UK Local Government / Civic Office
Local Government Civic Office: HVAC optimisation alongside wider decarbonisation
EcoAI optimisation was integrated with the existing Building Management System at an 8,500 m² UK civic office, improving HVAC operation while working alongside a wider building decarbonisation programme.
- 8,500 m² civic office
- Existing BMS retained
- Wider decarbonisation programme
- First-year performance analysis
Key results
First-year performance against the adjusted expected profile
Executive summary
Operational optimisation alongside estate decarbonisation
A UK local authority was implementing a wider building decarbonisation programme across its estate, including heat pumps, solar generation, battery storage and Building Management System improvements.
At an 8,500 m² civic office, EcoAI's optimisation technology was integrated with the existing BMS to improve HVAC operation while retaining the building's installed controls infrastructure.
The project demonstrates how active HVAC/BMS optimisation can work alongside wider decarbonisation investment without requiring the existing controls platform to be replaced.
Assessment approach
Why the expected post-project profile mattered
The challenge was not simply to compare one year with another. The wider carbon-reduction measures were expected to materially change the building's energy profile, with electricity consumption forecast to increase by 35% and gas consumption forecast to reduce by 70%.
Performance was therefore assessed against the expected post-project/post-decarbonisation profile. Across the first 12 months, electricity consumption was 222,278 kWh below expected. Gas consumption was 84,577 kWh above the expected level, giving a net energy reduction of 137,701 kWh.
At the energy rates used in the first-year analysis, this equated to a calculated net saving of £37,474.87.
First-year results
Expected vs actual post-integration performance
The wider project anticipated a 35% increase in electricity use and a 70% reduction in gas use as other carbon-reduction measures were implemented, so a simple historic year-on-year comparison would have been potentially misleading.
| Measure | Reference year | Expected | Actual/post integration | Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electricity | 920,981 kWh | 1,243,324 kWh | 1,021,046 kWh | 222,278 kWh reduction, 17.9% below expected |
| Gas / heating | 1,564,930 kWh | 469,479 kWh | 554,056 kWh | 84,577 kWh above expected (18.0%), while still around 65% below the reference year |
| Net energy position | Reduction against expected consumption | 137,701 kWh | ||
| Electricity cost | Not applicable | £246,802.80 | £202,680.07 | £44,122.73 saving |
| Gas / heating cost | Not applicable | £36,901.65 | £43,549.51 | +£6,647.86 variance |
| Calculated energy cost saving | Expected energy costs compared with actual energy costs used in the first-year analysis | £37,474.87 | ||
Demand shift
Optimisation measured against the future operating profile
Heat electrification and other carbon-reduction projects can shift demand between fuels. Optimisation performance therefore needs to be considered against the expected future operating profile rather than only a historic baseline.
Actual gas use remained substantially below the original reference year, but did not quite reach the ambitious reduction assumed in the expected profile. Even so, the electricity savings delivered through continuous optimisation were sufficient to produce a positive net energy and cost result. This illustrates how operational optimisation can continue to add measurable value alongside wider capital decarbonisation measures.
What the project shows
Three practical lessons for decarbonising estates
Existing BMS
Optimisation can be introduced through existing controls infrastructure rather than requiring wholesale replacement.
Wider programme
Operational optimisation can complement heat pumps, on-site generation, storage and other decarbonisation measures.
Measured value
The business case can be evaluated against an adjusted expected profile when other projects are changing the building's energy mix.
Qualification
First-year project analysis
The figures reproduce the first-year project analysis. The calculated £37.5k energy cost saving is the difference between the expected and actual energy costs used in that analysis. The 137,701 kWh net energy reduction is rounded to 138 MWh in headline communications.
Next step
Could your estate deliver similar savings?
EcoAI helps existing buildings reduce HVAC energy consumption, operational carbon and operating cost by optimising the infrastructure already in place.