OpenBlue smart building platform benefits drive efficiency and cost savings

Johnson Controls releases a new commissioned study. It was conducted by Forrester Consulting, quantifying the Total Economic Impact and benefits of the Johnson Controls OpenBlue platform. Forrester findings indicate that a model organisation representing a composite of interviewed customers from multiple industries deploying OpenBlue, including FM: Systems solutions, could achieve up to a 155 per cent return on investment (ROI) over three years.

OpenBlue is an award-winning, AI-optimised smart building ecosystem of connected solutions and services. OpenBlue allows customers to unlock the performance of their buildings and workplaces with near real-time data visibility. Leveraging enhanced AI, OpenBlue provides tailored energy-saving recommendations based on usage and weather data, helping customers reduce operating costs and move toward more autonomous buildings. OpenBlue is now integrated with FM: Systems solutions, expanding real-time data visibility, creating high-performance workplaces and bringing additional clarity and vision to strategic real estate decisions.

Key findings for the composite organisation include –

• Up to 10 per cent energy savings: Enhancing overall efficiency.
• Up to 67 per cent reduction in chiller maintenance: saving nearly $1.5 million over three years.
• 7 per cent rental premiums: Resulting in a three-year present value of $3.2 million.
• 8-month payback period: Based on the total costs and net benefits.

Vijay Sankaran, Chief Digital and Information Officer at Johnson Controls, said, “We believe the findings speak for themselves: Our OpenBlue and FM: Systems solutions lower operating costs and also optimise energy use – a win, win. By enhancing energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions, we’re helping our customers achieve their sustainability goals and also improve their bottom line. As global companies face pressure to save time and money, our capabilities stand out in delivering both environmental and financial returns.”

Client feedbacks

According to a customer interviewed for this study, “OpenBlue has saved us up to 10 per cent on our energy costs. We did some other work to reduce these costs, but as an example, OpenBlue showed us that out-of-hours lighting was costing $17,000 per floor of our buildings. Without that insight, we wouldn’t have been able to take action to reduce those expenses and that energy waste.”

Another customer interviewed stated, “Not only is Johnson Controls supplying the critical, backbone items of facilities management, like chillers, fire, security, and automation, but by adding a management layer on top of these, they have provided consistency and solid support.”

AI capabilities expansion

In November 2024, Johnson Controls significantly expanded its Artificial Intelligence (AI) capabilities in its OpenBlue Enterprise Manager suite of digital solutions, part of the OpenBlue digital ecosystem. The updates included OpenBlue’s first customer-facing generative AI application, more autonomous building controls, and a significantly improved user experience, paving the way for additional AI enhancements this year.

The expanded features in OpenBlue provide clearer insights and better performance, including: 

• Integrated generative AI tools that proactively recommend impactful energy savings projects.
• Major upgrades to the user experience with a focus on personalisation, improved design, and compliance with a higher level of accessibility standards.
• Enhanced indoor air quality monitoring and sensor analytics to support smarter and healthier buildings.

FM: Systems also added generative AI to its FMS: Insights Analytics platform, enabling users to ask natural language questions about occupancy and utilisation data across their real estate portfolios.

These findings underscore Johnson Controls’ 140-year legacy of innovation. The company continues to lead with more than 8,000 active patents and $3 billion invested in engineering, research & development over the past decade, driving the next era of smart, sustainable and autonomous buildings.