IMMODAYS & IBS

Akila attended two trade shows in November.

IMMODAYS in Deauville and IBS in Paris. It was a fantastic opportunity to connect and exchange ideas with leaders in the industry.

We wanted to thank everyone who attended, and took the time to visit us.
Whether it was in Deauville or in Paris, each interaction reinforced our passion for driving progress in the real estate and building sectors.

FPT partnership

This month, our Commercial leadership team also had the privilege of meeting with the chairman and executive teams of FPT Software, Tanihara Toru to launch an exciting collaboration focused on the Japanese market.

FPT is a major player in technology development and distribution across APAC, and their solution Vert Zero complements Akila’s mission to empower building owners and occupiers with smarter portfolio management solutions.

As a provider of advanced tools for carbon assessment and roadmap planning, Vert Zero complements Akila’s mission to empower building owners and occupiers with smarter portfolio management solutions. By integrating Vert Zero into Akila’s platform, we’re looking to bring even greater value to our customers, enhancing their capacity to track, optimize, and reduce their carbon footprint.

The partnership was officially sealed during a signing ceremony represented by Mr. Tran Duc Tri Quang, Data Director of FPT IS, and Mr. Philippe Obry, Vice President of Akila.

Looking forward to what we can achieve together!

NVIDIA x AKILA

Akila is proud to announce it is now a member of the NVIDIA Inception program, a program that nurtures startups revolutionizing industries with technological advancements.

With this program, Akila will have the opportunity to work with industry leading experts and other AI-driven organizations, to help bringing buildings to life digitally.

Akila is exploring the use of real-time realistic rendering, very large & dynamic models, natural language processing and other simulation tools appropriate for building operations.

Akila latest feature releases

Akila’s teams have been working hard this month to improve our platform and launch new features to help you with your work every day.

We have published a blog article about those new features, you can read more about it here.

SIMI 2024

Akila will be present at the SIMI, le salon de l’immobilier d’entreprise, in Paris from the 10^th to the 12^th of December.

Meet Pierre-Manuel Patry and Matthieu de Broca to discover how AKILA can improve your performance and accompany your decarbonation

Do not hesitate to book a demo today!

Palais des Congrès Porte Maillot

📍 NIVEAU 1 – B35.9 (Expertise Decarbonation)

Stay Connected with Akila on LinkedIn!

Want to stay updated on the latest news, innovations, and collaborations from Akila? Join us on LinkedIn!

Our LinkedIn page is the perfect place to learn more about our mission, explore our newest solutions, and to get the latest updates about Akila!

Don’t miss out—follow us on LinkedIn today and be part of the conversation on how to drive a sustainable future!

One year ago, Akila was awarded the Solar Impulse Foundation‘s “1000 Solutions to Change the World” label.  Since then, the world has seen its fair share of changes—including in the realm of climate action.

The past year in climate policy and regulation has been defined by prioritizing action over words. Governments and regulators are passing broader and stricter emissions reporting requirements. Businesses are making increasingly ambitious environmental commitments, and looking to hold suppliers or potential acquisition targets to the same level. Institutional investment firms like Blackrock and Vanguard have put ESG at the center of their investment strategies.

All of this is putting an increased strain on enterprises that lack systems or methods for measuring carbon footprints and leading to an increasing demand for new green technologies.

Although there is increasing interest in this technology, that does not mean every organization is rushing to totally transform their operation. Sometimes for good reason—upfront costs can be expensive. Furthermore, the incentives for these projects are sometimes difficult to judge according to traditional business drivers like savings or performance output.

However, there are two aspects to why this mindset is potentially flawed. First, the successful businesses of the future will also be the most sustainable. That is the goal behind ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance): to create a framework of self-regulation for listed companies and investors that prioritize sustainability in their due diligence. In markets like the EU, these frameworks are not only being used by investors but by governing bodies themselves, such as the European Parliament’s ESRS.

Second, green technologies are doing a good job of providing business value for companies beyond their ability to reduce carbon impact, such as by reducing energy costs and increasing productivity. This was the founding vision of the Solar Impulse Foundation and is a guiding principle for Akila as well. Which is why we were recognized with the Solar Impulse label one year ago.

