Published 1 Sep 2026
S5. Ep 15. Talking with Christian Schiemann about Smarter Buildings, Energy Performance and the Future of Property Technology
What if the biggest opportunity in construction is not just what we build next, but how we make the buildings we already have perform better?
In this episode of The Building Talks Podcast, I sit down with Christian Schiemann, whose work sits at the intersection of technology and the built environment. What starts as a conversation about buildings quickly opens up into energy, innovation, retrofitting and how the assets we already own could look, feel and operate very differently in the years ahead.
We talk about reducing energy consumption, improving building performance, upgrading existing residential and commercial properties, and the technology that could change the way buildings are managed over the next couple of decades. It is a slightly different conversation for the show, but a really interesting one for anyone curious about where property, construction and technology are heading.
Takeaways:
- ✅How technology is changing the way buildings perform
- ✅Why existing buildings may hold huge untapped potential
- ✅The role of retrofitting in improving energy efficiency
- ✅How residential and commercial assets could operate differently in future
- ✅Why reducing energy consumption is becoming a major priority
- ✅What innovation in the built environment could look like over the next decade
Chapters:
- 03:27 - Christian's Journey into Building Automation
- 05:11 - How Building Automation Has Evolved
- 08:54 - Open Protocols and Getting Building Systems to Communicate
- 11:45 - Automating Energy Efficiency and Bringing AI into Buildings
- 14:31 - Net Zero Buildings and the Massive Retrofit Opportunity
- 18:09 - Why Government Policy Matters for Decarbonising Buildings
- 20:24 - The Cost, Payback and Commercial Case for Greener Buildings
- 24:07 - Smart Homes, Solar, Batteries and Home Energy Management
- 27:20 - Housing Affordability, Building Standards and Smarter New Homes
- 36:30 - Data Centres, Energy Consumption and the Cooling Challenge
- 43:06 - Renewable Energy, Battery Technology and the Road to 2050
- 48:46 - The Four-Layer Approach to Retrofitting Existing Buildings
- 54:50 - Self-Generating Buildings, Technology Adoption and Bringing People Along
- 1:00:41 - Health, Wellbeing and the Human Benefits of Building Automation
Tune in for a thought-provoking conversation about smarter buildings, better performance and the future of technology in property and construction.
Hope you enjoy the podcast!
#BuildingTechnology #SmartBuildings #EnergyEfficiency #PropertyTechnology #BuiltEnvironment #BuildingPerformance #Retrofitting #SustainableBuildings #ConstructionInnovation #FutureOfProperty #AustralianConstruction #PropertyDevelopment #TheBuildingTalksPodcast
The Building Talks Podcast is brought to you by Building Environs Recruitment - providing recruitment solutions to the property, construction, and related industries, here in Melbourne and Southeast Queensland. For an overview of our service, visit:
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Proud to partner with Housing All Australians (HAA) and The Building and Construction Foundation. Check out their websites and join the movement!
www.housingallaustralians.org.au
https://www.buildingandconstructionfoundation.org.au/
The views and information shared in this podcast are for general purposes only and do not constitute legal or professional advice. Neither the host nor guests are providing specific guidance. Please seek professional advice before taking any action based on the content of this podcast.
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Building Talks Podcast
Talking to professionals in construction, property development, architecture, and beyond.
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