Why reduce energy intensity in buildings?
Reducing energy intensity in buildings is key to improving energy efficiency, lowering operational costs, and easing environmental impact.
Working with ground-breaking technology, IBOS (Intelligent Building Operating System) which is now installed across more than 9.2 million sq. ft of commercial property, our teams have delivered £6.5m of savings on clients’ energy bills to date.
This technology is changing the face of energy management in the built environment.
Here are six ways IBOS cuts energy intensity in buildings:
1. Take control: weed out high energy consumption
For building owners who are committed to reducing energy intensity, it’s imperative to have control across all systems. This extends to occupiers’ demised areas which may include high-energy-consuming plant. It also extends to intelligent lighting control and switching, which can be kept under full visibility of the IBOS team.
IBOS helps landlords who are seriously interested in cutting carbon and cost across the whole building to achieve savings. For example, in the 97 buildings where IBOS is installed, the tech has saved 31,200,000 kWh of energy and prevented 3,400 tonnes of CO2e from entering the Earth’s atmosphere.
2. Continuous commissioning: maintain peak performance
This is a marathon not a sprint, and the goal is to make sure the building runs just as smoothly and efficiently as when it was set up and commissioned. With IBOS acting as a real-time digital twin, the technology is continually making sure that the building is performing to the best of its ability, based on its current live condition and population of the building. By continuously optimising systems, IBOS also tackles the risk of energy drift while ensuring the building is consistently at peak performance.
Using IBOS, expert teams and building managers can monitor building performance continuously and receive actionable information to address problems proactively. In doing so, managers can get ahead of energy drift, maintain optimal energy efficiency, make facilities teams more productive, and protect the organisation against risk and unnecessary costs over the long term.
3. Fault detection diagnosis: get a real-time health check
Integrated into IBOS, fault detection and diagnostics (FDD) is like having a real-time health check for a building. It continuously monitors a building’s systems and detects inefficiencies, equipment faults, or operational errors, then pinpoints the cause to allow proactive action.
When FDD detects a fault, it doesn’t just highlight the issue – it tells IBOS system managers exactly what the problem is, enabling quick, data-driven decisions that prevent further energy loss or operational issues.
Buildings can lose as much as 30% in energy efficiency every one to two years due to energy drift. Yet by identifying faults in building systems, including HVAC, lighting, and energy systems, FDD ensures buildings operate at peak performance, reducing energy waste and lowering operational costs.
4. The human element: respond to occupant behaviour
Occupant behaviour plays a significant role in a building’s energy intensity. Implementing energy awareness programmes and providing feedback on energy use through dashboards or reports can motivate occupiers to adopt more energy-efficient behaviours.
It can also bring about more sweeping changes: using tech like IBOS means properties are managed with a more nuanced strategy. For example, with human interpretation, the data collected by IBOS can help occupiers understand which changes to the running of their systems would make the most difference in terms of energy efficiency.
Instead of rigidly adhering to lease terms that may not align with actual occupancy patterns, building systems can be adjusted to better fit real-time usage. By focusing on a human-centric approach, the technology is adapted to meet the needs of occupiers, ensuring that building operations are more responsive and tailored. This approach not only reduces costs but also enhances the overall performance and experience within the building.
5. Data is king: knowing how to use it is everything
Data is king, and good quality data allows for informed decisions. Where buildings are running off kilter, it’s possible for IBOS to identify the reasons why, and what needs to be done about it.
The humanity behind the IBOS system means that the data collected can be utilised effectively to make better decisions about energy efficiency. Data collected from systems across the building needs to be interrogated and acted upon for significant savings to be achieved.
6. The omnipotent system: combining data, control and action
Intelligent building technologies, such as our Intelligent Building Operating System (IBOS), enable real-time monitoring, analytics, optimisation, and control of energy usage. IBOS supports automated operations, remote management, and in-depth data analysis of building systems, whether for individual properties or across entire portfolios.
By dynamically adjusting heating, cooling, lighting, and ventilation in response to occupancy, time of day, and weather conditions, IBOS enhances both energy efficiency and operational effectiveness. This level of automation is proven to reduce energy waste and optimise usage throughout the building.
IBOS is now installed across more than 9.2 million sq. ft of commercial property, and has delivered £6.5m of savings on clients’ energy bills to date, saving 31,200,000 kWh of energy and preventing 3,400 tonnes of CO2e from entering the Earth’s atmosphere at the 97 buildings where IBOS is installed.
What is energy intensity & why is it important?
Energy intensity represents the energy consumed to operate a building, relative to its size. It’s an increasingly essential metric, as it reflects the amount of energy consumed per unit area of a building, typically measured in kilowatt-hours per square metre, per year (kWh/m²/year).
It’s considered a comprehensive indicator of energy efficiency, with higher energy intensity suggesting inefficient energy use. The energy consumption measured typically includes heating, cooling, lighting, ventilation, and the operation of electrical devices.
This concept is key to evaluating the energy efficiency of buildings and identifying areas for improvement. The metric is influenced by a range of factors such as the building’s design, construction materials, insulation, the efficiency of installed systems (such as HVAC), and occupant behaviour.
Calculating energy intensity at a company or property level over time, can also help organisations set targets and policies. It allows for comparative analysis across different sectors, which can help identify best practice, and pinpoint areas for improvement.
To find out more about how our Building Technology team can help, or to arrange a demo of IBOS contact James Hallworth.