Promoting profitable environmental solutions

The founder of the Solar Impulse Foundation, Bertrand Picard, believes that clean energy solutions and economic benefits are compatible. These green technologies also contribute to creating more job opportunities and achieving a positive ESG cycle for businesses. With this in mind, he established the Foundation, dedicated to accelerating the implementation of green and profitable solutions. Additionally, he introduced the Solar Impulse Efficient Solutions label, becoming one of the first globally recognized labels that combine environmental protection and financial vitality for businesses.

The Solar Impulse Efficient Solutions label is awarded by an independent group of experts based on five criteria covering feasibility, environmental impact, and profitability. This label recognizes efficient solutions that drive efficiency and performance while protecting the environment. Currently, over 1000 solutions have received this recognition, and Akila is fortunate to be one of them.

Creating win-win conditions for sustainability and business benefits

Since our recognition with the label, Akila has continued to grow our product in the same spirit of aligning productivity and sustainability. By looking at feedback from customers, trends in policy and regulation, and through old-fashioned technology R&D, the Akila Platform has advanced immensely over the past year. Here is a rundown of some of the ways we are meeting the standards of the “1000 Solutions” label:

1. High quality, auditable data

Akila’s digital twin technology provides highly accurate real-time data with transparency, traceability, and trackability (3T data). This not only helps decision-makers work more efficiently but also offers clear and reliable information to stakeholders and regulators. Akila’s digital twin technology simplifies data collection, saving managers significant time in data gathering and organization.

2. AI-driven energy efficiency

Akila’s digital platform also integrates AI to control energy-intensive systems such as HVAC. After collecting baseline data from the digital twin and IOT, the AI acts to improve and reduce the overall energy consumption. This AI-driven energy optimization system of Akila helps companies reduce their carbon emission more efficiently, thereby also reducing their energy expenditures; once again achieving both sustainability and profitability.

3. Smarter process management

Akila’s digital twin technology empowers property and asset management by leveraging data from the digital twin connected to a mobile application for operational staff. For example, in case of a technical failure, through an alert system, Akila will automatically alert all operators that there is a new work order assigned to a technician. Once the solution is solved, it is directly reported on the same platform.

In other words, Akila is not solely focused on monitoring, it’s also a work order system, an ecosystem that connects all operators and all ESG goals. This enables smaller teams to work more intelligently and reduces the need for personnel within facility management, maintenance, energy, and soft services.

4. Turning waste into value

Akila’s Environment SUITE is in charge of managing waste digitally and intelligently. Not only does it monitor and analyze how waste is generated, where it is located, and where it goes but it also has the potential to turn waste into profit through resale. This Akila SUITE increases both the revenue for businesses and reduces waste accumulation, protecting the environment.

5. Streamlined ESG Reporting, Empowering Organizational Environmental Compliance

Akila’s digital twin technology automatically collects relevant data indicators used in ESG reports and integrates them into a smart business dashboard. This allows companies to save more time and produce better ESG reports that comply with the newest environmental standards.

Fostering a Sustainable Future: Akila’s Path Forward

Amid the escalating climate crisis, governments, regulators, and businesses are enacting stricter emissions regulations, making ambitious environmental commitments, and integrating ESG into investments. While there’s growing interest in sustainable solutions, not all organizations are quick to adopt them due to upfront costs and uncertain ROI. However, two key facts challenge this hesitancy.

First, the most successful future businesses will inherently be the most sustainable. ESG seeks to prioritize sustainability in due diligence.

Second, green technologies offer broader business benefits beyond carbon reduction, such as cost savings and enhanced productivity.

The Solar Impulse Foundation and its Efficient Solutions label, led by Bertrand Picard, epitomize this philosophy. Akila, a label recipient, aligns with these principles. Our digital twin technology provides real-time data and AI-optimized energy use leading to reducing emissions and streamlining digital management and waste processes. This simplifies ESG reporting.

In essence, sustainability and profitability are not opposing forces but complementary drivers of success. Akila’s journey showcases how businesses can thrive by embracing green technologies, aligning with Solar Impulse’s principles, and contributing to a more sustainable and prosperous future.

