Energy Efficient Buildings
Closing the Performance Gap
Our buildings are not performing as designed, typically having a much greater energy consumption.
Achieving Net Zero therefore starts by closing the energy performance gap of our buildings. Indeed, the Greater London Authority’s (GLA) “Be Seen” initiative requires building owners to explain their energy performance gaps.
A key characteristic of an energy efficient building is a heating system return temperature of less than 40°C. In general, the lower the return temperature, the better the building is performing. The volume weighted average return temperature (VWART) is a measurable key performance indicator that building operators must monitor closely. Indeed, a low return temperature is a prerequisite for connection to a heat network and to the efficient exploitation of renewable technologies, such as heat pumps. High return temperatures can compromise these systems.
Closing the performance gap will cut fuel bills and carbon generation, requiring good energy management and accounting.
The Net Zero Process
The social and financial implications of energy has made managing an organisation’s energy and carbon footprint a senior management challenge.
The energy challenge that we are now facing in the UK is one that the Danes have been grappling with for decades.
Indeed, Denmark’s 2045 Net Zero plan concludes that aside from minimising the energy performance gap, buildings need to reduce their energy consumption by 37% to cost effectively allow for the decarbonisation of sectors such as transport and industry.
Ongoing Monitoring
Energy Saving
Energy Efficiency
Decarbonise Energy Sources
Ongoing Monitoring
Step Zero
Ongoing Monitoring
An Energy Monitoring System is required to continuously monitor and minimise a building portfolios actual energy consumption versus budget.
Closing our buildings’ energy performance gap is essential to achieving Net Zero.
We have chosen EnergiData, Denmark as our “Be Seen” energy accounting partner. Their unique, C-level executive approach is globally helping over 8,000 commercial and multi residential buildings cut energy waste.
Step 1
Energy Savings
Energy prices are unlikely to drop, so we must find other ways of saving energy. Energy savings can easily be made by changing user habits, ensuring proper management of heating systems, and identifying and eliminating sources of energy wastage. This step requires no capital investment. A further step is reducing heat loss by taking a fabric first approach to building renovation.
Energy Saving
Step 1
Energy Saving
The cheapest energy is the energy we do not use. Energy savings can easily be made with little to no investment by changing user habits, ensuring proper management of heating systems, and identifying and eliminating sources of energy wastage. A further step, with appropriate investment, is reducing heat loss by taking a fabric first approach to building renovation.
Step 2
Energy Efficiency
The lion’s share of the UK’s heating systems are not operating efficiently. This leads to unnecessary heat generation. By improving the efficiency of heating systems, users can reduce the amount of energy required to heat their buildings. This step can often be carried out without capital investment. However, the Danish experience is that the return on investment for system optimisation is typically measured in months.
Energy Efficiency
Step 2
Energy Efficiency
Building services need to achieve a satisfactory indoor climate with the minimum of energy waste. A building portfolio’s Energy Monitoring System should be organised to continuously monitor energy performance indicators against budget and immediately raise alarms when waste is detected.
Step 3
Low Carbon Energy Sources
If we can shrink the energy demand of our buildings, we can reduce the requirement for low carbon energy sources. Currently, the most accessible form of low-carbon energy generation is heat pumps. However, it is not possible to simply switch a gas boiler for a heat pump. To achieve this, most buildings would have to have changes made to their heating systems. It is therefore critical that step 3 is not undertaken before steps 1 and 2 have been covered.
Decarbonise Energy Sources
Step 3
Decarbonise Energy Sources
Decarbonising the building’s energy source is the last step of the Net Zero process. Often, renewable technologies will not be cost-effective or perform as intended if the previous steps have not been addressed. By reducing the energy consumption of our buildings, the UK’s need for generational capacity will diminish, bringing Net Zero closer to reality.
Step 4
Ongoing Monitoring
To maximise the benefits of the above steps, an overview and benchmarking of a building’s performance is required. We must know where we start to know how far we need to travel to achieve our net zero goals. The Danish experience is that energy monitoring is like a garden: buildings must be constantly tended to prevent deviation, otherwise inefficiencies will creep in.
Step Zero
Ongoing Monitoring
An Energy Monitoring System is required to continuously monitor and minimise a building portfolios actual energy consumption versus budget.
Closing our buildings’ energy performance gap is essential to achieving Net Zero.
We have chosen EnergiData, Denmark as our “Be Seen” energy accounting partner. Their unique, C-level executive approach is helping over 8,000 commercial buildings globally cut energy waste.
Step 1
Energy Saving
The cheapest energy is the energy we do not use. Energy savings can easily be made with little to no investment by changing user habits, ensuring proper management of heating systems, and identifying and eliminating sources of energy wastage. A further step, with appropriate investment, is reducing heat loss by taking a fabric first approach to building renovation.
Step 2
Energy Efficiency
Building services need to achieve a satisfactory indoor climate with the minimum of energy waste. A building portfolio’s Energy Monitoring System should be organised to continuously monitor energy performance indicators against budget and immediately raise alarms when waste is detected.
Step 3
Decarbonise Energy Sources
Decarbonising the building’s energy source is the last step of the Net Zero process. Often, renewable technologies will not be cost-effective or perform as intended if the previous steps have not been addressed. By reducing the energy consumption of our buildings, the UK’s need for generational capacity will diminish, bringing Net Zero closer to reality.
