Frequently asked questions about energy assessments

Did you know that energy inefficiency could be costing your business millions of dollars per year? From rural industrial facilities to high-rise office space, many buildings waste energy through both design and operation. For many occupiers and owners this energy inefficiency is an expensive problem – especially as building regulation ramps up and energy costs soar.

Energy bills increased by 29% in the U.S. and 71% across the European Union in the last five years. In Australia, energy pricing swelled 25% from 2023 to 2024 alone. Simultaneously, higher energy demand from AI data centers, the electrification of buildings and e-vehicles is putting pressure on ageing grids, risking costly power outages.

To curb energy use, reduce risk, cut costs and drive value, smart CRE leaders and CSOs are partnering to initiate a thorough energy assessment across their portfolios, but it can be difficult knowing where to start.

An energy audit can help you pinpoint opportunities for improvement, such as outdated equipment or wasteful practices, as well as highlight best practices already in place. A top-quality energy audit also yields a clear roadmap to enhance your operational efficiency and drive value, as well as achieving your sustainability goals. A professional energy audit or assessment also helps ensure your business is in compliance with tightening regulations and reporting requirements for carbon emissions.

An energy assessment can identify opportunities to improve energy efficiency across four categories:

1. Optimization: Adjusting controls for temperature, lighting and other systems that use significant energy
2. Investment: Exploring capital expenditures that improve energy efficiency, like replacing HVAC equipment and non-LED lighting
3. Innovation: Implementing cutting-edge solutions and emerging technologies designed to reduce energy usage and improve efficiency
4.Blue sky: Adopting large-scale, creative approaches to transforming energy usage, like installing onsite solar panels

The energy assessment can uncover what approaches are available for your building as well as determine which tactics align best with your organization’s needs and goals.

Higher utility bills can indicate an increase in energy consumption and an opportunity to uncover efficiencies with an energy assessment. If your energy usage intensity is outside the typical range for buildings of the same property type, an energy assessment can help you pinpoint why and address the cause accordingly.

Feedback from building occupants may also provide clues that your facilities could benefit from an energy assessment. For instance, if your office building has uneven heating or noticeable hot and cold spots, that may indicate simultaneous heating and cooling that needs to be addressed.

If your business is energy intensive, like manufacturing plants, data centers or pharmaceutical and life sciences facilities, an assessment can lead to material improvements in efficiency and cost savings. 

How long does an assessment typically take to complete?

Depending on the number of properties involved, the process typically takes 8-12 weeks.

JLL's energy and sustainability advisory team takes an in-depth approach to energy assessments, yielding big cost and environmental benefits for clients across industries and regions. For example, one multinational tech company partnered with JLL to conduct an energy assessment and discovered it could save $310,000 a year and avoid 1,250 tons of carbon by implementing over 20 energy conservation measures at a single building.

Energy audits also support compliance. The Center for Public Administration and Service (CPAS) sought JLL's recommendations for cost-effective building enhancements in order to reduce energy usage and comply with D.C.’s new Building Energy Performance Standards (BEPS).