Tyler Haak, VP, sustainability & service at Schneider Electric looks into the crystal ball.
In 2026, buildings are no longer just structures. They are living, breathing entities that must function together in order to deliver the latest standards for occupancy.
Innovation of this caliber needs to be backed up by a proactive approach, including integrating AI, leveraging industry standards to guide principles, and rethinking buildings as engines of innovation. By incorporating this mindset into everyday operations, building owners and facility managers can set standards for the future of modern buildings.
Integrating AI into buildings
Technology is a part of almost every single aspect of our lives, including the buildings that surround us. At a rapid pace, AI is also being implemented into these spaces, creating a new, elevated way of functioning.
By 2030, nearly a quarter of commercial properties will feature building automation, with AI-powered systems capable of reducing HVAC energy costs by over 50%. Facility managers and building owners can harness this power to generate savings by utilizing advanced AI-driven platforms. These systems combine intelligent controls like predictive analytics and AI-driven maintenance to self-diagnose inefficiencies within a building’s operations and correct them in real time. The result empowers facilities teams to move from reactive to proactive operations, reducing energy consumption, extending asset life, and improving reliability.
Unifying building systems, along with power and energy, allows a higher level of performance. As buildings become increasingly more connected, automation is evolving from mere system control to coordinating complex outcomes across the board. These unified platforms are continuously adapting HVAC and electrical systems to real-world conditions, aligning energy use with actual demand.
AI-driven optimization also has strong potential to improve the efficiency of heating and cooling systems while increasing flexibility in building electricity use. For example, once implemented, these AI-driven platforms can reduce heating energy by 4% and reduce electricity usage by 15% by limiting unnecessary runtime, equipment degradation, occupancy discrepancies, and weather impacts. At scale, current AI-based solutions could deliver global electricity savings of approximately 300 TWh.
With access to the new wave of AI technology, building owners are able to anticipate potential issues. It also creates the ability to optimize energy usage, further tracking measurable progress toward net-zero goals. By making the choice to invest in continuous integration, we’ll see unified building automation becoming the new norm, leading to more efficient and resilient spaces.
Industry standards are paving the way
As the AI boom continues, new industry standards are also redefining expectations for building performance. One of the most significant developments is the growing adoption of ASHRAE Guideline 36, which focuses on high-performance control sequences for HVAC systems.
Traditionally, many HVAC systems rely on static, rule-based controls that cannot easily adapt to changing conditions. Guideline 36 introduces standardized control strategies designed to optimize system performance dynamically, allowing buildings to operate closer to their original design intent.
The benefits can be substantial. From large commercial and industrial facilities, where HVAC systems often represent a significant share of energy consumption, to smaller buildings, these improvements are translating into major operational and financial benefits.
Buildings implementing Guideline 36 control strategies have demonstrated HVAC energy savings of up to 41% in the heating season, 18% in the shoulder season, and 20% in the cooling season when compared to baseline control while maintaining the thermal comfort level.
Another advantage is operational simplicity. By standardizing advanced control sequences, Guideline 36 helps facilities teams manage complex HVAC systems more consistently, even when staff have varying levels of experience.
Not only are building owners realizing the perks of Guideline 36, but regulators are beginning to recognize its value as well. Programs such as the California Energy Commission’s building initiatives and Boston’s BERDO regulations are encouraging adoption of these advanced control strategies, signaling that they may become increasingly embedded in future building codes.
As Guideline 36 moves from best practice to baseline expectation, building owners who adopt it now can lock in measurable energy savings and simplify operations to stay ahead of the next wave of performance-driven regulations.
Buildings as engines of innovation
In order to truly harness the full power of what a building can be, industry leaders must think beyond existing parameters. Over the next decade, buildings will have the opportunity to evolve from passive energy consumers into active engines of innovation within the energy ecosystem. It all starts with integrating distributed energy resources (DERs) such as rooftop solar, smart thermostats, electric vehicles, wind turbines, battery storage, and AI-driven controls into facilities.
By utilizing these technologies, building owners can dynamically manage on-site generation and grid demand, unlocking new levels of performance. In fact, we’re already seeing this play in real time, through studies showing that combining rooftop solar with battery storage can reduce commercial building peak electricity demand by up to 42%, significantly lowering demand charges.
This transformation is changing how buildings fit into the broader energy ecosystem. Rather than simply drawing electricity from the grid, modern facilities can generate clean energy on-site and store excess power for later use. With any surplus electricity, they’re able to send that back to the grid during periods of peak demand.
The result is a new generation of smarter, more resilient buildings, ones that can better withstand grid disruptions and manage peak loads to support surrounding communities during outages or emergencies. Through unlocking the power of DERs, buildings will not only be closer to operational and sustainability goals but also become influential drivers of energy innovation and cost savings, ultimately contributing to long-term climate progress.
Unlocking new potential in 2026
AI-driven platforms for facilities are here, marking a new era for the built environment in 2026. Building codes provide a roadmap for facilities to make the most of their operations. The integration of DERs is delivering a new way for buildings to function.
All of these elements are capable of defining the future of modern buildings, but it’s up to building owners and industry leaders to proactively embrace these changes. The time to act is now.