Johnson Controls has developed a building management tool that allows net zero goal setting, progress tracking, and target reporting. OpenBlue Net Zero Advisor uses digitally automated data collection and analytics to manage and track scope 1 and 2 emissions and assist building owners in reporting for certification and compliance frameworks. It is designed to allow organisations to manage single-building emissions targets and aggregate global building data to optimise buildings and support reporting on climate targets across a company’s entire worldwide building estate.

Net Zero Advisor automatically extracts data from monthly utility bills, on-site renewable energy sources, and local emissions factors, including the local power grid contribution. Based on that data, it calculates scope 1 and 2 emissions. It then factors in credits and carbon offsets, and calculates total net emissions for each building site. Aggregating and analysing data across a global portfolio of buildings, Net Zero Advisor can also provide carbon footprint transparency at an enterprise-wide level.

The Net Zero Advisor is available as a subscription service, so that building owners can install it and start working towards their climate targets, with very limited upfront costs. It can also be installed as part of a comprehensive “Net Zero as a Service” plan. The Net Zero Advisor application belongs to Johnson Controls OpenBlue, the global building market’s most comprehensive suite of connected solutions, which breaks down system siloes, to manage building-wide optimisation. OpenBlue can pinpoint inefficient equipment and spaces that are contributing to emissions or waste, and initiate system optimisation, supporting progress towards emissions goals set in the Net Zero Advisor. OpenBlue can manage the overall health and sustainability of a building, from air quality and water use, to energy, emissions, and waste reduction.

Vijay Sankaran, Chief Technology Officer at Johnson Controls, said: “Given the urgency of climate action, and the fact that buildings contribute nearly 40% of global greenhouse gas emissions, businesses across the globe will be seeking to reduce and report on emissions for buildings they own or occupy. The Johnson Controls OpenBlue Net Zero Advisor offers an easy, all-in-one tool for managing emissions, while saving time, effort, and money. For both businesses and national leaders, this marks a critical milestone in achieving net zero progress.”