What is Energy Optimisation?
Energy Optimisation is the ongoing process of reducing energy consumption and cost while maintaining required levels of comfort, safety, and operational performance within a building or estate.
Unlike one-off energy reduction projects, energy optimisation is continuous, data-led, and closely integrated with Smart Building technologies and Building Management Systems (BMS) .
How energy optimisation works
Energy optimisation relies on real-time data, analytics, and control to continuously fine-tune building operation.
- Energy and system data is collected from meters, sensors and BMS
- Performance is analysed against benchmarks and expected behaviour
- Inefficiencies and waste are identified automatically
- Control strategies are adjusted to reduce unnecessary consumption
- Results are measured, verified, and improved over time
What energy optimisation targets
- Heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC)
- Lighting systems
- Plant scheduling and sequencing
- Peak demand and load shifting
- Setpoints and control strategies
- Out-of-hours and unoccupied energy use
Technologies used in energy optimisation
- Building Management Systems (BMS)
- Sub-metering and energy monitoring
- Analytics and fault detection platforms
- Machine learning and predictive models
- Cloud-based energy management software
- Integration with renewables and storage
Benefits of energy optimisation
- Lower energy costs and operational spend
- Reduced carbon emissions and improved ESG performance
- Improved system reliability and asset life
- Better occupant comfort and stability
- Clear visibility of performance and ROI
Energy management vs energy optimisation
Energy management focuses on monitoring, reporting, and compliance. Energy optimisation goes further by actively adjusting how systems operate in real time to reduce waste and improve outcomes.
Roles involved in energy optimisation
- Energy Optimisation Engineers
- Energy Managers
- BMS Engineers
- Data & Analytics Specialists
- Facilities & Estates Teams
Why energy optimisation matters
Rising energy costs, net-zero targets, and tightening regulation mean buildings can no longer operate inefficiently. Energy optimisation is one of the fastest and most cost-effective ways to reduce emissions without major capital expenditure.