World Architecture Day is a reminder that architecture is not just about aesthetics. It is also about functionality, sustainability, and the ability to address today’s biggest challenges – including energy consumption and the emissions it generates.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), building operations account for around 30% of global energy use and 26% of CO₂ emissions. If we also include construction and building materials, the building and construction sector is responsible for up to 37% of global CO₂ emissions.
The situation in Europe is no better. The European Commission reports that 40% of total energy consumption in the EU comes from buildings, about 75% of which are energy-inefficient, and 97% do not meet the highest energy class A.
This shows the enormous challenge architects, developers, and building operators face: how to design and manage buildings that are not only beautiful but also efficient, functional, and sustainable.
Digital technologies and intelligent building management systems play a key role in this transition. They help optimize operations, reduce energy costs, and lower carbon footprints. One such solution is the Czech-developed FLOWBOX EMOS software.
EMOS: Building Energy Management and Key Functions (Gartner)
EMOS (Energy Management and Optimisation System) is the next step beyond traditional BMS. While BMS focuses on monitoring and basic control, EMOS leverages real-time data, predictive models, and scenario simulations to autonomously optimize building operations. The result: cost savings, greater comfort, and long-term sustainability.
The recent Gartner Market Guide for EMOS highlights the importance of these systems and defines their core capabilities:
- Core functions: energy monitoring and reporting, invoice management and analysis, baseline creation and demand profiling, dashboards and benchmarking, consumption optimization, demand response, and predictive forecasts.
- Advanced functions: renewable energy and certificate (REC) management, cost and CO₂ savings reporting, investment planning, integration with production processes, load flexing (shifting consumption to reduce costs and use dynamic tariffs), and automated control of production, storage, and consumption.
FLOWBOX EMOS: Intelligent Building Management and Optimization
The Czech-developed FLOWBOX EMOS software brings these principles into practice and expands them with its own intelligent tools:
- Comprehensive integration of consumption, production, and storage technologies, regardless of vendor.
- Advanced monitoring and analytics for clear overviews and long-term performance evaluation.
- Autonomous real-time control, reacting not only to indoor conditions but also to external factors such as weather and energy prices.
- Predictive algorithms and simulations to test scenarios and prepare for load or price changes.
- Carbon footprint tracking and ESG reporting to support decarbonization strategies.
FLOWBOX EMOS thus becomes the “energy brain” of the building, connecting operational technologies with sustainability and efficiency goals.
Intelligent Building Management in Action: Řevnice, Břetislavka and Corso
- Řevnice Sports Hall
Winner of the Building of the Year in the Central Bohemian Region 2024. Equipped with FLOWBOX EMOS, the hall manages HVAC, heating, security, water consumption, and more – in real time, responding to activity schedules, weather, and operational conditions. Owners state that up to 90% of operations are now handled by FLOWBOX, significantly reducing operating costs. - Břetislavka Residence
A modern residential project where EMOS integrates all technologies into a single platform, ensuring both resident comfort and efficient operation. The system manages monitoring, heating optimization, and even tenant energy billing. - Corso Pod Lipami
A mixed-use complex where FLOWBOX EMOS integrates heating, cooling, lighting, shading, fountains, and even public lighting into one ecosystem. Each building has its own Edge server, apartments are smart-home ready, and the entire site is connected through a fiber backbone to central management.
The Future of Architecture: Smart, Efficient, and Sustainable
World Architecture Day reminds us that the future of architecture lies at the intersection of aesthetics, functionality, and sustainability.
With EMOS software such as FLOWBOX, buildings are no longer passive consumers but active participants in the energy system – capable of saving costs, cutting emissions, and offering comfort to users.