Smarter energy control for buildings and charging sites
At EnergyVille, research also finds its way into practice through digital applications that make energy use smarter and more responsive. Spinoffs Builtwins and Pleevi are two examples. Builtwins focuses on smart building control, while Pleevi is designed for smart charging. They share the same underlying idea: aligning energy use more closely with what a building or site actually needs, and what it can handle, at any given moment.
Builtwins specialises in intelligent building control through model predictive control: software that forecasts, optimises energy use in real-time, and detects anomalies. This can typically reduce HVAC energy consumption by 20 to more than 40%.
The young KU Leuven spin-off is already applying this technology in a wide range of buildings, from offices and care homes to hospitals covering more than 100,000 m². Builtwins is now moving towards a software-as-a-service model and has already delivered several successful projects together with Sweco.
Pleevi, a VITO spin-off, focuses on smart charging at business sites. Its software aligns charging sessions with local energy production, expected demand, and available grid capacity, while seamlessly integrating on-site solar power and battery storage. As a result, electric vehicles can charge more cost-effectively, and more sustainably