CO2 Savings Potentials in Smart Buildings: An Analysis of Influencing Factors and Real-World Adaptability

Topic
This master thesis explores the role of ICT-based systems in reducing CO₂ emissions in smart buildings. It focuses on the difference between the theoretical savings potential of these technologies and their actual performance during building operation. By analysing how digital systems such as smart lighting, heating control and energy management interact with building infrastructures, the thesis aims to understand the key factors that influence their effectiveness in practice.

Relevance
This thesis is relevant because it is essential to understand what influences the gap between theoretical CO₂ saving potentials and actual performance of ICT-based systems in buildings. Identifying these influencing factors is key to improving implementation practices and ensuring that digital solutions contribute effectively to climate mitigation goals in practice.

Results
The results show that ICT-based systems often fall short of their theoretical CO₂ savings in practice. Key influencing factors include missing operational responsibility, inadequate procurement logic, lack of post-handover commissioning, fragmented system coherence, and poor data accessibility. Without these conditions, systems remain less effective in delivering actual CO₂ reductions.

Implications for practitioners
- Integrate energy goals and system logic early in the planning phase
- Define clear operational responsibility for monitoring and optimisation
- Ensure system changes are documented to maintain long-term coherence
- Require structured, accessible data to evaluate and adjust the performance

Methods
This thesis applies a mixed-methods approach to examine the gap between theoretical CO₂ saving potentials and actual performance of ICT-based systems in buildings. A literature review and selected case studies were used to examine different ICT-based solutions commonly applied in the building sector and the expectations associated with them. To capture real-world challenges, five semi-structured expert interviews were conducted with professionals involved in the planning, implementation and operation of such systems. Thematic analysis was applied to identify key influencing factors, combining theory-based categories with insights emerging from the interviews.