Shanghai, China – Akila, an ESG-first digital twin platform for the built environment, was attributed the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” Label following an assessment performed by external independent experts and based on verified standards. It is thereby joining the #1000solutions challenge, an initiative by the Solar Impulse Foundation to select solutions that meet high standards in profitability and sustainability and present them to decision-makers to fast-track their implementation.

To receive the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” Label, Akila was thoroughly assessed by a pool of independent experts according to 5 criteria covering the three main topics of Feasibility, Environmental, and Profitability. All labeled solutions are part of the #1000solutions portfolio that will be presented to decision-makers in business and government by Bertrand Piccard, Chairman of the Solar Impulse Foundation. The aim of this initiative is to encourage the adoption of more ambitious environmental targets and fast-track the implementation of these solutions on a large scale.

About the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” Label

One of the first labels for positive impact businesses bringing together the protection of the environment and financial viability, the “Solar Impulse Efficient Solution” Label is attributed following an assessment performed by external independent experts. In collaboration with renowned institutions, solutions applying for the label must go through a neutral methodology based on verified standards. This label serves as an award for clean and profitable solutions.

About the Solar Impulse Foundation

The Solar Impulse Foundation is dedicated to accelerating the implementation of clean and profitable solutions. Moreover, the Foundation is helping decision-makers in businesses and governments to achieve their environmental targets and adopt more ambitious energy policies, which are necessary to pull these solutions to market. A way to carry the success of the first solar-powered flight around the world further.

Learn more at www.solarimpulse.com

 About Akila

Akila is an Asia-based digital twin platform harnessing real-time data and AI to streamline ESG reporting and optimize the performance, sustainability and human-centricity of buildings and cities. Backed by strategic partnerships with Microsoft, Dassault Systèmes and Aden Group, Akila currently has a growing team of 80+ members and 5.7M square meters managed across 80+ sites of deployment. Akila was recognized in 2022 by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer.

As a startup dedicated to exploring innovative ways of engaging with new technologies, increasing sustainability, and reimagining the built environment, Akila believes it is critically important to forming collaborative partnerships with those driving the latest research – top universities and institutions around the world. 

This week, we will put the spotlight on the Sino-European School of Technology of Shanghai (UTSEUS).

UTSEUS: Combining the best of French and Chinese technical education  

The prestigious Sino-French Institute of Engineering is jointly run by the University of Technology (UTBM in Belfort-Montbéliard, UTC in Compiègne, UTT in Troyes) and the University of Shanghai. The Sino-French Institute of Technology offers a multi-lingual and bi-cultural technological education that strives to equip the next generation of engineers with an innovative, problem-solving skill set, making them well-positioned to tackle the challenges of the 21^st century.

With alumni including industry leaders in Suez, L’Oréal and Dassault Systèmes, UTSEUS collaborates extensively with businesses both domestic and international, working with them on industry research, case studies and practical experience. Over the past decade, International Master’s students from UTSEUS have been closely involved in hundreds of projects at selected innovative companies. As of last year, this list of renowned partners includes Akila.

Future engineers, meet the future of sustainable technology

Whilst UTSEUS has been busy nurturing the future engineering workforce to tackle the challenges of sustainability, Akila has been busy creating the technology and tools that will define the future of the industry. To give students first-hand experience with the kinds of technology that will be at the forefront throughout the course of their careers, Akila is joining the UTSEUS network, bringing their ESG first digital twin technology and industry experience into the classroom.

Recently, UTSEUS students and staff were invited to attend a Campus event co-hosted by Akila in which attendees gained an insight into why ESG is here to stay, and how digital twin is the technology that is facilitating the transition. We discussed how all signals suggest that this is a force with enormous growth potential in the coming decades with companies that embrace ESG principles experiencing growth that far outpaces their non-ESG competitors and governments around the world committing to net-zero emissions in the coming decades. Students learned about the myriad applications of digital twin technology from the optimized monitoring of assets to the real-time tracking of data. The event was a fantastic opportunity for students to experience the future of sustainable technology up close and at the cutting edge.

