5 M&E solutions to improve energy performance in estate portfolios

1. Smart meters

If you’ve been involved in property or construction over the past decade, you’ll have seen the meteoric rise of smart meters in buildings, new and old. But it may surprise you to learn that many buildings are still without a smart meter. According to the GOV website, at the end of September 2021, there were 26.4 million smart and advanced meters in Great Britain in homes and small businesses. Of these, 21.6 million were smart meters operating in smart mode and advanced meters.

The benefits of smart meters are mainly cost savings and a more transparent view of your energy costs. By understanding how much energy you are using, you can take greater efforts to reduce that cost, but also benefit from more accurate readings. This reduces the risk of high, unexpected bills.

2. Energy suppliers

It’s a difficult market for energy right now, both domestic and commercial. With many external factors making the headlines, supply and reserve levels are rightly being put in the spotlight.

In spite of all the negative news, there is still money to be saved by using the right supplier. WIth the expected price cap rise in October 2022, many brokers are offering fixed rates now to help consumers save money from October onwards.

If you’re the owner of a portfolio, you may be entitled to better deals and improved rates thanks to the quantity of properties you’re taking to a provider. It’s always worth researching whether your current deal is the best you can get, or if you’re missing out on something better.

3. Onsite energy production

Is there any better way to reduce your reliance on fossil fuels? Especially as prices continue to rise. Investing in onsite energy production, such as solar, is a great way to help beat increasing prices and play your part in creating a greener future for our nation.

Installation of solar panels or other renewable technologies doesn’t have to be done at build. You can still upgrade your property or portfolio to benefit from these low cost but extremely effective alternatives to traditional providers.

We’ve helped design effective renewable energy infrastructure solutions for sites all over the country, playing our part in achieving lower carbon emissions for our company, our clients and the UK as a whole.

4. LED lighting

LED lighting has grown in popularity recently, with businesses and domestic properties investing in the modern lighting systems to replace their traditional lighting systems.

This is thanks to the long lifespan, increased efficiency and improved environmental performance they offer. But also – let’s be honest, you can do some really cool things with them too. Think about those crazy wall lights and smart lamps you’ve seen all over the place.

They are a great alternative to often energy-guzzling lamps that last a couple of years before having to be replaced again. Over a portfolio of properties or an entire new build, the savings soon add up.

5. HVAC upgrades

Heating, ventilation and air conditioning are really important factors when it comes to the energy performance of your properties. If one of them is letting you down, it’s likely the others are suffering too. This results in more expensive energy costs, less efficiency and more damage to our environment.

More efficient heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems are a quick solution to rising energy costs and lost energy throughout your property, domestic or commercial. Ensuring you’re only using the systems when absolutely necessary will ensure you’re not wasting energy or money heating or cooling your property when it doesn’t really need it.

A qualified professional should be able to help you understand how efficient your HVAC systems are, and if there’s any opportunity for improvement.

Think it’s time you started saving money and improving performance?

Demiurgic is a specialist building services design practice, as well as experienced low carbon consultants. With our help, you can ensure your existing property portfolio or future builds are optimised for energy efficiency, carbon emission reduction and cost savings too.

Want to talk to an expert and find out how we can help? Visit our contact page to get in touch now.