New Study Finds Occupancy-Based Control and Automation Solutions Cut Office Energy Use and Carbon Emissions by 22%

Schneider Electric, the leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, announced research that found applying occupancy-based controls in meeting rooms leads to an average of 22% savings in operational energy use and carbon emissions for the meeting rooms. The study, which is being released at MIPIM 2025 in a new white paper, Reduce carbon in the real world: Occupancy setbacks deliver big impact for commercial offices, presents compelling evidence around the impact of smart building technology and an approach for businesses seeking energy-efficient solutions that do not require extensive building retrofits.

Key findings include:

• Energy Efficiency Gains: Occupancy-based controls allowed the meeting room to remain in a resting state — at a lower temperature setpoint with minimized HVAC, lighting, and plug load use — 76% of the time during business hours, significantly reducing energy consumption.
• Energy and Carbon Reduction: Comparing high-occupancy business days to low-occupancy days over a 4-week period, the study observed the lower occupancy days had an average of a 22% reduction in operational energy and carbon in meeting rooms than on higher occupancy days, associated with fan coil, lighting, and plug load use as direct result of occupancy-based controls applied to these rooms.
• Cost Savings & ROI: The estimated payback period of two years for implementing the advanced sensoring that enables occupancy controls, is conservative, as the analysis only accounted for room-level energy cost savings. If energy cost savings from other HVAC components such as air handling units were included, the payback period would likely be even shorter.
• Indoor Air Quality & Comfort: Despite the application of controls, CO2 levels, relative humidity (RH), and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) remained within industry-recommended healthy ranges, supporting occupant well-being.

150 Holborn: A Model for Energy-Efficient, Smart Buildings

The research was conducted during January and February 2024 at 150 Holborn in London, a 9-story, 18,500-square-meter (200,000-square-foot) smart office building designed for sustainability and occupant well-being. A technology-first approach equips the building with a modern Building Management System (BMS) EcoStruxure™ Building Advisor, IoT-enabled sensors EcoStruxure™ Connected Room Solutions, and an integrated room booking system via Planon’s Integrated Workplace Management System. The facility represented an ideal test case for evaluating the impact of energy conservation measures (ECMs) in a real-world environment.

The study analyzed how real-time occupancy detection could optimize room conditioning, reducing unnecessary energy consumption while maintaining indoor air quality and occupant comfort. The research team intentionally focused on meeting rooms as the unit of measure—spaces common to all office environments—to ensure broad applicability across commercial buildings.

A Scalable Blueprint for Smarter Offices

While 150 Holborn showcases a state-of-the-art smart building, the study’s findings are widely applicable to both new and existing office spaces, where similar savings can be achieved in any building equipped with a modern BMS and sensor-based occupancy detection. As businesses face growing pressure to reduce their carbon footprint and operational costs, solutions like occupancy-based controls present an accessible, high-impact strategy for commercial buildings. This research reinforces Schneider Electric’s commitment to driving smarter, more sustainable buildings—ensuring that energy efficiency and reduced emissions are not just a goal, but a practical, data-driven reality for offices worldwide.

To access the full white paper, visit here.

Schneider Electric | www.se.com