uZero is a platform that maps and predicts fuel poverty by integrating cross-sector datasets with anonymised real-time smart meter data. It provides local authorities, housing associations, energy providers, and social care providers with a method for targeting solutions that will enhance wellbeing of occupants while saving energy and reducing emissions. To help these organisations identify the areas most at risk of fuel poverty, the platform provides both satellite maps and street views of local data along with probability results displayed via heatmaps. The platform is easy to navigate and utilises custom layers and filters which can also be exported as APIs for integration with third-party systems.����

Using AI and machine learning, uZero can predict the carbon saving potential along with the cost of remediation in targeted areas. Organisations which provide targeted support can be more efficient and act sooner using the insights provided by uZero to identify the most at-risk households, including “hidden pockets” which may otherwise escape detection as at risk of fuel poverty such as more rural homes, elderly residents, and householders who do not speak English as their first language. This ensures a higher return on investment for energy-efficiency campaigns and other support services. uZero can also provide ‘before and after’ comparisons to help organisations better understand the success of the programmes they run.��

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is a data analytics platform that enables building engineers to analyse in-use building data and reduce the performance gap. It centralises any time-series data from different building and energy management systems, utility portals, IoT sensors and historic files, alongside simulated data from other tools within the IES technology suite.�� Users can organise, visualise and interrogate this data within iSCAN to gain engineering grade insights on a building’s operation and identify areas to improve in-use building performance.

iSCAN prevents the need for traditional building data interrogation techniques, using multiple spreadsheets, to reduce how long it takes to gather, organise, manage, and analyse operational building data. Users can store multiple data sets in one location and make direct connections to BMS and IoT sensors to more easily discover insights through cross data set interrogation, and handle all of their historic, live and simulated data in one place.

Simulated data from other IES tools, including the , and , can be imported into iSCAN for analysis and comparison against actual building use data, or real building energy demand profiles can be exported to create calibrated energy models, in line with industry methodologies, such as CIBSE TM63. This can help to support more accurate and reliable performance predictions for retrofit or existing building projects, as well as enable the pursuit of in-use performance certifications and standards, such as NABERS, to close the performance gap.

Users of the platform can also create a bank of data from existing projects, which can in turn be used in future energy modelling projects within the VE for similar building types, to ensure calculations are based on more representative operational building energy profiles.

iSCAN can also be used to deliver enhanced operational building services including in-use performance evaluations, measurement and verification (M&V) and advanced commissioning services, including seasonal, LEED and monitoring-based (MBCx). It can also be used to deliver regular reports to clients, including out of hours use, alarms and alerts.

IES Live is a cloud-based platform, designed to be delivered by engineering consultants as part of a whole-life building performance approach. It allows for better handover and ongoing management of buildings, focused on improving energy/carbon evaluation and performance, and better enables building performance consultants to deliver operational performance services. Building sustainability, energy and facilities teams can also use the tool to take control of their building’s operation and deliver healthy, comfortable spaces.

IES Live connects near real-time operational building data with daily simulations from IES Digital Twins hosted online. The platform delivers a single pane view across key data, highlighting when the building moves away from optimal performance as predicted by physics-based simulations, and delivering daily insights on the cost, comfort and carbon impacts of customised operational improvement strategies, identified by the consultant and displayed through intuitive front-end dashboards.

Near real-time energy/carbon emission performance data from utility meters, BMS and IOT sensors are displayed against a predicted ‘ideal’ energy benchmark and, if available, occupancy data. The performance of implemented retrofits can also be tracked, to verify expected savings. Meanwhile, information on how spaces are performing against indoor air quality metrics (CO2 levels, temperature, humidity) are also included.

The Digital Twin that powers IES Live is created from an IESVE energy model, which is used within many global energy compliance routes. Once upgraded and calibrated as per CIBSE’s TM63 operational performance framework, using in-use operational building data, these digital twins respond and behave like the real building. Engineering consultants will likely have already delivered such models through a current/previous consulting project, therefore IES Live allows them to maximise the value of these existing energy models to bridge the performance gap. With IES Live they can deliver client-side sustainability and facilities/energy management teams with a tool to keep their building on track day-to-day, minimising the operational drift that can take new or newly improved buildings away from running optimally.

Velbus® is a whole building, fully wired “digital by default” control system combining lighting, cooling, heating, window blinds and more into a common control solution via one low voltage 4-core control cable. By providing building occupants (commercial and domestic) with a single point of control and the power of simple timers and thermostats, they can easily reduce their day-to-day energy consumption. Integrating any form of energy generation into a Velbus® system further expands the savings due to automation. For example, when the system is aware of the level of generation vs grid consumption, circuits can automatically be enabled / disabled.

Alongside reductions in energy consumption, Velbus® also uses less copper than a traditional solution and can be deployed faster, reducing build costs, and it is highly adaptable.

The solution is capable of running without any form of internet connection or central processor. The optional user interface and logic engine can deliver advanced levels of control to occupants and property managers. By using the CANbus communication method, the Velbus® modules can function independently of the rest of the network, ensuring the most robust performance.

Energy reductions can easily be measured by comparing the actual consumption with all timers enabled against allowing the final loads to run 24/7 until a user manually switches them off. For commissioning, it would be possible to log 24/7 usage with one configuration, then swap to a more energy aggressive configuration. This enables designers and commissioning engineers to deliver not just a theoretical comparison but real-world data from the different configurations.

Velbus® is a simple solution which has been utilised for over 20 years, while still supporting day one hardware in their latest software. Compared to a classically wired system, the cost of a Velbus® system is equal. The system is also suitable for any project where robust and reliable lighting and heating controls are required.

