What is Energy Synergy®?

Energy Synergy® is our trademarked building performance management service that saves cost and carbon for our customers by closing the performance gap through energy use monitoring and analysis from our building performance experts.

What is the building performance gap?

The building performance gap is the difference between how much energy a building is predicted to use at the design stage and how much it actually consumes once in operation.

In reality, many buildings today fail to perform as designed once in use. — on average in the UK, buildings consume 34% more energy than predicted at design stage. In the UK, non-domestic buildings consume, on average, 34% more energy than predicted.

In a time of lean budgets and ambitious climate targets, this gap represents millions in unnecessary spending and avoidable carbon emissions.

Addressing this ‘performance gap’ is a costly and persistent challenge for facilities teams, which if not tackled immediately, results in higher operational costs, missed sustainability targets, and reputational risk.

How does Energy Synergy reduce energy costs and carbon emissions?

Energy Synergy® has delivered 15% better-than-expected performance on average, helping customers address this complex challenge, ensuring buildings are truly efficient, future-ready, and cost-effective.

Energy Synergy® integrates with your facilities teams and existing systems to meet your specific objectives - whether that's net zero compliance, reducing energy costs, or turning design intent into operational reality.

• Real-Time Energy Monitoring: Smart cloud-based technology draws data from your building's systems, providing continuous visibility into energy use patterns and identifying anomalies immediately.
• Performance Gap Analysis: Compare actual energy use against predicted consumption to identify where and why your building underperforms, with detailed breakdowns by system and area.
• Actionable Insights: Expert analysis translates data into specific recommendations, eliminating guesswork and prioritizing interventions that deliver the greatest impact.
• Ongoing Optimisation: Three years of continuous monitoring ensures sustained improvements as building use evolves, seasons change, and systems age.

“It has been a highly satisfying experience, and we unreservedly recommend to anyone seeking such expertise and a true partnership.”

- Peter Merry - CEO, Owls Academy Trust / Hollycroft Primary School

What results can I expect from Building Performance Monitoring?

Energy Synergy® customers report measurable improvements across multiple areas:

• Lower running costs: Reduced energy waste and optimised system operation deliver immediate financial savings
• Reduced carbon emissions: 15% better-than-expected performance supports net zero goals and sustainability commitments
• Greater occupant comfort: Properly functioning systems maintain consistent temperatures and air quality
• Regulatory readiness: Built-in support for BREEAM, Future Buildings Standard, and UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard compliance
• Informed decision-making: Understanding usage patterns and cost drivers enables strategic facility management

“This process has enabled us to understand usage patterns, potential inefficiencies and cost drivers to identify a continual programme of optimisations and deliver further monetary and carbon savings for the Authority.”

- Sam Robbens - Senior Technical Officer, East Lindsey DC/ Horncastle PSH

How does Energy Synergy® compare to a traditional Building Management System?

Energy Synergy® doesn't replace your Building Management System - it enhances it with expert insights that bridge the gap between data collection and performance improvement. Your facilities team maintains control while gaining access to expert knowledge from our building performance team that would otherwise require dedicated in-house expertise.

Why choose Energy Synergy®?

AI-powered performance intelligence

Our global dashboard surpasses traditional building management systems, comparing multi-site performance and automatically identifying energy-saving opportunities for immediate action.

Click here to view a demonstration dashboard.

Ready to save cost and carbon?

Most customers recover their Energy Synergy® investment within two years. Contact our team to discover how we can deliver measurable results for your project.

Contact us at energy.synergy@willmottdixon.co.uk

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the building performance gap?
The building performance gap is the difference between a building's predicted energy use at the design stage and its actual energy consumption once operational. UK non-domestic buildings underperform by over 33% compared to design predictions, wasting energy, increasing costs, and undermining sustainability goals. This gap occurs due to factors including incorrect system commissioning, poor maintenance, occupant behaviour, and design assumptions that don't match real-world use.

How much energy do UK buildings waste?
UK non-domestic buildings waste around a third of their energy compared to design predictions on average. This significant underperformance translates to unnecessary carbon emissions and substantially higher operating costs. The wasted energy stems from the performance gap between design intent and actual building operation, costing millions annually in avoidable energy expenses.

How can I reduce my building's carbon emissions?
Reducing building carbon emissions starts with understanding actual energy use versus design predictions. Through continuous monitoring, expert analysis, and optimisation of building systems, organisations can identify waste, fix inefficiencies, and ensure systems operate as intended. Energy Synergy® customers achieve an average of 15% better-than-expected performance through real-time monitoring, performance gap analysis, and actionable insights that eliminate waste. This approach addresses heating, ventilation, lighting, and other building systems to deliver sustained carbon reductions.

What is building performance monitoring?
Building performance monitoring is the continuous tracking and analysis of a building's energy use, comparing actual consumption against design predictions. It involves collecting real-time data from building management systems, identifying inefficiencies, and providing actionable insights to optimize performance. Effective monitoring includes expert analysis to flag issues, spot optimization opportunities, and ensure buildings operate efficiently. This process helps organizations reduce energy costs, lower carbon emissions, and meet net zero compliance requirements.

How long does it take to see ROI on building performance improvements?
Most Energy Synergy® customers recover their investment within two years through reduced energy costs and improved operational efficiency. The ROI comes from eliminating energy waste, optimising building systems, and ensuring equipment operates as designed. Customers report both immediate savings from identifying quick wins and sustained improvements through ongoing optimisation over the three-year monitoring period. The exact payback period depends on building size, current inefficiencies, and energy costs.

Does Energy Synergy® replace my existing energy management system?
No, Energy Synergy® integrates with your existing building management and energy monitoring systems rather than replacing them. It adds expert insights and analysis to bridge the critical gap between design intent and actual performance. While your existing systems collect data, Energy Synergy® provides clear, actionable insights backed by building performance experts who flag issues, spot optimisation opportunities, and eliminate hours of manual analysis for facilities teams. You maintain complete data access control with full respect for your IT governance requirements.

What results can I expect from building performance monitoring?
Energy Synergy® has delivered 15% better-than-expected performance on average across customer buildings. Results include lower running costs through reduced energy waste, decreased carbon emissions supporting net zero goals, greater comfort for building occupants, and readiness for future regulatory requirements including BREEAM, Future Buildings Standard, and UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. Customers also report improved understanding of usage patterns, identification of cost drivers, and the ability to implement continual optimisation programs.

How does Energy Synergy® support net zero compliance?
Energy Synergy® is built specifically to support net zero compliance by ensuring buildings perform as efficiently as designed. The service provides the data, reporting, and optimisation needed for BREEAM certification, Future Buildings Standard requirements, and the UK Net Zero Carbon Buildings Standard. Through continuous monitoring and expert analysis over three years, customers can demonstrate actual carbon performance, identify reduction opportunities, and maintain the evidence required for net zero certification and reporting.

Who needs building performance monitoring?
Building performance monitoring benefits any organisation operating non-domestic buildings, particularly those with sustainability commitments or net zero targets. This includes schools, universities, healthcare facilities, local authorities, commercial offices, leisure centres, and social housing providers. Organisations facing rising energy costs, striving to meet carbon reduction targets, and wanting to ensure their new buildings perform as designed will see the greatest benefit from Energy Synergy®.