THINK YOUR BUILDING IS RUNNING AT ITS PEAK? THINK AGAIN
Buildings in the UK consume a whopping 59% of the nation’s electricity and contribute to 25% of its greenhouse gas emissions, largely due to inefficient energy use and poorly controlled heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.
Despite operating 24/7, many commercial buildings are not optimised for actual use. Office spaces, for example, can often be underutilised by 30–40% on a typical workday, meaning energy systems are running flat out even when occupants aren’t present.
The current UK government strategy highlights that non-domestic buildings, including offices, retail, health and hospitality, account for the largest share of commercial energy consumption and represent a major opportunity for carbon savings.
WHY COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS USE SO MUCH ENERGY AND WHY HVAC IS A BIG PART OF THE PROBLEM
1. Commercial buildings are always ‘on’
Unlike homes, commercial buildings rarely switch off: lighting, IT equipment, ventilation and HVAC all operate continuously. This always-on behaviour drives high energy demand and dramatically increases running costs.
2. HVAC systems are major energy loads
Heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems account for a large share of total energy use in commercial buildings, often around 40% or more of total consumption.
HVAC systems are designed to maintain comfort and air quality, which often results in:
- Running at full airflow even when areas are empty
- Maintaining setpoints regardless of weather or occupancy
- Cycling inefficiently due to poor control strategies
- Inflated running costs and unnecessary energy usage
3. Traditional control systems lack real-world awareness
Conventional building management systems (BMS) typically operate on fixed schedules or basic thermostat logic. Without real-time insight into occupancy, weather, solar gain, internal heat loads or air quality, they struggle to adapt to actual building needs.
This one-size-fits-all approach leads to wasted heating, cooling and ventilation energy, increasing emissions and operating costs.
BREAKING THE CYCLE: SMART SENSORS + REMOTE HVAC OPTIMISATION
What are smart sensors?
Smart building sensors — including temperature, CO₂, humidity, occupancy and air quality sensors — gather real-time data from within the building. They act as the building’s nervous system, capturing changes traditional systems miss.
Real-time data = better decisions
By feeding live data into an optimisation platform, buildings can:
- Adjust heating and cooling to match current occupancy
- Reduce ventilation when spaces are empty
- Pre-condition spaces using predictive patterns such as weather forecasts
- Detect inefficiencies and faults early
- Avoid unnecessary energy use during unoccupied periods
REMOTE HVAC OPTIMISATION: THE NEXT STEP
Platforms like myBEMS, a remote HVAC optimisation solution, take this a step further by connecting to existing BMS or HVAC controls and continuously harvesting sensor data, weather feeds and energy metrics.
Advanced machine-learning algorithms then:
- Learn how the building behaves over time
- Identify opportunities to reduce inefficiencies
- Make automated adjustments to HVAC operation
- Flag issues before they become costly breakdowns
All of this happens remotely, with little need for extensive rewiring or disruption.
REAL BENEFITS: ENERGY, EMISSIONS AND CARBON
According to industry experience and case studies:
- Annual energy savings of 20–30% are typical with remote optimisation
- Carbon emissions fall alongside reduced heating and electricity demand
- Occupant comfort improves through better temperature control and air quality
These outcomes are achieved without sacrificing comfort — occupants often experience improved indoor environments through more responsive systems.
WHY THIS MATTERS NOW
As regulatory pressure increases and net-zero targets tighten, building owners and managers face growing scrutiny:
- Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) demand improved performance
- Tenants increasingly prefer sustainable, energy-efficient premises
- Long-term energy prices remain volatile
Smart sensors and remote optimisation offer a cost-effective route to decarbonise buildings, reduce energy spend and future-proof assets.
SMARTER BUILDINGS FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
Commercial buildings are vital to the UK economy, but their high energy use — particularly from HVAC systems — presents a major barrier to reducing emissions and costs.
Smart sensors combined with remote optimisation platforms like myBEMS transform how buildings use energy by harnessing real-time data and intelligent control.
By adopting these technologies, building owners and operators can unlock significant energy savings, carbon reductions and improved occupant comfort — a win-win for both business and the planet.
Book a demo or consultation today to see how myBEMS can help you reach your ESG targets.
