needed; ventilation is provided in the right amount and at the right time; cooling systems only run when there is an actual need for cooling. This not only saves operators considerable amounts of energy, but also increases comfort and system reliability.
How intelligent control technology combines economic efficiency and sustainability
In many cases, the introduction of modern direct digital controllers is the most efficient way to save energy. Their key advantage is that they work with existing systems. There is no need to immediately replace boilers, ventilation units or cooling systems. Instead, DDC systems get the most out of the existing technology. Malfunctions such as parallel heating and cooling, unnecessarily high setpoints, continuously running fans or inefficient volume flows are automatically detected and corrected. This often reduces energy consumption dramatically without the need for high investments – and with a very fast payback period.
Another major benefit is the transparency that modern building automation systems provide. Continuous monitoring generates clear, comprehensible data on energy consumption. Operators can immediately see when values are out of control and can react at an early stage. In contrast to conventional annual billing, permanent data evaluation allows for actual, sustainable optimisation of building operations. The technology is not only more efficient, but also more reliable, as systems wear less when they operate according to demand. Rooms remain at a stable temperature, air quality improves, and both user comfort and the service life of technical components increase.
Damit werden Direct Digital Controllers zum stärksten Hebel für energetische Verbesserungen in Nichtwohngebäuden. Während bauliche Sanierungen oft teuer und langwierig sind, wirken intelligente Steuerungen sofort. Sie reduzieren Energieverbrauch, CO₂‑Emissionen und Betriebskosten nachhaltig und bilden damit einen zentralen Baustein jeder modernen Energieeffizienzstrategie.
Fazit
If you want to reduce energy costs in the short term, reliably cut CO₂ emissions and increase comfort at the same time, you should first take a look at control technology. Direct digital controllers transform existing buildings into intelligent systems that control their energy consumption proactively and according to demand. They unlock the greatest savings potential without major construction work, create transparency in operation and extend the service life of the technology. This makes them the most effective and economical starting point for any holistic efficiency strategy for non-residential buildings.
This is precisely where our own portfolio of modern DDCs comes in. Our systems have been specially developed to precisely control the diverse requirements in non-residential buildings, make optimum use of existing building services equipment and significantly reduce energy consumption. Our solutions enable HVAC systems to be intelligently networked, efficiently controlled and monitored over the long term. In this way, we support operators in sustainably improving their building operations – energy-efficiently, comfortably and future-proof.
