Case Study
UK University Campus — Energy Optimisation Programme
The Challenge
A major UK university with a 22-building campus was spending over £3 million annually on energy and had committed to a 30% carbon reduction by 2030. Despite investing in building management systems, the estates team lacked visibility into where energy was being wasted and which interventions would deliver the best return.
Our Approach
We deployed a network of over 400 IoT sensors across all 22 buildings, capturing energy consumption, temperature, humidity, CO₂ levels, and occupancy data at 15-minute intervals.
Our analytics platform processed this data alongside weather feeds, academic timetables, and historical utility records to build a comprehensive energy model of the entire campus.
Key interventions included:
- HVAC optimisation — Rescheduling heating and cooling cycles based on actual occupancy rather than fixed timetables, reducing out-of-hours consumption by 35%.
- LED retrofit prioritisation — Data-driven selection of the 8 buildings where lighting upgrades would deliver the fastest payback (average 2.1 years).
- Real-time monitoring dashboards — Installed in each building's reception area, making energy consumption visible to staff and students and driving behavioural change.
The Results
Within 18 months, the university achieved a 14% reduction in total energy consumption, translating to £420,000 in annual savings and 1,200 tonnes of CO₂ avoided. The monitoring infrastructure continues to identify further optimisation opportunities, with a projected additional 8% reduction in the next phase.