Top Energy Efficiency Trends for 2025
Top Energy Efficiency Trends for 2025
As energy costs rise and environmental regulations tighten, multisite commercial and industrial companies are facing increasing pressure to improve energy efficiency and sustainability. To stay competitive and compliant, it's essential to stay ahead of industry trends. At Emergent Energy Solutions, we’ve identified the top energy efficiency trends that are shaping 2025 and beyond.
In this article, we’ll cover:
The top five energy efficiency trends for 2025
How AI and IoT are transforming energy management
What the future of waste management looks like for industrial facilities
1. The Top 5 Energy Efficiency Trends for 2025
1.1 Real-Time Energy Monitoring Thanks to affordable sensors and cloud-based platforms, real-time energy tracking is now accessible to more companies. This technology allows facility teams to pinpoint inefficiencies, respond to issues faster, and benchmark performance across multiple sites.
1.2 Onsite Renewable Energy With falling solar and battery storage costs, more companies are investing in onsite renewables. Not only do these systems reduce reliance on the grid, but they also enhance energy resilience and support ESG commitments.
1.3 Smarter HVAC and Building Automation Building automation systems (BAS) are getting smarter. AI-powered algorithms can now adjust HVAC systems based on occupancy patterns, weather forecasts, and energy pricing—maximizing comfort while reducing energy waste.
1.4 Electrification of Equipment From forklifts to industrial boilers, companies are switching to electric-powered equipment to cut emissions and reduce long-term energy costs. This trend aligns with corporate carbon goals and prepares businesses for potential fossil fuel phase-outs.
1.5 Employee Engagement and Energy Culture The human element remains critical. In 2025, companies are doubling down on energy training programs and behavioral change initiatives to support long-term efficiency gains.
2. How AI and IoT Are Transforming Energy Management
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT) are no longer buzzwords—they're essential tools in the modern energy manager’s toolkit.
AI Use Cases in Energy Efficiency:
Predictive maintenance using historical equipment data. This has long been a manual process where facility engineers and plant maintenance engineers look through historical data to identify opportunities. There has been much progress made in this area by leveraging AI toolkits but we have not seen any sufficient data to suggest that an AI can replace the process knowledge that a maintenance engineer can provided.
Automated energy optimization based on usage trends. Utilizing year over year overlays that accounts for weather and process data, high level changes in energy usage at a facility can act as the signal to inherent process or maintenance changes that can impact long term system efficiency.
Intelligent forecasting for budgeting and demand response. With sufficient energy usage, billing and predictable cost of energy, it is possible to develop and forecast energy budgets for large industrial and commercial sites. This predictability will help to remove operational cost uncertainty to large multinational organizations.
IoT in Multisite Facilities: IoT devices like smart meters, occupancy sensors, and connected thermostats are helping facility teams monitor and manage energy use remotely. For multisite organizations, this means standardizing operations across regions and quickly identifying anomalies.
The integration of AI + IoT allows for scalable, automated energy management—freeing up teams to focus on strategic decisions rather than data crunching.
3. The Future of Waste Management in Industrial Facilities
Energy efficiency and waste reduction are two sides of the same coin. Here’s how the waste landscape is shifting in 2025:
Circular Economy Strategies More companies are embracing circular practices—finding ways to repurpose byproducts, recycle more materials, and reduce landfill dependency. Large corporations have set goals to significantly reduce their landfill waste from their facilities. For this reason, waste tracking and recyclability is continuously tracked with targets by many organizations to have no waste to landfill.
Digital Waste Tracking Smart bins and digital waste tracking platforms are helping companies monitor diversion rates, contamination levels, and cost per ton in real time. Most organizations have already implemented digital product lease programs that will mitigate digital waste removal and recycling needs.
Integrated Energy and Waste Audits Forward-thinking firms are combining energy and waste assessments to identify cross-cutting savings opportunities—like reducing packaging materials that also lower waste hauling costs and energy use during production.
Key Takeaways for Multisite Companies
If you manage or support a portfolio of industrial or commercial facilities, now is the time to act:
Invest in smart energy monitoring tools to unlock real-time data across all locations.
Leverage AI and IoT for predictive insights and scalable energy savings.
Combine energy and waste strategies to build a more efficient, sustainable operation.
Get Help from the Experts
At Emergent Energy Solutions, we specialize in helping multisite organizations reduce energy use, manage waste more effectively, and train teams for lasting impact. Whether you're just starting or looking to enhance your existing programs, our experts can guide you every step of the way.
Contact us at www.emergentenergy.us or www.emergentmetering.com