Glossary Glossary 2026-08-06
What is energy management in facilities management?
Energy management in facilities management (FM) is the process of monitoring, controlling, and optimising energy use across buildings and estates to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and lower carbon emissions.
It is a core function of modern facilities management.
Why energy management matters
Energy is one of the largest operational costs for most buildings. Effective energy management helps organisations:
- Reduce energy bills
- Lower carbon emissions
- Improve building performance
- Meet regulatory and sustainability targets
It also plays a key role in achieving net zero and decarbonisation goals.
Tools and technologies
Energy management is supported by:
- Building management systems (BMS)
- Smart meters and IoT sensors
- Energy management software platforms
Energy management in practice
In large estates, energy management is typically integrated into:
- Facilities management services
- Decarbonisation strategies
- Energy performance contracts
Frequently asked questions
Energy management can identify where energy is being wasted and where systems are operating inefficiently. Facilities teams can then adjust controls, improve operating schedules, address equipment faults or invest in more efficient assets and technologies. Ongoing monitoring helps ensure that improvements continue to deliver savings over time.
Reducing unnecessary energy consumption can lower the carbon emissions associated with operating buildings. Energy management provides the data and insight needed to identify high-consumption areas, prioritise improvements and measure performance, making it an important part of wider decarbonisation and net zero strategies.
A building management system, or BMS, monitors and controls services such as heating, ventilation, air conditioning and lighting from a central interface. It enables facilities teams to review system performance, adjust settings, respond to alerts and optimise how energy-consuming systems operate.
Improvements may include adjusting building controls and operating schedules, upgrading lighting or HVAC systems, improving building fabric and replacing inefficient equipment. Organisations may also consider building management system optimisation, renewable energy systems and low-carbon technologies as part of a wider programme.
For a large estate, energy information can be brought together from multiple buildings and systems to provide a more consistent view of performance. This allows organisations to compare sites, identify priority areas, target investment and track the results of energy-efficiency measures across the portfolio.
An organisation can start by establishing how much energy its buildings and systems use, identifying high-consumption areas and reviewing current controls and operating practices. It can then prioritise practical improvements, set performance objectives and use ongoing monitoring and reporting to measure progress.