Energy Management
Stefania Vatidis
How Space Efficiency Can Be A Strategic FM Lever For Enhanced Energy Management
By Stefania Vatidis, Growth Marketing Manager at workplace solutions provider HubStar
According to the International Energy Agency, buildings account for nearly 40% of global energy consumption and over a third of greenhouse gas emissions. Much of this energy is consumed in heating, cooling and lighting spaces, regardless of whether those spaces are actively in use.
With the hybrid work model increasingly becoming the norm, many office buildings now operate with fluctuating occupancy levels. A conference room might be used for only a few hours each week. Desks may sit empty for days at a time. Yet many facilities continue to run as if every square metre is fully occupied every hour of the day. This gap between actual usage and operational assumptions presents a significant opportunity for improvements in space management.
Today, space utilisation is not just about fitting more into less, but instead about making space work smarter. And the efficient use of space is no longer just a workplace design choice. Space efficiency can now play an important role as a strategic FM lever for enhanced energy management and help transform how energy is consumed.
But when can a space be classified as efficient? In this case, it refers to the optimal use of a building’s physical footprint, ensuring
that every square metre serves minimising unnecessary overhead.
In energy management terms, more efficient use of space means fewer square metres to heat, cool, and light. This means tailoring HVAC, lighting, and other systems to serve only the spaces that are needed, when they are needed. Better airflow and natural light penetration can be achieved with smarter layouts based on a better understanding of employees’ actual work patterns. This reduces reliance on artificial lighting and mechanical ventilation, which are often major energy drains.
Thanks to data-driven tools and intelligent automation, facilities can now respond to real-time occupancy and usage patterns, simultaneously optimising space utilisation and energy performance. By aligning building operations more closely with real-time space utilisation, an FM team can dramatically reduce energy waste, resulting in lower costs, fewer emissions, and better resource stewardship.
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