As cities move towards carbon neutrality, artificial intelligence is emerging as a powerful tool for improving building energy efficiency. In Hong Kong, where cooling systems account for a major share of building electricity use, Prof. Xiao Fu, Associate Dean of the Faculty of Construction and Environment and Professor in the Department of Building Environment and Energy Engineering at PolyU, has developed an AI-enabled smart energy management system that can reduce daily energy consumption by up to 40%.
The award-winning system integrates dual-horizon load prediction, real-time monitoring and cloud-based control to optimise chiller operations in large buildings while maintaining thermal comfort. By combining day-ahead and hour-ahead forecasts, the platform enables more accurate and adaptive cooling decisions, reducing unnecessary energy use and improving overall system performance.
The research team’s AI-empowered digital twin platform for smart energy management received a Gold Medal at the International Exhibition of Inventions Geneva 2025. The innovation has also been successfully implemented in a high-rise government office building in Hong Kong, with on-site testing demonstrating an average energy saving of 18.4% and significant improvements in chiller plant efficiency.
This breakthrough highlights BEEE’s commitment to advancing smart, scalable and sustainable solutions for the built environment.
Source: RIO's news
