AI has entered the building, but does that make it greener?

Algorithms are finding surprising new ways to make buildings smarter,reduce emissions. But what happens when we factor in the carbon footprint of the AI itself?

How does your building breathe?

An AI program requires so many data centres — involving so much power and water — just at the training stage that generating a single image  can essentially suck up as much energy as fully charging a smartphone, studies have found. (Adobe Stock)

Given how much power it takes to keep a large space ventilated, cooled or heated, doing it right can completely alter a structure’s carbon footprint. But what does “right” look like? New AI-led start-ups are offering to help “think” this through in new ways.

A key pilot project that has shown interesting outcomes was conducted at Loyola University’s Schreiber Center in Chicago. This 10-storey mixed-use facility attached to its business school was already a very