INDUSTRY COMMENT
Why operational building performance will define the next decade
T
he Government’s confirmation that privately rented non- domestic buildings over 1,000m² in England and Wales will be expected to achieve a minimum EPC B rating by 2031 is a significant milestone for the built environment. The Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) welcomes the announcement. Catherine Walker, executive officer of the BCIA says it reinforces the importance of improving energy efficiency across the commercial property sector. However, while much of the discussion has focused on achieving compliance, the bigger question for the building services industry is what happens after the certificate has been achieved. EPC B provides an important benchmark, but compliance alone will not deliver the energy savings, carbon reductions and operational improvements the Government is seeking. The next decade will be defined not by how buildings are designed to perform, but by how they perform once occupied.
Closing the gap between design and reality
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) measures a building’s theoretical energy performance under standardised conditions. It does not measure how efficiently that
building operates every day. This distinction is becoming increasingly important as the industry places greater emphasis on operational building performance. Many commercial buildings continue to waste significant amounts of energy because heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting systems are no longer aligned with the way the building is used. Controls may have been overridden years ago, operating schedules may never have been updated following changes in occupancy, or systems may still be heating and cooling different areas simultaneously. Even relatively modern buildings can underperform if their controls are not properly configured and maintained. Achieving EPC B should therefore not be viewed simply as a fabric upgrade or plant replacement exercise. Operational building performance deserves equal attention if organisations are to achieve lasting improvements in efficiency and carbon reduction.
Building services engineers are central to better performance
Building services engineers have a vital role in helping clients bridge the gap between theoretical and actual performance. Effective commissioning remains fundamental, but it is only one stage in the lifecycle of a building. Continuous optimisation, periodic recommissioning and regular review of control strategies
Advanced Class A BEMS deliver average energy and carbon savings of around 30%. A typical 1,000m2 office building can achieve a 143% return on investment over ten years, with a payback period of approximately four years. Independent analysis also concluded that advanced building controls represent the most cost-effective route to improving building performance over a 10-year period.
ensure systems continue to reflect changing occupancy patterns, business operations and seasonal conditions.
Intelligent controls deliver measurable outcomes
Modern Building Energy Management Systems (BEMS) and intelligent building controls provide one of the most effective and cost-efficient routes to improving operational building performance. Rather than relying on fixed time schedules, advanced BEMS continuously optimise heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting in response to occupancy, weather conditions and operational demand. They also provide valuable operational data, enabling facilities teams to identify inefficiencies, verify savings and make informed decisions based on measured performance rather than assumptions.
The business case is compelling. BCIA’s white paper, Comfort, Efficiency and Health: The Untapped Potential of Building Energy Management Systems, found that
Looking beyond 2031
The industry’s focus is already shifting from theoretical design performance towards measured operational outcomes. Initiatives such as the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard reinforce the importance of demonstrating how buildings perform in practice throughout their operational life. With around 80% of current UK buildings still likely to exist in 2050, this focus on in-use performance is critical to achieving the UK’s decarbonisation and net zero targets. The next decade is unlikely to be defined simply by which buildings achieve EPC B. It will be defined by which buildings consistently deliver measurable performance once occupied. Intelligent building controls will be central to that transition. By enabling continuous optimisation, providing measurable performance data and supporting informed operational decisions, intelligent building controls ensure buildings deliver the performance they were designed to achieve - not simply at handover, but throughout their entire lifecycle.
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