Buildings account for 39% of global carbon emissions; mostly from heating, cooling and lighting sources¹, with about 80% of London commercial property holding a low (below C) Energy Performance Certificate rating². 

The need for more sustainable heating and cooling solutions for commercial buildings has never been more urgent - but getting the UK on track to meet its 2050 goals will require substantial short-term investment. In fact, our research shows almost three fifths (56%) of the UK describe themselves as ‘passionate’ about seeing positive environmental change in the company they work for.

The good news is that building managers can call on a range of innovative technologies to create more sustainable offices - from greater data visualisation to see the where and when of how much energy is being used across multiple sites, to producing sustainable heating, power and cooling to the city with more advanced tri-generation and heat pump systems like our Citigen energy centre, in the very heart of London’s Square Mile.

Here at E.ON, we provide our range of affordable and sustainable solutions to help grow greener businesses, helping Britain create cleaner, safer spaces for our citizens, and for our workforce. We’ve also partnered with the UK Green Building Council to create Streets of the Future, a new initiative drawing on insight from experts across energy, transport and the built environment to form a blueprint of what the UK’s cities should aspire to become.

The rapid development of battery technology means power generated on-site can be stored and used when most convenient or cost efficient, rather than solely powering operations in real time. The cost of this equipment is gradually falling and changing the way workplaces can take advantage of one of the older renewable technologies on the market.

We’ve worked with a number of businesses to implement solar power into their commercial premises, partnering with Audi to create Europe’s largest solar power roof, and initiating E.ON’s Smart Region Pellworm Initiative in Germany, allowing the island to generate all its own energy using solar and wind source. 

Heat pumps are increasingly popular as a sustainable and energy efficient way to heat buildings in the UK. They work by extracting heat from natural sources like the ground, air or water, or as a by-product of cooling equipment. The pumps then store the heat or distribute it as central heating or hot water - commonly in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems.

Absorbing the natural heat of the earth stored in the ground and transforming this to heat commercial buildings, ground source heat pumps generate up to five times the amount of energy they consume. Alongside the obvious environmental benefits of using ground source heat pumps, they’re also a cost-effective measure, boasting a long life-span and minimal maintenance once installed.

Air source heat pumps are another option in the heat pump game and are one of the most effective ways to decarbonise buildings. These pumps use heat from the outside air to generate hot water and heating – working even in low temperatures and are reliable and cost-effective to operate. 

District heating could change the way the way we heat, cool and power our businesses forever. It works by providing heat to multiple buildings or homes from a centralised location, transporting heat in the form of hot water through a network of insulated pipes to local buildings or an even an entire city.

Our district heating projects are helping with heat decarbonisation, reducing carbon emissions and supporting the journey towards net zero. Our sites, like Elephant Park, Kidbrooke village and Citigen, aim to have a positive impact on the climate whilst creating more green jobs in the UK.

At E.ON, we believe it’s time we all take climate action. We're helping our business customers lead the smart and sustainable energy transition.

Find out how we’re creating sustainable cities and communities in our other blogs, below:

^{1.  World Green Building Council: Bringing embodied carbon upfront}

^{2. Deloitte: London Office Crane Survey Winter 2022}