How Energy Knowledge Gaps Impact EPC Ratings and Building Performance

There’s growing pressure on property teams to raise the bar on building performance. EPC regulations are tightening, sustainability benchmarks are shifting, and energy prices continue to create risk. But even with all this momentum, one issue still holds many portfolios back - a lack of shared understanding around what actually drives performance.

 Energy ratings, particularly EPCs, are increasingly shaping the future of lettability. From April 2023, it became unlawful to continue letting a commercial property in England and Wales with an EPC below an E. The government’s proposals will raise the minimum to C by 2028, and then to B by 2030, and based on current data, nearly half of all commercial stock could fall short.

The question is - how many asset owners know where their buildings currently sit? How many understand which systems, inefficiencies, or operational patterns are pulling those ratings down?

That’s where we see the knowledge gap.

Plenty of teams do care, but that only goes so far without access to the right kind of information. BMS and EMS systems might collect mountains of data, but unless that data is clearly linked to energy efficiency measures, and unless someone knows how to interpret it, it’s hard to take action that really counts.

Lighting and HVAC still account for the majority of a building’s energy demand. But so often these systems are either running at odds with occupancy patterns or not set up to reflect changes in space use. Meanwhile building controls are left untouched for years. The result is higher consumption, avoidable emissions, and EPC ratings that underperform the asset’s true potential.

Compliance plays a role, of course, but so does value. Stronger EPC scores can support asset performance, boost tenant interest, and build long-term resilience. And in some cases, the most effective improvements aren’t capital intensive, they’re about system optimisation, control strategies, and fine-tuning what's already there.

For example, guidance from the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) underscores the importance of commissioning improvements, which can significantly enhance HVAC energy efficiency, particularly in older systems.

Governance supports that performance too. Policies only go so far. What matters is how consistently they’re applied. Updating an overtime policy to reduce burnout might not seem linked to energy, but better-supported teams tend to notice issues earlier, respond more consistently, and help systems run the way they’re designed to.

We’ve reached a point where smart systems are common, but being able to use them meaningfully? That’s still catching up. I’ve worked with plenty of sites where the tech is in place, the systems are running, but people still feel unsure about where to start. And that hesitation can stall everything.

Some of this comes down to access, the kind of ongoing learning and technical clarity that helps people turn insight into action. Supporting that journey, even in small ways, can make a measurable difference to building performance. That’s why we developed our CPD-accredited session, “Optimising Energy Usage in Commercial Buildings” — a practical training module designed to help property teams close the knowledge gap and take meaningful action on building performance.

Buildings don’t operate in isolation, and neither does energy performance. The more we invest in energy education, the more meaningful the output. The targets aren’t going away. But with the right insight, they become more manageable, and maybe even an opportunity to get ahead.

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