Energy Use Intensity: not just a benchmark, but your building’s unique fingerprint

Energy Use Intensity (EUI) is often seen as a benchmark—a way to compare performance across different buildings. But that’s only half the picture. When you dig deeper, Energy Use Intensity isn’t a generic metric. It’s a dynamic, building-specific indicator that tells you how your space actually behaves over time.

The problem with relying on averages

Benchmarking can be a helpful starting point. It tells you how your building compares to others like it. But averages only get you so far. Every building has its own rhythm—its own usage patterns, inefficiencies, and operational quirks. Two buildings with identical Energy Use Intensity scores on paper could be running at very different levels of waste or performance under the surface.

That’s why tracking your building’s Energy Use Intensity over time matters far more than comparing it to an industry average. Because what you’re really measuring is your own operational potential—and where you’re falling short.

Getting from actual to possible

So how do you find out what your Energy Use Intensity should be? This is where structured assessments like ISO 50001 come in. They don’t just measure what’s happening—they reveal what’s possible.

Let’s say an ISO 50001 process identifies 20% energy waste. That means your current Energy Use Intensity is 120% of where it needs to be. Your target isn’t some abstract number—it’s 80% of your current use. That’s your real benchmark. Not the building down the road. Not the sector average. Your building. Your potential.

The case for longitudinal tracking

If you’re only using Energy Use Intensity for comparison, you’re missing the point. The real value is in watching it shift. When you make a change—like adjusting controls or optimising plant runtime—you’ll see whether it works. If the number doesn’t budge, you’ll know it’s not delivering. That feedback loop is what drives real efficiency. And it’s what protects you from wasted investment.

Energy Use Intensity isn’t just a benchmark. It’s your operational truth. And if you measure it like it matters, you’ll start to uncover just how much is possible.

The invisible embodied carbon in reaching net-zero targets

Reaching net-zero often feels like solving the wrong problem in the dark. You upgrade the obvious. You tick the boxes. But something still doesn’t add up. That “something” is usually embodied carbon—the carbon cost baked into the technologies we rely on to deliver our decarbonisation plans.

We rarely see it. But it’s there—from the steel and cement used in construction, to the materials and manufacturing processes behind solar panels and wind turbines. These tools of the energy transition carry a carbon load of their own—and it adds up fast.

The solar paradox

Take solar panels. Long-term, they help reduce operational emissions. But upfront, they demand energy-intensive mining, manufacturing, and transport—generating carbon before a single kilowatt-hour is saved. In many cases, it can take years for panels to “pay back” their carbon cost.

This doesn’t mean solar is the wrong choice. But it does mean we need to see the full picture. Real progress isn’t just about adding renewables—it’s about asking whether we’re reducing demand in the first place.

The overlooked opportunity: operational waste

The fastest way to cut emissions—and the one with the lowest carbon overhead—is improving how buildings perform right now. Most commercial assets consume more energy than they need to. That’s often due to legacy systems, poor controls, or operational drift over time. Fixing that doesn’t require carbon-intensive materials. It requires insight, prioritisation, and action.

Before you install new tech, it’s worth asking: have you addressed the avoidable waste first?

Make embodied carbon visible by reducing what you don’t need

Embodied carbon isn’t going away. It’s part of the system. But when you reduce the need for new interventions—by improving operational efficiency—you avoid generating it in the first place. That’s where the real leverage sits. Fewer upgrades. Smaller footprints. Faster impact.

Sustainability performance needs to be tracked and managed like any other business metric. With rising carbon costs and stricter reporting rules, this will soon be non-negotiable. But the upside is clear: more efficient buildings, lower emissions, better indoor conditions—and a faster path to credible net-zero outcomes.

The power of perspective: how understanding Energy Use Intensity can transform your building’s performance

You wouldn’t drive a car without watching the rev counter. Not because it tells you how far you’ve gone, but because it shows how hard the engine’s working. Energy Use Intensity (EUI) works the same way for buildings.

Energy Use Intensity shows how much energy a building uses per square metre. The lower the number, the more efficiently the space is performing. It’s a straightforward benchmark—but it’s more than a metric. It gives decision-makers a way to step back, see what’s really going on, and move forward with clarity.

A baseline that makes action easier

When you start with Energy Use Intensity, you’re not guessing. You’re measuring. That matters—especially if you're responsible for net-zero delivery or portfolio-level decarbonisation. Energy Use Intensity gives you a normalised way to compare performance across buildings, identify outliers, and set clear, credible targets.

It’s often the first piece of insight we use with clients. Why? Because it gives immediate perspective. You can see how your performance stacks up against similar buildings, what’s driving excess use, and what needs to change first. Without sensors. Without delay. Just a starting point that makes the next step obvious.

From benchmark to outcome

Once you’ve got your baseline, Energy Use Intensity becomes a guide for strategy. You can set a target Energy Use Intensity as part of your decarbonisation roadmap. Then track how each intervention, like a system upgrade or control change, affects the result. If the number doesn’t move, you’ll know it’s time to adjust. That’s how you avoid wasted investment and stay aligned with your goals.

The benefits go beyond emissions. A strong Energy Use Intensity signals operational efficiency, and that matters to tenants and investors. In a market increasingly driven by sustainability performance, buildings with low Energy Use Intensity are more attractive, more resilient, and more future-proof.

Don’t overcomplicate it

You don’t need full real-time data capture to get started. Most buildings already provide enough information to estimate a useful Energy Use Intensity. From there, you can decide what’s worth monitoring more closely—and what can wait.

With the right insight, you can make smarter energy decisions faster. Most organisations can make meaningful improvements within six months, long before any complex tech is in place.

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