cynaps Inc.: "BA Cloud" — Wireless, Serverless Energy-Saving IoT Retrofit System Specializing in Ventilation Control Without Large-Scale Construction

My name is Yusuke Iwaya from cynaps Inc. We develop "BA Cloud," a smart building solution designed to drastically improve the energy efficiency of ventilation and air conditioning systems in commercial buildings.

The Three Inefficiencies of Industrial Ventilation Running in Empty Spaces

We have seen countless buildings where ventilation fans run at maximum capacity even in situations where ventilation is completely unnecessary—such as unheated kitchens or empty lobbies during weekday mornings. Industrial ventilation units consume vast amounts of energy, and some buildings have dozens of these units operating, resulting in massive energy waste.

There are three major inefficiencies hidden in this type of ventilation:
1. Kinetic energy required to draw outdoor air into the room.
2. Air conditioning thermal energy required to adjust the outdoor air temperature to the room's set temperature.
3. Kinetic energy required to exhaust the drawn indoor air outside.

While a few ultra-large, newly built skyscrapers implement massive central control systems to regulate ventilation, these systems are not common in ordinary buildings due to high costs and complexities. The reasons for this slow adoption are the structural barrier where a single company cannot lead the project alone, and the lack of flexibility for building owners to undertake large-scale renovation work on existing buildings.

How "BA Cloud" Works: Ultra-Fast, Low-Cost Retrofitting for Existing Buildings

To solve this challenge, we developed "BA Cloud."
BA Cloud is a wireless and serverless energy-saving automated control system consisting of advanced IoT sensors and IoT power units. Unlike traditional systems, it requires no major wiring work or central server installation for existing central air conditioning systems. Its biggest feature is that it can be easily retrofitted to existing equipment.

Consequently, it delivers high performance in large hotels and shopping malls with broad areas, long operating hours, and heavy ventilation loads. In a simulation based on a high-rise hotel currently operating in Japan, the system achieved a reduction of 59 million JPY in annual utility costs, equivalent to reducing CO2 emissions by about 370 average households.

Roadmap to a Giant Impact: 1 Trillion JPY Nationally, 22 Trillion JPY Globally

Our business model is offered under two plans: the "Initial Cost Plan" to lower initial financial barriers and the "Performance Share Plan" where payments are made out of the actual utility savings. We have a cumulative track record of 33 installations, focusing particularly on hotels and commercial facilities in recent years.

We estimate the utility cost reduction impact of BA Cloud on ventilation and air conditioning to be 1 trillion JPY in Japan and 22 trillion JPY globally. We are advancing this business with a dream team of specialists in architecture, power electronics, and IoT. Moving forward, we aim to evolve from individual large building improvements to smart energy infrastructure covering entire city districts, and eventually to global value creation leveraging AI, data, and carbon credits. We are currently seeking partners for business alliances, distribution sales, and pilot field sites.

Q&A and Feedback

Commentator (Mr. Ito): Thank you for the presentation. This is a very timely topic, and especially during this hot summer season, it must resonate strongly with building owners and management companies. Is cynaps currently fully specialized in deep-diving only into the ventilation control area with "BA Cloud"?

Yusuke Iwaya: Yes, that is correct. We specialize solely in ventilation control as our core strength. Most building management systems (BEMS) in the market claim they can control various types of facilities, but almost no players focus purely on ventilation control to eliminate waste. However, in reality, ventilation control is often the root cause of poor air conditioning efficiency, causing massive energy waste in many buildings.

Commentator (Mr. Ito): I see. So traditional building energy management systems do not fully cover this ventilation waste?

Yusuke Iwaya: Yes, they do not. Basically, traditional control systems only perform minimum maintenance, such as turning switches on/off or keeping the temperature constant. In the design and construction phases of a building, budgets are often prioritized for exterior, interior, or layout designs, and post-occupancy comfort or energy efficiency becomes secondary. As a result, many building owners suffer from frequent complaints about temperature unevenness or unusually high energy costs after delivery.

Commentator (Mr. Ito): In that case, there must be a huge demand, especially for existing buildings that are 10 to 20 years old and have poor energy efficiency. However, is it not difficult to consult and invest in equipment individually when each building has a different structure and AC configuration?

Yusuke Iwaya: That is precisely where our strength lies. We combine consulting and energy-saving proposals to analyze at high speed which equipment to control to get the best balance between cost and reduction effect. Building managers are not equipment specialists, so they honestly do not know where to start. Therefore, we have internalized the consulting process to provide a one-stop support system for smart ventilation and AC implementation.

Commentator (Mr. Ito): Do you plan to systemize or apply AI to this consulting process in the future?

Yusuke Iwaya: Yes. Currently, we quantify and flow-chart our know-how to handle consulting with human resources, but we plan to fully automate this process using AI in the future—from data input to proposal generation and optimal control pattern extraction.

Commentator (Mr. Ito): Thank you. Your vision of a "smart energy infrastructure for entire city districts" mentioned in the latter half has high social significance. For instance, if you could launch a pilot program in cooperation with local governments, it would become a high-profile project.

Yusuke Iwaya: Thank you very much for your understanding and encouraging advice. Looking ahead to such social implementation, we plan to strengthen cooperation with local governments and major utility infrastructure companies. We look forward to working together.