EKUS exponent i: Saving energy and mitigating climate change by intelligent single room control systems at the university of Stuttgart

The University of Stuttgart aims at achieving climate neutrality by the year 2030. The building sector (encompassing new buildings as well as existing ones) is of high relevance for this target. Unfortunately, only minor achievements have been documented in this sector in the past years. One reason for that has been a lack of participation of users as well as insufficient coordination between involved actors during construction and use. The development of innovative building materials as well as intelligent control systems now offers new possibilities. These possibilities have been investigated in the real-world-laboratory “CampUS exponent i”. This encompassed co-design as well as co-creation meaning the participation of relevant actors (e. g. scientists, students, employees of the university, stakeholders) in processes of development, implementation and practice. Within this approach, the demands, preferences and behavioural change of (potential) users are equally important as the technical opportunities and requirements with respect to artificial intelligence and innovative building materials. The project also aimed at effectively communicate the steps and results of the process by developing a first version of a so called „climate barometer“ which enables progress tracking on the way to climate neutrality. Additionally, the technologies and materials used in the project were presented and demonstrated in a kind of showroom (e. g. a pavilion or innovative building) at the campus Vaihingen. We call this a „Bauhütte“ (site hut) following the idea of huts near the construction sites of cathedrals in the middle-age which had the function of spreading knowledge about the art of building.

The real-world laboratory “EKUS exponent i” builds on the insights of “CampUS exponent i” and develops them further. The research team investigates possibilities of intelligent information and control technologies to reduce energy demand as well as greenhouse gas emissions in single rooms of public buildings without sacrificing comfort. The focus lies on non-technical interventions and interaction with stakeholders to improve reduction of energy demand as well as greenhouse gas emissions. Stakeholder analyses is being used to explore chances and barriers of achieving climate neutrality at the university of Stuttgart as well as possible conflicts of interest between central actors. The technical part of the project consists of intelligent sensors and feedback instruments tested in case studies. These case studies take place in single rooms at the university of Stuttgart. Additionally, the “climate barometer” and the “Bauhütte” are further developed.

The goal is to analyse possible ways to motivate employees and students to save energy and help achieve climate neutrality at the university of Stuttgart. EKUS exponent i builds on technical research concerning single room intelligent control systems and sociological research on motivational factors influencing individual, environmental behaviour.

• Facility Departement, Dipl.-Ing. Joachim Engelhardt