Enabling cloud-based net zero options assessment for non-domestic buildings

We will be building a tool that building managers and owners can use to identify the optimised route for them to decarbonise their building(s) based on their Net Zero targets, timeline, intervention, and capital expenditure. The output of this project will be a comprehensive dashboarding tool displaying a clear menu of solutions for clients detailing costs, savings in terms of energy efficiency and improvements, timescales for delivery, and who will be involved in the delivery. The pathway to this output is the following step-by-step approach centred around the following three pathways:

1. Theoretical Net Zero route Energy Hierarchy approach -- likely to be the most disruptive, have the highest capital cost but save the most energy saving over the remaining life of the building
2. Bolt-on route - Lowest impact measures with quickest payback first -- renewable installation, lighting replacement -- operational savings could be used to fund other more difficult measures (all other possible measures follow after the lowest impact ones)
3. Compliant route - Roadmap of when measures should be undertaken to comply with either company policy or UK Gov Net Zero policy

The tool will be user-friendly and guide the user through the process of inputting their building and company details to tailor the recommendations to them. The primary output will be graphical with tabulated data behind the scenes for exporting to financial modelling software or asset management databases. By displaying more than one scenario option the retrofitting solution can be aligned with the client's specific carbon and asset management aims. This ensures our recommendations conform to the aims and objectives of our clients, meaning more of our recommendations are actioned. Moreover, by displaying detailed costs, energy savings, timescales for delivery, and who will be involved the platform will not only analyse data but also enable the delivery of retrofitting at portfolio scale.

The underlying logic of the tool is informed by our 20-year experience of decarbonising the built environment using building physics modelling for non-domestic buildings and digitising that information into a database which can then recommend the optimal route to achieve Net Zero Carbon. Over the course of time, completed projects will be benchmarked and analysed to learn and improve our future recommendations. We will create a record of case studies to help inform future clients of previous retrofitting decisions, their benefits and drawbacks and performance data over time.