Prof. Ahmet Köse

The urgency to combat global warming has never been greater, as global temperatures approach the 1.5°C threshold established by the Paris Agreement. With buildings responsible for nearly 40% of global energy consumption, the real estate sector stands at the forefront of both the challenge and the solution.
Innovative, data-driven technologies are transforming how we manage energy in buildings. Through Demand Side Management (DSM) and Demand Response (DR), operations can be optimized at scale — reducing emissions and energy use while maintaining optimal indoor comfort. Buildings are evolving from passive energy consumers into active, intelligent participants in the energy ecosystem, capable of supporting grid stability by dynamically balancing electricity demand.
This keynote lecture will explore practical outcomes, challenges, and lessons learned from diverse regions and building types — from the cold climates of Northern Europe to the warmer zones of Southern Europe and Asia. We will discuss the impact of fragmented automation systems, varying operational cultures, human factors, and learning curves — and how innovation, collaboration, and teamwork can overcome these barriers to create smarter cities, more sustainable built environment in practice.