• • • ENERGY EFFICIENCY • • •
Engineering energy efficiency into public and private sector buildings
As carbon reduction targets tighten and scrutiny of energy use intensifies, organisations are under pressure to improve the performance of their buildings
By James Reid, Operations Director, OCS
rom government departments to hospital trusts, facilities teams are being asked to go beyond maintenance and play a central role in cutting emissions, improving infrastructure and reducing running costs.
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Electrical engineers and FM professionals are becoming increasingly seen as key decision- makers responsible not only for keeping buildings running, but for making them smarter, cleaner and more resilient.
Embedding energy strategy
into the fabric of buildings This shift in focus means energy strategy is becoming a critical part of how estates are run. Whether it’s specifying equipment, monitoring usage or managing upgrades, decisions around energy now influence long-term costs, carbon output and performance.
The challenge is translating intent into action. While innovation in building technologies is moving fast, implementation often lags. Budget constraints, fragmented data and ageing infrastructure make it difficult to build momentum. This is particularly true in the case of older estates, where systems are less efficient, infrastructure is constrained, funding is limited and day-to-day operations can’t be disrupted. But progress doesn’t have to mean wholesale change overnight. With the right strategy, data and planning, energy efficiency can be tackled in phases, with clear returns at each stage.
In some cases, even understanding where energy is being lost can be difficult. Without consistent, sub metering and building-level data, there’s little visibility on what needs to be prioritised or what return energy upgrades might deliver. And when capital funding is already under pressure, this can stall decarbonisation efforts before they’ve properly begun as the return on investment is difficult to articulate or justify in absence of baseline data.
Auditing as a foundation for progress
Energy audits are one of the most effective tools available to facilities teams. Rather than applying generic solutions, a detailed audit provides an opportunity and creates clear insight into how individual buildings perform, from equipment efficiency to patterns of usage and wastage. This level of visibility helps build realistic and phased solutions, rooted in evidence.
Audits can also support decisions around which measures to implement first. For example, simple low-cost adjustments to building controls may deliver more immediate benefits than a full-scale system replacement. For organisations managing multiple sites, having this kind of prioritised roadmap is key.
Funding routes and financial planning
The legacy issue facing
construction and maintenance Across healthcare, education, defence and commercial sectors, many estates remain heavily reliant on legacy systems. Heating, ventilation and lighting may not only be inefficient, but difficult to upgrade without disruption to existing electrical infrastructure and systems. For estates teams, this creates a constant balancing act between short- term fixes and long-term investment.
Despite rising energy costs and growing climate commitments, financial constraints remain one of the biggest barriers to implementation. For public bodies in particular, accessing grant support is often the only route to getting projects off the ground. Funding schemes such as SALIX Finance offer important support for capital works aimed at reducing carbon emissions. Future decarbonisation funding schemes need to be supported by the government to encourage investment in the sector. Identifying the right scheme, building a robust case for investment, and ensuring compliance can require specialist input. This is where sector expertise and partnerships can help fill resource gaps and support the delivery process from end to end.
Facilities teams hold the operational key
Energy use is shaped as much by how a building is run as by how it’s designed. Facilities management teams are closely involved in the daily decisions that influence consumption -
16 ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • JULY/AUGUST 2025
whether through maintenance, system performance, or operational habits. This makes them a natural lead on integrating energy considerations into wider estate strategy. Whether it’s adjusting usage patterns, maintaining equipment for maximum efficiency, or planning future infrastructure upgrades, the impact is cumulative. Over time, small improvements can build towards significant emissions reductions.
A phased and practical approach One of the most common sticking points in decarbonisation is knowing where to begin, particularly when managing a diverse estate. Every site will have different needs, and the appetite for change may vary depending on budget, condition and occupancy. Taking a phased, evidence-led approach makes action more achievable. Begin with a clear assessment of the current state. Then, identify what can be improved quickly, what requires funding and what needs longer-term planning. This allows estates and FM teams to make steady, tangible progress without undermining operational continuity.
Energy efficiency as a
working principle For any organisation managing physical space, energy performance is now a central part of delivering value, whether that’s financial, environmental or operational. In the construction and FM sectors especially, the opportunity lies in embedding energy strategy into every part of the process: from how decisions are designed to how systems are maintained and upgraded. With the right structure, data and support, energy efficiency becomes less of a challenge to overcome, and more of a standard to work towards.
electricalengineeringmagazine.co.uk
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