Para is a digital twin and building analytics platform that helps to make assets more energy-efficient, cost-effective, and sustainable. By providing real-time monitoring of environmental parameters and carbon emissions at the equipment level, floor level, and by functional area, Para offers a detailed and actionable understanding of a facility’s environmental impact. Their sustainability tool is a comprehensive solution for assessing energy use, managing sustainability initiatives, and reporting on progress. It enables users to understand the contribution of each functional space to total Greenhouse Gas emissions and identify areas that do not meet sustainability targets. Additionally, Para can measure progress toward achieving certification compliance with key industry standards such as LEED O+M, WELL, EDGE Buildings, and more.

Regarding sustainability and energy, Para is able to help clients:

• Track and visualise carbon emissions with a detailed breakdown by floor, zone, system type, and asset.
• Categorise emissions into Scope 1, Scope 2, and Scope 3
• Monitor Greenhouse Gas Usage Intensity (GHGUI).
• Identify areas for improvement by providing real-time recommendations for sustainability and energy performance optimisation
• Develop tailored implementation plans by generating customised scenarios.
• Save up to 28% in energy savings
• Boost occupant wellbeing by optimising building performance without compromising indoor air quality and user comfort
• Assess progress towards sustainability goals such as LEED O+M and Net Zero
• Monitor energy and resource conservation strategies
• Score facility efficiency
• Benchmark a building’s emissions
• Generate reports on environmental metrics

The platform has five key modules which can be deployed across a real estate portfolio: Portfolio Management, Asset Management, Energy Intelligence, Occupant Wellbeing and Sustainability Management.

Minoro is a free online resource providing access to over 1000 guidance and resources for managing carbon reduction in buildings – the first time this information has been collated and centralised. Developed by Grimshaw in collaboration with over 20 supporting organisations including��,��,��, the����and several national Green Building Councils from across the globe, Minoro, links the resources to a series of actions that will decarbonise new and existing buildings.

By collating the best��international and regional��resources and guidance in one place, Minoro makes navigating and delivering carbon reduction��more achievable.��Adopting the actions set out in the platform will help to unlock opportunities and outcomes and provides a stepwise approach: a carbon management toolkit is also available for download to support live projects.

Curated by experts from across the built environment and construction value chain, the platform is designed to help and be accessed by asset owners, investors, design teams, consultants, contractors, and building operators. The information is organised into different actions which can be sorted by region (including the UK, EU, and seven other countries with more including Ireland to be added), by project stage (from pre-design to end-of-life), or by core activity or stakeholder.�� The content is regularly updated ensuring that the most relevant guidance is available and feedback for improvement or input is welcomed through the platform.

Various platforms exist which provide energy monitoring dashboards so users can understand the performance of their buildings and identify areas of inefficiency and opportunities for improvement. These platforms can also often enable data driven maintenance and enable teams to more easily collaborate.

The platforms will take data from a variety of sources, including HVAC systems, utility bills, meters, submeters, and data from sensors (looking at temperature, C02, air quality, humidity and occupancy). When insights from these solutions are acted on it can save approximately 10 – 30% of energy consumption, although this and the return on investment is very dependent on the building.

Various solutions exist which automatically adjust HVAC in real time based on changing environmental conditions. They take into account different data sets, including weather data, site energy behaviour, utility tariff structure, etc. Using this information, they make adjustments to different equipment resulting in up to 40% savings (depending on the building).

Many of these platforms also enable demand response to reduce peak demand on the grid when energy is dirtiest and most expensive.

Another benefit is also the prolonged life of the HVAC equipment itself due to reducing required runtime, which has financial and embodied carbon savings.

Various digital platforms are emerging seeking to address this challenge, through helping property professionals understand their buildings and make informed decisions around retrofit. Many of these platforms provide details on current asset performance then create actionable plans including expected costs, predicted future performance, risks, and returns on investment.

These platforms utilise a range of data sources, including energy performance certificates, environmental data, occupancy patterns, building design, street view, energy bills, planning data and user feedback. Some platforms also create dynamic models or use AI to estimate energy consumption and carbon emissions and simulate different scenarios. They then use this information to provide an overview of the sustainability of their buildings, highlight areas for improvement and the impact of interventions. Examples of interventions may include demand response, renewable energy procurement, onsite renewable energy, optimisation and heat pumps.

Some of these platforms also partner with financing organisations and contractors to accomplish the work required for retrofit. A few are developing a marketplace of approved assessors, installers and suppliers.

hello energy offers an online SaaS solution to monitor a building’s performance and engage its users to achieve their sustainability goals.

By connecting to meters, submeters, and other sensors, hello energy collects data and presents it through its sustainability dashboard. Electricity, heat and gas, water, solar, and electric vehicles can all be monitored.

Inspire Plan

hello energy’s standard offering focuses on developing awareness and inspiring building users and tenants. Interactive screens throughout a building can provide information about its consumption alongside tangible goals. Inspire helps to create a dialogue between stakeholders to promote a community-minded approach towards sustainability.

Interact Plan

The Interact plan offers all the same features as the Inspire plan while offering additional features. Buildings can use hello energy to earn credits towards GRESB, BREEAM, WELL, and in areas including health and wellbeing, smart mobility, and tenant engagement. With the Interact plan, key data and insights can be derived for calculating Scope 2 and 3 emissions, ESRS, and GRI reporting.

Activate Plan

The most comprehensive plan offered by hello energy is their Activate plan. In addition to the services offered by the Interact plan, Activate includes challenges and tips for users to encourage participation on topics including waste, energy, and mobility. This plan is best suited to engage a building’s users daily while providing them with content and stories around sustainability.

Data Services

Hello energy provides other ways to maximise ESG data collection. They can help obtain tenant consent to share their utility data. Their API integrations can collect this information in a variety of formats to make it easier to develop sustainability performance reports.