AI Energy-Saving Service for Commercial Air Conditioning Begins Operation at 33 7-Eleven Stores

Panasonic HVAC & CC Corporation (hereinafter Panasonic) has introduced its IoT service for commercial air conditioning, 'Panasonic HVAC CLOUD' (hereinafter HVAC CLOUD), to 33 selected 7-Eleven stores nationwide, and operations have commenced. Through the 'AI Energy-Saving Control' feature of HVAC CLOUD, it is expected to contribute to a maximum reduction of 28.1% (*1) in air conditioning energy consumption across the 33 stores, resulting in an annual CO2 emission reduction of approximately 84 tons. About 90% of the CO2 emitted across the entire business operations of Seven-Eleven Japan Co., Ltd. originates from electricity consumed by store operations, with air conditioning alone accounting for up to 21% (*3) of this, prompting an urgent need for energy-saving measures in air conditioning. HVAC CLOUD is a cloud-based IoT service that enables remote management of air conditioning equipment and energy management through AI control, contributing to labor and cost savings in equipment management tasks. Since the service launched in April 2024, it has been installed in a cumulative total of 1,500 locations (*4), primarily in apparel stores and restaurants. On the floor of store operations, indoor temperatures fluctuate due to the number of entering customers and delivery operations, and staff sometimes set the remote control to unnecessarily high or low temperatures, placing excessive strain on the air conditioning. Panasonic's patented (*5) unique AI learns not only external environmental factors like facility information, outside temperature, and weather, but also the remote control usage by occupants. By automatically controlling the temperature setting to enable energy savings tailored to the specific conditions of each store, it achieves both comfort and energy efficiency. From September 2023 to October 2024, demonstration experiments were conducted at two 7-Eleven stores in the Kanto region. By implementing the AI Energy-Saving Control of HVAC CLOUD, it contributed to a maximum reduction of 28.1% (*1) in air conditioning power consumption. Across a total of 33 stores where HVAC CLOUD implementation is complete, including the two trial stores, it is expected to achieve an annual CO2 emission reduction of approximately 84 tons. HVAC CLOUD can be retrofitted onto existing commercial air conditioning units (*6) without the need for large-scale construction or complex operational changes. Furthermore, the company plans to offer future features such as detecting freon leaks by analyzing data obtained from air conditioners using AI, serving as an alternative to simplified inspections, as well as features to predict air conditioner failures. Panasonic will continue to enhance the functionality of HVAC CLOUD, supporting the realization of energy conservation and CO2 reduction in store operations, and contributing to the construction of a sustainable society. *1 Comparison made by toggling the AI Energy-Saving Control on and off weekly from April 2024 to March 2025 at 7-Eleven stores in the Kanto region (approx. 200 sq. meters), converting each control pattern into approximate curves. With AI Energy-Saving Control off: 21,334.5 kWh/year; with AI Energy-Saving Control on: 15,339.5 kWh/year. Actual energy-saving effects vary depending on usage environment and conditions. *2 Estimate based on extrapolating the average estimated CO2 emissions of stores that completed the trial without setting the temperature return function to 33 stores. *3 Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Industrial and Labor Affairs, Tokyo Metropolitan Center for Climate Change Actions (Cool Net Tokyo), 'Energy Saving Measures for Convenience Stores for Store Managers'. https://tokyo-co2down.g.kuroco-img.app/files/user/files/action/business/industry-seminar/text/conveniencestore.pdf *4 As of February 2026. *5 Acquired on February 20, 2025 (Patent Number: No. 7637910). *6 Limited to equipment that meets Panasonic's specified models and manufacturing year conditions, configured using a WLAN adapter. Please refer to the following press release for the full text. ▼[Press Release] AI Energy-Saving Service for Commercial Air Conditioning Begins Operation at 33 7-Eleven Stores (April 24, 2026) https://news.panasonic.com/jp/press/jn260424-1 ・Panasonic HVAC CLOUD Service Introduction Webpage https://solution-cloud.hvac.panasonic.com/hc_about