AI-Powered Global Building Energy Assessment Challenge

[0:00]Energy assessment and the role of AI, a challenge for reducing CO2 emissions in the most innovative and effective way. Did you know that up to 40% of Europe's total energy use comes from buildings? That's why energy assessments are so important to help us understand how much energy our homes use, and how we can make them more efficient. Let us start with what is an energy assessment? An energy assessment is like a health checkup for a building. It measures how much energy a home uses for heating, cooling, lighting, hot water, and appliances. The result is usually an energy performance certificate (EPC) in UK, Building energy rating (BER) in Ireland, and many other names across Europe which shows the home's efficiency rating. Next, what does the assessor do at a home? During a home visit, an energy assessor typically: Checks the building's construction (walls, roof, insulation, windows, doors) Reviews heating and cooling systems (boilers, air conditioning, thermostats) Notes lighting systems and appliances Takes measurements (room sizes, window areas, insulation thickness) Inputs all the data into specialized software that calculates energy performance. Finally, coming to the challenge to how can AI help? Traditionally, assessors take manual measurements and visual notes. But with AI, we can: Extract measurements from images e.g., use a smartphone or drone to scan a room, and AI can estimate dimensions, window sizes, or even insulation quality Recognize building materials from photos e.g., whether windows are single or double-glazed. Automate data entry. AI tools can feed data directly into EPC software, reducing errors and saving time. Predict energy usage using AI models trained on thousands of homes, giving more accurate forecasts. Why Your Solutions Will Matter? Buildings account for a large share of CO2 emissions because of heating and electricity use. An inefficient home = higher bills + higher emissions. By making homes more energy-efficient, we: - Save money on energy bills - Reduce our carbon footprint - Move closer to climate goals like the EU's target of net-zero emissions by 2050 Energy assessments are not just paperwork, they are a roadmap to lower costs, smarter homes, and a greener planet. And with AI helping assessors, the process can become faster, smarter, and more accurate than ever before. The future of energy efficiency needs your ideas. Upload your solution on Challenges.one. Your solutions. Smarter homes. A greener planet.