Bringing the worlds of academia and business together means information can be exchanged directly, trends can be explored more thoroughly, and technologies can be developed more efficiently. Students and staff at UTSEUS that joined the Akila campus talk were able to get a taste of the benefits that this collaboration will bring. We have big plans for the future, from information and data sharing to collaboration on curriculum and shared research. Witnessing the possibilities of ESG-inspired digital twin technology will no doubt inspire a new generation of experts that will be the drivers of change going forward.

Furthering collaboration in the global reach

Apart from the Sino-European School of Technology of Shanghai (UTSEUS), Akila has also established partnerships with some of the most renowned universities around the world, including Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Sciences Po Paris, SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology (SPEIT), Fudan University and Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

In the following months, we will continue profiling our collaborations with different universities and sharing our stories of nurturing young minds and helping prepare future leaders for the biggest challenges of the 21^st century. Stay tuned for the next installment of the Akila Institutions series!

Philippe Obry, Co-Founder and General Manager of Akila, has been selected as one of 20 members selected for the Digital Twin Cities Advisory Committee, a joint initiative launched by the World Economic Forum and the China Academy of Information and Communications Technology (CAICT). Philippe will join a group of global leaders from government, industry and academia dedicated to exploring applications of digital twin at the city-wide level. Additionally, as a newly inaugurated Technology Pioneer, Akila will be joining as a contributor to the WEF’s “Pioneer Fostering Program” and “Digital Twin Park Construction Guideline,” helping conduct research on standards and specifications of digital twin cities.

The Digital Twin Cities Advisory Committee was launched with the aim of democratizing digital twin technology and driving net-zero carbon transformation in cities through digitalization. As a member, Akila will take a leading role in the committee’s three-year “Digital Twin City” research project. The think tank gathers global leaders from notable institutions such as the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Mott MacDonald, Dassault Systèmes, and AECOM, as well as top academia from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chinese Academy of Engineering, China Academy of Information and Communications Technology, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics to shape the future of digital twin city.

Entering the era of the digital twin

Digital twin technology is a promising way to drive more aggressive decarbonization of cities. Urban centers are responsible for more than 80% of global GDP, but also create more than 40% of global CO2 emissions. Finding a solution that allows cities to drastically cut their carbon footprints, without sacrificing economic potential, is a major challenge facing the entire globe. Furthermore, the WEF has called for a new approach to buildings entirely.

In its recent insight report, the WEF supports shifting the focus from merely creating the built environment to improving the outcomes enabled by it, and driven to be human and environmentally centric. The think tank demonstrates that urban systems must come together to help deliver those outcomes because cities are served by complex systems of interconnected assets and networks, and digital twin technology is critical to the transformation.

Accelerating the development of digital twin cities was a founding principle of Akila. With more than 3.5 million sqm currently using the Akila platform, and growing, this mission is already well underway. Through digitalization and simulation of buildings and their operations, and by breaking down information silos, Akila is driving efficiency, energy savings, and carbon reductions for buildings and businesses across the world. By joining the Committee, Akila is ready to expand its influence at the city level and take on larger responsibilities to nurture and guide emerging digital twin applications globally.

As a startup dedicated to joining the best ideas in technology, sustainability, business and the built environment, Akila believes it is critically important to forming collaborative partnerships with top universities and organizations around the world. Akila Institutions is a series looking at these partnerships, focusing this week on Fudan – MIT China Lab between two legendary universities: Shanghai’s Fudan University and Boston’s MIT.

Fudan-MIT China Lab: joining the best business minds in the US and China

Among all the Innovation Labs under the Fudan MBA program, Fudan – MIT China Lab is uniquely administered by both Fudan University and MIT Sloan School of Management. Representing business schools whose alumni include the leadership of Microsoft, Ford Motors and Hyundai, the Lab makes an annual selection of innovative businesses in China and abroad, working closely with them on business analysis and case studies. Over the past 17 years, international MBA students have conducted more than 284 projects through different Labs, collaborating with 232 leading companies.

Akila joined the ranks of this club for the second year, whose alumni include MSD, Schindler and Takeda. This year, Fudan – MIT China Lab opted to do an in-depth study of Akila’s EV charging project, echoing the increasingly important topic of ESG in the business world. This, it was felt, provided MIT and Fudan students with a valuable opportunity to study an emerging trend in the EV industry – the emergence of the buildings sector as a leading player in charging-station management and optimization.

