Smart Building project by Colt (EGDC)

From Worst-Case Settings to Real-Time Optimisation: Colt’s Smart Building Solution 

What if buildings could reduce energy waste not by replacing infrastructure, but by making existing systems more responsive? 

That is the idea behind Colt’s Smart Building solution. Developed with Nuuka and launched in 2023, the solution applies Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning to existing HVAC systems, helping buildings adjust to real-world conditions rather than fixed assumptions. 

For Colt, this is not a theoretical exercise. The solution has been assessed through an EGDC case study using operational data from Colt’s own office building in London. The initial assessment focuses on the ventilation component of the wider HVAC solution, demonstrating how digital intelligence can reduce unnecessary energy use while maintaining required indoor air quality standards. 

The result is a practical example of digital sustainability in action: existing infrastructure, real-time data, measurable energy savings, and a quantified net carbon impact. 

The Challenge: Buildings Are Often Designed for Maximum Occupancy, Not Real Use 

Many buildings are still operated around “worst-case” conditions. HVAC systems are often configured for maximum occupancy, even when actual building use changes throughout the day. 

This creates a simple but significant problem. Ventilation, heating and cooling systems may continue running at levels that are higher than necessary, consuming additional electricity and generating avoidable emissions. 

The issue is not only the amount of energy buildings use. It is also the lack of visibility and responsiveness in how building systems are managed. Without real-time data on occupancy-related conditions, indoor air quality, temperature and humidity, buildings can struggle to match energy use with actual demand. 

Colt’s Smart Building solution addresses this gap by moving from static building management to automated, data-driven optimisation. 

The Solution: AI-Optimised Control Through Existing Building Systems 

Colt’s Smart Building solution integrates AI and Machine Learning with existing HVAC infrastructure. The system connects through Colt’s uCPE device and Nuuka’s Virtual BMS Gateway, allowing building data to be collected and used for real-time optimisation. 

Indoor air quality sensors continuously monitor CO₂, temperature and humidity. These inputs help the AI/ML model learn how the building behaves and adjust HVAC settings every 1–5 minutes. In the EGDC case study, the focus is specifically on ventilation fans, with the system dynamically adjusting fan operation to reduce electricity consumption while maintaining indoor air quality requirements. 

This approach matters because it works with the building’s existing operational environment. Rather than treating sustainability as a major replacement project, Colt’s solution shows how digital infrastructure, edge capability, sensors, cloud data and building management integration can make existing systems perform better. 

It also reflects a broader shift in sustainable digital transformation: using intelligence already available through connected systems to improve everyday operational decisions. 

The Impact: Quantified Savings Within the Ventilation Scope 

Colt’s Smart Building solution was assessed, with the EGDC methodology, in a London office building with a floor area of 7,432 m². The assessment used operational data collected between 1 March and 30 June 2025 and extrapolated the results to a one-year period. 

Within the assessed ventilation scope, the results show: 

• 35% energy savings through the use of the solution  

• -8.7 tCO₂e/year in total net carbon saving impact  

• A net carbon impact range of -6.1 to -12.3 tCO₂e/year, accounting for uncertainty  

• -1.2 kgCO₂e/m²/year in CO₂ emissions reduction per square metre of office space  

• 0.3 tCO₂e/year from the solution’s own emissions, compared with -9.0 tCO₂e/year in avoided emissions from reduced energy use  

These figures are important because they account not only for avoided emissions, but also for the footprint of the digital solution itself, including relevant hardware and cloud components. 

In other words, the case study does not simply claim that digital technology enables savings. It measures the net effect. 

The assessment also identifies wider potential benefits. By improving indoor air quality and optimising working conditions, the solution may contribute to occupant comfort and well-being. Reduced energy consumption can also create cost savings for building operators. Colt and Nuuka are exploring how these savings can be reinvested in ways that further reduce emissions, helping manage potential rebound effects. 

Why It Matters: Making the Digital Handprint Measurable 

Colt’s Smart Building solution is a strong example of what GeSI means by enabling impact. 

It shows how digital technologies can help reduce emissions beyond the ICT sector by improving the performance of real-world systems. In this case, the enabling impact comes from applying AI, connectivity and real-time data to the built environment, one of the most important areas for operational efficiency and climate action. 

For building owners and operators, the lesson is practical: smarter management of existing infrastructure can deliver measurable benefits. For the digital sector, the lesson is broader: sustainability value must be demonstrated through credible data, not only through ambition. 

Colt’s next step is to extend the solution across its own real estate portfolio and work with Nuuka to develop it as a managed solution for customers on top of Colt’s network services. 

As buildings become more connected, Colt’s Smart Building solution points to a scalable pathway for digital sustainability: use real-time intelligence to reduce waste, improve comfort and turn existing infrastructure into a more adaptive, lower-emission system.