Bring the fabric and building services together
Commercial energy performance depends on the building envelope and how each area is used and serviced. A clear zoning plan helps distinguish offices, circulation, storage and other activities. Heating, cooling, ventilation, hot water and lighting schedules should relate to those spaces so the assessment can represent the proposed design.
What the assessment covers
SBEM — the Simplified Building Energy Model — considers the building fabric and fixed services, including heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting. Design-stage and as-built assessments help document the proposed and completed building.
Useful starting information: drawings, fabric specifications, activity zones and building services schedules.
National Calculation Methodology ↗Make design changes visible
When sending a revised scheme, flag changes to floor areas, glazing, insulation, plant and lighting. This helps define what needs updating and avoids assessing superseded information. For an as-built assessment, provide the installed specifications rather than relying only on tender documents. The calculation route and reporting requirements are confirmed against the project scope.
Your questions
What if the building has several different uses?
Include a marked-up plan showing the activities in each area and how they are heated, cooled and ventilated. Mixed uses are relevant to the assessment scope.
Can SBEM and a commercial EPC be discussed together?
Yes. Explain whether the project is at design, construction or completion stage so the required calculations and certification can be scoped together.
Building regulations and assessment routes differ across the UK. Project location, the applicable requirements and deliverables are confirmed when agreeing the scope.