Dabbel offers software based on artificial intelligence that optimizes the control of commercial real estate.
(Photo: Uta Wagner)
Berlin “We don’t have decades left. We have to act now – ideally in the next few minutes, ”said Nico Hahn, Head of Business Development at Dabbel, when he received the second prize in The Spark digital prize. His start-up is doing just that. Because Dabbel offers software based on artificial intelligence that immediately optimizes the control of commercial properties in order to save an average of 22 percent energy.
The highlight: Dabbel relies purely on a software solution in the subscription model. The installation of new building technology is not necessary. Rather, Dabbel is based on existing systems. “We’ll make it radically easy,” promised Hahn. The Düsseldorf-based company could install its software remotely from anywhere in the world and optimize it within a week.
“People overestimate themselves when they believe that they can best control complex buildings manually,” said Hahn in his pitch in Berlin. In Europe, a third of office space is equipped with systems that Dabbel can use.
The leverage is great: 36 percent of carbon dioxide emissions in the European Union come from buildings – from construction to operation. That convinced the jury: “As has already been proven in several pilot projects, Dabbel can generate emission reductions in a highly flexible manner without existing interfaces and thus offers customers a low-investment solution to develop their own building stock towards net zero”, praised the experts.
Top jobs of the day
Find the best jobs now and
be notified by email.
To this end, variables such as thermal insulation, CO2 content, air humidity and solar radiation are taken into account. Instead of following a previously defined set of target values and working in the same areas over long periods of time, the building control becomes dynamic. For this purpose, Dabbel uses a model predictive control.
Building value increases
A showcase customer is the Ruhr area supplier Gelsenwasser, who equipped its “White House” with the technology. Dabbel found that Gelsenwasser saved 200,000 kilowatt hours of energy in its offices last year.
The start-up also uses the argument to attract customers that the value of the building will increase as a result of the more economical building technology. “We also make it possible to have a database for future investment decisions,” said Hahn.
That already convinced customers on four continents, praised the jury. Specifically, Dabbel is active in Germany, Great Britain, the USA, China and Australia.
More: Combating climate change with intelligent technology: These are the winners of the The Spark digital prize