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Posted: March 21, 2025
Amazon is scaling up its AI-powered tools to optimize water and energy use across its facilities. By the end of the year, these in-house technologies will monitor over 300 sites worldwide, helping detect leaks, reduce HVAC inefficiencies, and prevent refrigeration issues, furthering Amazon’s goal of reaching net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.
Amazon is expanding its AI-powered tools to more than 300 of its global facilities by year-end, up from the 120 sites currently using them. These tools, developed within Amazon Web Services, analyze energy and water usage, helping to detect leaks, monitor HVAC systems, and optimize refrigeration units. “We’re innovating with AI to help us decarbonize even faster,” said Kara Hurst, Amazon’s Chief Sustainability Officer. The company aims to leverage AI-powered sustainability solutions to improve efficiency and move closer to its net-zero carbon goal by 2040.
The technology has already proven its value. At a Scotland facility, the FlowMS tool identified an underground water leak that could have wasted 9 million gallons annually. Meanwhile, in New York, the Base Building tool flagged a miscalibrated utility meter that showed energy use five times higher than comparable locations. At a Spanish site, it detected an air conditioning malfunction by comparing real-time cooling output to expected performance. The Refrigeration Monitoring tool is also helping prevent food spoilage and excessive equipment downtime, with one case in Spain preventing an estimated 1,000 hours of lost operation.
Currently, FlowMS operates at over 40 North American sites, while the refrigeration tool is active in nearly 100 locations. These AI-driven tools are also helping Amazon reduce energy loss at delivery site dock doors by alerting employees when doors are left open. By continuing to refine and expand its AI capabilities, Amazon is making significant strides in minimizing waste and enhancing efficiency across its vast operations.