Bringing first-hand field experiences to academia

EV charging management is a growing area of focus for Akila, whose team has recently launched its EV projects with Haikou Municipal Transportation, Qingdao Innovation Center, and the Aden NXpark (formerly known as Smart Park) in Xi’an. Using the Akila platform to integrate facility and EV charging management systems, early projects have found increased reliability, availability and efficiency of high-quality energy on-demand, as well as trackable sustainability through the whole process.

It has been estimated that with China accelerating its electric-vehicle transition over the years 2024–2035, economic benefits totaling approximately $445 billion are to come. Already, the market has seen 2.22 million EV charging stations already installed in China with exponential growth expected in the future. Optimizing this capacity, with the building sector playing a leading role, will hold the key to sustainability and economic prosperity. Students joining the Fudan – MIT China Lab, who will form the business leaders of the 2030s and 2040s, were able to witness this up close and side by side with the Akila team.

Furthering collaboration in the global reach

Apart from Fudan – MIT China Lab, Akila has also established partnerships with some of the most prestigious universities around the world, including Sciences Po Paris, SJTU Paris Elite Institute of Technology (SPEIT), Sino-European School of Technology of Shanghai (UTSEUS) and Hanoi University of Science and Technology.

In the following months, we will continue profiling our collaboration with different universities and sharing the stories of nurturing young minds and future leaders. Stay tuned for the next installment of Akila Institutions series!

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has recognized Akila, a real-estate data and management platform that uses digital twin and AI technologies to empower data-driven decision making and ESG for large and multinational portfolios, as a 2022 Technology Pioneer, placing Akila in a prestigious stratum of alumni like Google, AirBnB, Spotify, and Twitter.

The highly selective award recognizes annually the top 100 early- to growth-stage worldwide that are shaping the future by advancing technologies and are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. As part of the Technology Pioneers 2022 cohort, Akila will be taking part in WEF initiatives, activities and events throughout the year, working with global leaders to help address in particular the critical issue of net-zero and ESG.

Download the press release >

10 March 2022, Shanghai — Akila is excited to announce that it has become a member of the Digital Twin Consortium™, an international organization based in North America, dedicated to creating collaborative partnerships between digital-twin users and experts working in industry, government, academia and the tech sector. Akila will bring to the Consortium its own expertise and insights on using digital twin as an optimizer of the built environment and a powerful tool to streamline ESG reporting. At the same time, Akila will benefit from the Digital Twin Consortium’s extended ecosystem of innovators, thought leaders and industry leaders.

Philippe Obry, Akila’s Chief Innovation Officer, said, “We are witnessing a true revolution in the power and applications of digital twin. Through Akila and many like-minded innovators in the Digital Twin Consortium, we are confident that we will drive a data and software-based revolution in built environment, one which will fundamentally change buildings’ planning, construction and operation, all in the direction of creating cities and workplaces with far lower carbon emissions and a far higher level of human-centricity.

“We welcome Akila as a member of Digital Twin Consortium,” said Dan Isaacs, CTO, Digital Twin Consortium. “Their experience with digital twins for the built environment will be valuable to our members as we work to advance the adoption of digital twins in the industry.”

About Akila

Akila is a digital twin platform built to revolutionize sustainability, performance and human-centricity in the built environment, while also streamlining ESG reporting for portfolio managers and C-level leadership. Akila collects and links all data from the built environment, building users and building systems, covering the fill property lifecycle: design, construction and operation. Backed by partnerships with Dassault Systemes and Microsoft, Akila currently has a growing team of 80+ members and 1.5M square meters managed across 20 sites of deployment.

About Digital Twin Consortium™

Digital Twin Consortium™ is The Authority in Digital Twin. It coalesces industry, government, and academia to drive consistency in vocabulary, architecture, security, and interoperability of digital twin technology. It advances digital twin technology in many industries, from Aerospace to natural resources. Digital Twin Consortium™ is a program of Object Management Group. For more information, visit https://www.digitaltwinconsortium.org.

Note to editors: Digital Twin Consortium is a registered trademark of OMG. See listing of all OMG trademarks. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.