Management apps are not just convenient to have, they save thousands and sometimes tens of thousands of dollars each year. Companies from all over the world are competing for space among those startups honored last year by the Stockholm based Memoori Business Intelligence for their innovations in Smart building technology.

Holistic Approaches to Commercial Building Energy Management

The highest ranked startups in the Smart building sector include energy management apps for commercial real estate buildings. Some companies like Schneider Electric are taking a fundamental approach to energy management beyond apps. They promote building energy management through proprietary Smart panels and meters.

Another holistic approach is being taken by Blue Pillar to combat the problem of pulling together disparate legacy systems to operate within a modern energy management system. Their technology allows upgrades to new energy management technology without paying the expense or going through the trouble of destroying old systems.

CBRE is testing an energy management system controlled entirely through IoT LED lighting in it’s Amsterdam offices next year. The network of LED lights will be able to both control energy systems throughout the building as well as simultaneously collect and analyze data from sensors and beacons.

6 Energy Management Apps

For small and medium sized businesses, the most cost effective innovations are happening in energy management apps. Unlike the holistic approaches above, apps allow small systems to be totally upgraded or replaced at minimal expense for the same types of results. Here are just 6 of the dozens of building energy management apps to watch for over the year.  

#1: Enlighted

Like some of the big system-wide programs, energy management apps attack the issue of building energy management from different angles. Enlightened is a platform build-in that turns any building into a “brilliant” building, offering, space, energy, lighting, and HVAC system management.

#2: 75F

Just 8 years old, 75F was among the top 15 companies named by Meemori as a Smart building startup to watch last year. Primarily focused on managing building HVAC systems through technology, 75F  system apps are aimed at optimizing indoor air quality and airflow in and around commercial buildings of all types with remote monitoring and mobile app controls.

#3: BuildingIQ

One of the most advanced energy management apps in commercial buildings to date is made by BuildingIQ. This platform app is engineered with machine learning technology enabling HVAC systems to automatically adjust based on real-time, historical, and predictive energy demands. Plus this system needs only to be deployed once and can be upgraded or modified at any time.

#4: Camio

For building security, the Camio app is making on-site surveillance much smarter. Able to connect and sync with an existing security camera system, Camio video footage is stored in the cloud and “learns” over time which data is most useful, how to conserve energy, and when to send summaries and alerts.

#5: Growing Energy Labs, Inc (GELI)

Specifically made to manage all energy systems within a building, the Growing Energy Labs, Inc. or GELI app uses web-based software to analyze real-time data about energy use including solar energy system storage over peak hours. This app smartly targets the growing number of companies looking to capitalize on solar energy management for commercial and industrial use.

#6: View

Like the GELI app, View combines solar technology and machine learning capabilities to capture data through its proprietary Smart windows in order to better manage building energy consumption. These Smart windows are able to amass and analyze data about glare, heat, and sunlight over certain hours of the day, how much energy is consumed based on those numbers, and adjust systems automatically to achieve ideal indoor comfort while conserving energy.