The September 2023 eBook by Siemens explores the significant challenges societies encounter when transitioning infrastructure, especially industrial buildings, to energy efficiency through retrofit designs and decarbonization efforts. Countries worldwide grapple with these monumental tasks, often hindered by imbalanced resource accessibility, differing philosophies, and geographic and political challenges. The eBook emphasizes the need for a clearly communicated global consensus on alignment, standardization, and collaboration to leverage emerging technologies and regulations to collectively move away from fossil fuels. It covers three overlapping spheres: Regional Perspectives, City/Urban Perspectives, and Commercial Industry Perspectives.

Keywords: Artificial Intelligence (AI), Building Retrofits, Clean Tech, Climate Change, Connected/ EV Vehicles, Construction/New Buildings, Control & Monitoring Equipment/Sensors, Energy Efficiency/Management, HVAC & Indoor Air Quality (IAQ), Large Building, Controls/Automation, Lighting Systems/Controls, Protocols/Standards, Renewable Energy, Smart Cities, Smart Grid, System Integrator, Utilities, Water Management, Resource Efficiency, Collective Responsibility, Carbon Capture & Storage, Biodiversity, Paris Agreement, Public-Private Partnerships