Honeywell Technologies has launched Forge Cognition, a system that adds AI agents and digital twins (live virtual models of a building) to the software that runs heating, cooling, security and power in buildings and industrial sites. It was built with technology from Nvidia and Dell.
Honeywell announced the product on 14 October 2026, calling it “a self-contained agentic AI and simulation platform for facility operations”. “Agentic” means the AI can take actions, not just answer questions. Honeywell says the agents can sort building alarms, predict equipment problems and suggest ways to cut energy use.
Three modes, one not yet in use
Customers can run Forge Cognition in manual, semi-autonomous or autonomous mode, and operators can override it at any time, Honeywell says.
But Honeywell’s chief technology officer, Suresh Venkatarayalu, told Fortune the autonomous mode is not yet in use. “We have not opened up an autonomy right now,” he said. “Maybe we will start running in this mode for probably next two to three years,” he added, meaning people will stay in control for that period. He described the platform to Fortune as “a brain behind a building”.
The pilot results
Honeywell is testing Forge Cognition at Nvidia’s Voyager building in Santa Clara, the Fairmont Hotel in Dubai, NEX Mall in Singapore, Vanderbilt University, and its own sites in Bangalore and in Richardson, Texas.
Honeywell says the Voyager pilot achieved “up to 90% reduction, on average, in unnecessary alerts”, identified “up to 10% potential reduction in energy and utility consumption”, and kept a comfort score above 95%. These are Honeywell’s own figures. Fortune noted the energy figure is potential savings that have not yet been achieved.
Honeywell says its systems are installed at more than 300,000 sites, but it has not said how many will use the new product.
What this means
- AI agents are moving into physical buildings. Honeywell is putting them on top of existing building controls.
- Humans stay in the loop. The autonomous mode exists but is not switched on.
- The results are early. The pilot figures come from Honeywell, and the energy savings are not yet realised.
Sources
- Honeywell Technologies, “Honeywell Technologies Launches Forge Cognition with NVIDIA and Dell Technologies, Advancing Physical AI Across Buildings and Industrial Operations”, 14 October 2026. https://www.honeywell.com/us/en/news/press-releases/2026/10/honeywell-technologies-launches-forge-cognition-with-nvidia-and-dell-technologies-advancing-physical-ai-across-buildings-and-industrial-operations
- Fortune (Nick Lichtenberg), “Exclusive: Honeywell Technologies launches a ‘brain behind the building’ with Nvidia and Dell. Its CTO says humans will run it for now”, 14 October 2026. https://fortune.com/2026/10/14/honeywell-technologies-brain-behind-the-bulding-forge-cognition-dell-nvidia/
