Key Takeaways
- • LaSalle Investment Management deployed JLL's AI-powered building operations platform, Hank, at 240 Blackfriars, a 278-foot London office building with highly glazed facades that produced significant temperature swings during the day.
- • JLL's Hank integrates with the building's existing Building Management System, using real-time data, energy models and digital twins to make continuous micro-adjustments to climate control and energy use.
- • According to LaSalle's European COO Beverly Kilbride, the deployment has shifted tenant conversations from complaints to improvements and produced measurable reductions in energy usage and cost.
- • JLL reports that Hank also elevated engineering staff productivity by moving them from manual adjustments to data-driven solutions, and LaSalle and JLL are now exploring integration with lighting and security systems.
Summary
240 Blackfriars, an office building in London, presented LaSalle Investment Management with climate control challenges tied to its floor-to-ceiling glazing, which subjected the building to considerable temperature fluctuations over the course of the day. According to LaSalle's European Chief Operating Officer Beverly Kilbride, occupants could experience markedly different conditions depending on the time of day and their location within the building. With energy prices rising and tenants seeking cost reductions alongside sustainability targets, LaSalle sought a solution that could improve tenant comfort while advancing its sustainability goals.
JLL proposed Hank, an AI-powered platform that manages energy consumption, maintains indoor climate and identifies maintenance needs before they escalate. The system integrates with the building's existing Building Management System, which collects temperature and airflow equipment data and routes it to Hank's cloud infrastructure, allowing the platform to learn the building's characteristics. JLL's property management team oversaw integration, and the team created digital twins of equipment to simulate operations and generate predictions of cooling and heating loads that feed back into Hank. Lawrence Yen, Software Engineering Manager at JLL, said Hank helps building engineers and property owners operate buildings more efficiently. Steve Mercer, JLL's Site Supervisor at the property, described the system as akin to having a building management engineer working continuously.
According to the source, Hank has improved tenant dialogue, enhanced engineering productivity, reduced energy consumption and cost, and increased tenant comfort through comfort models that anticipate heating and cooling needs by room or floor. Kilbride said LaSalle has been able to measure the energy and cost impact, though the source does not disclose specific figures. LaSalle and JLL are now exploring integration with other building systems, including lighting and security. The article is a JLL-published case study, and the deployment is presented as a demonstration of AI's potential in building operations. LaSalle has also highlighted its broader IDEAS technology framework and its 2024 GRESB five-star ratings elsewhere on its site.
JLL proposed Hank, an AI-powered platform that manages energy consumption, maintains indoor climate and identifies maintenance needs before they escalate. The system integrates with the building's existing Building Management System, which collects temperature and airflow equipment data and routes it to Hank's cloud infrastructure, allowing the platform to learn the building's characteristics. JLL's property management team oversaw integration, and the team created digital twins of equipment to simulate operations and generate predictions of cooling and heating loads that feed back into Hank. Lawrence Yen, Software Engineering Manager at JLL, said Hank helps building engineers and property owners operate buildings more efficiently. Steve Mercer, JLL's Site Supervisor at the property, described the system as akin to having a building management engineer working continuously.
According to the source, Hank has improved tenant dialogue, enhanced engineering productivity, reduced energy consumption and cost, and increased tenant comfort through comfort models that anticipate heating and cooling needs by room or floor. Kilbride said LaSalle has been able to measure the energy and cost impact, though the source does not disclose specific figures. LaSalle and JLL are now exploring integration with other building systems, including lighting and security. The article is a JLL-published case study, and the deployment is presented as a demonstration of AI's potential in building operations. LaSalle has also highlighted its broader IDEAS technology framework and its 2024 GRESB five-star ratings elsewhere on its site.
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