In our latest spotlight interview, we spoke to Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fütterer, CEO, aedifion. Johannes talks about how their AI-powered platform enables real-time optimisation, integration with legacy buildings, and future plans for demand-side management and generative AI tools. “Of course, the journey hasn’t always been smooth. One of the biggest challenges, then and now, is overcoming scepticism in the real estate industry, which remains cautious when it comes to digital transformation and sustainability. But with our technology, we’ve proven that profitability and sustainability go hand in hand. Especially with evolving regulations like Germany’s Building Energy Act or the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, demand for smart, sustainable solutions is only accelerating.

Ǫ1- Can you tell us a bit more about what inspired the founding of aedifion and how has your journey been so far?

The idea behind aedifion was born out of a research project at RWTH Aachen University, where I spent several years working on sustainable building technologies and exploring how building automation can improve energy performance. Together with my co-founders Felix Dorner, Dr. Jan Henrik Ziegeldorf, and Erik Brümmendorf, we realized the huge untapped potential of optimizing existing buildings with digital tools, while making a real contribution to reducing global CO₂ emissions.

Buildings currently account for approximately 40 percent of final energy consumption. To meet climate targets and keep real estate portfolios competitive and future-proof, owners and operators need scalable solutions to reduce carbon emissions and costs and that’s exactly where we come in. We founded aedifion in 2017 with the mission to digitally decarbonize buildings using cutting-edge technologies like AI.

Of course, the journey hasn’t always been smooth. One of the biggest challenges, then and now, is overcoming scepticism in the real estate industry, which remains cautious when it comes to digital transformation and sustainability. But with our technology, we’ve proven that profitability and sustainability go hand in hand. Especially with evolving regulations like Germany’s Building Energy Act or the European Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, demand for smart, sustainable solutions is only accelerating.

Ǫ2- How does your AI-driven approach enable building automation and energy optimisation?

We leverage artificial intelligence to power aedifion’s cloud-based software for technical building equipment. That enables asset owners and operators to meet ESG targets and make buildings active contributors to the energy transition. Our AI- driven platform collects real-time data from building systems like heating, cooling, and ventilation, detects inefficiencies or faults, and provides clear recommendations for optimisation. Using predictive, AI-based control, we automatically adjust system performance based on live data and weather forecasts. This way, we help reduce energy consumption, CO₂ emissions, and operating costs by up to 40 percent while improving indoor comfort.

What really sets our solution apart is its scalability. As a Software-as-a-Service solution, it can be rolled out quickly across single buildings or entire portfolios. On top of that, our AI creates the data foundation needed for ESG reporting and regulatory compliance. We also integrate systems like PV, heat pumps, and batteries and connect buildings to the energy market so they actively support a decarbonised and resilient energy system.

Ǫ3- What role does real-time data play in the aedifion solution, and how actionable is it for facility managers?

Real-time data is at the core of the aedifion solution and is essential for making buildings more efficient and sustainable. Buildings generate huge amounts of data and our solution collects and analyses this data continuously to give facility managers a comprehensive and up-to-date picture of how their buildings are performing.

But raw data alone isn’t enough. Our AI-powered cloud platform translates this data into actionable insights and clear recommendations. This means facility managers can quickly identify inefficiencies, detect faults early, and take targeted measures to optimize energy use, reduce costs, and improve indoor comfort. The platform also supports predictive maintenance, helping avoid costly breakdowns by forecasting when repairs are needed.

Beyond daily operations, asset managers can also leverage this data to make informed decisions about long-term investments, such as prioritizing refurbishment measures. The platform provides a reliable data foundation for ESG reporting, helping meet regulatory requirements with transparency. Because our solution is scalable and vendor-neutral, it can be easily deployed across different buildings and integrates data from various systems, enabling both facility and asset managers to ensure better operations, make confident decisions, and continuously enhance building performance and sustainability.

Ǫ4- How does aedifion deal with the varying technical conditions and digital readiness of different buildings?

You are totally right. From experience, we know that no two buildings are alike and portfolios often combine state-of-the-art properties with older assets that lack digital infrastructure. At aedifion, we believe no asset should be left behind. With our plug-and-play approach and smart retrofit solutions, even older or technically outdated buildings can be quickly made digitally accessible. For outdated assets, we offer tailored retrofit packages to ensures consistent data availability, enable portfolio-wide optimisation, and to help owners future-proof every building in line with ESG and efficiency targets.

Ǫ5- Finally, what’s next for aedifion? Are there any upcoming features, partnerships, or goals you’re particularly excited about?

A key focus for us is expanding our Demand Side Management offerings to dynamically optimize energy use, with the goal of making buildings an integral part of the future energy system. Additionally, we are advancing our generative AI-powered digital building assistant, aiming to make it the standard tool for portfolio-wide building management among our customers. This assistant will leverage both internal data and large language model capabilities to provide quick, accurate responses to instructions and queries, simplifying reporting, troubleshooting, and maintenance.

We are also excited about continuing to expand across Europe while continuously enhancing our market-leading smart building control platform, driving intelligent energy management and sustainable building operations forward.