Sydney, Australia, 30 July 2025 – Schneider Electric, a leader in the digital transformation of energy management and automation, has announced the launch of EcoStruxtureᵀᴹ Building Activate in Australia and New Zealand, an open, plug-and-play platform designed to help small and mid-sized buildings become more energy efficient, compliant, and occupant friendly.
This launch responds to a surging demand for practical decarbonisation tools in sectors such as retail, hospitality, healthcare and education, where rising electricity costs, limited internal resources and complex compliance are placing unprecedented pressure on operators.
"Mid-sized buildings make up the vast majority of the built environment, yet they've long been underserved when it comes to digital energy management," said Louise Monger, Vice President, Digital Energy at Schneider Electric. "With Building Activate, we're giving these businesses access to scalable tools that enable them to reduce emissions and improve occupant comfort, without costly overhauls or deep technical expertise."
Energy costs are soaring, and efficiency is a business imperative
According to the Australian Energy Regulator, electricity prices for small businesses in NSW, South Australia and Queensland are set to rise by up to 8.5% in 2025-26. In some areas, energy price increases have exceeded 20%, particularly impacting cost-sensitive sectors like retail and hospitality.
EcoStruxtureᵀᴹ Building Activate helps building owners and operators respond to these pressures with a cloud-based platform that integrates HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning), lighting, refrigeration and energy systems. The solution is modular, vendor-agnostic and offered as a subscription, eliminating the need for large upfront investments or dedicated facility teams.
Key outcomes include:
Up to 50% energy cost reduction through real-time monitoring and control
Up to 60% carbon emissions reduction by automating building performance
<2 year payback period for most installations
Remote issue resolution for up to 90% of faults, reducing reliance on skilled labour
Occupant comfort gains of up to 25% through air quality and environmental monitoring
Decarbonisation is no longer just for big business
Australia's net-zero 2050 commitment and New Zealand's Carbon neutral Government Programme are driving new requirements across the supply chain. From NABERS to new ESG disclosure frameworks, regulatory and investor scrutiny is rising, even for SMEs.
"Sustainability and compliance can't wait, and they shouldn't be complicated", Monger added. "Building Activate gives facilities of any size the tools to measure, benchmark and improve, while also enhancing their ESG reporting capability.
Smart building solutions built for people, not just systems
In addition to reducing emissions and cost, EcoStruxureTM Building Activate improves the comfort and wellbeing of occupants by automatically optimising temperature, humidity, and air quality.
A recent rollout at France's 4-star Grand Monarque hotel achieved a 15% energy reduction within six months in a 600-year-old building, with full financial payback recovered in under 12 months. Similar outcomes are expected across mid-market assets in ANZ where comfort, customer experience and sustainability intersects.
Designed for fast, scalable deployment
EcoStruxureTM Building Activate is ideal for multi-site operation, enabling centralised visibility and benchmarking across portfolios. It is accessible via desktop and mobile and works with existing infrastructure.
Customers can choose the capabilities they need, ranging from energy and sustainability management to operations, workplace and asset performance modules. This ensures flexibility, cost efficiency, and low disruption to day-to-day operations.
The solution is available now across Australia and New Zealand.
