Buildings
Coordinate heating, cooling, ventilation, storage and controls instead of optimising each one in isolation.
TECHNOLOGY FOCUS · ENERGY
Energy efficiency is no longer just using less.
It is about getting more useful output from every unit of energy — and designing systems that know when, where and how energy should be used.
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
THE PROBLEM IS CHANGING
More electrification means better questions.
Buildings are becoming more dependent on electricity for heating, cooling, hot water and other services. The opportunity is not simply to replace one energy source with another. It is to reduce waste, improve efficiency and make the whole system work together.
The International Energy Agency estimates buildings account for around 30% of global energy demand. In New Zealand, electricity consumption increased 3.0% in the June 2026 quarter, while the electricity system is also becoming more complex as renewable generation and electrification grow.
REFRAME THE QUESTION
Not “how much energy does it use?”
Ask:
“How much useful work do we get from the energy we put in?”
That shift changes the design process. Heat recovery, thermal storage, low-temperature hydronics, variable-speed equipment, demand response and smarter control can all become part of the same system.
SYSTEM THINKING
Efficiency happens between the components.
GenerateProduce energy efficiently.
StoreKeep useful energy available for later.
DeliverMove energy where it creates value.
ControlUse data to match supply with demand.
WHERE ELSE CAN WE USE IT?
Energy efficiency is a system, not a component.
Commercial systems
Use operating data to avoid unnecessary runtime, peak demand and inefficient control strategies.
Future energy systems
Design products that can respond to price, renewable availability and changing demand.
EVOLUTIONFX APPROACH
Use less waste. Create more value.
We are interested in the engineering space between energy production, thermal systems, buildings and control — where a small change in one part of the system can improve the performance of the whole.