PBSA operators are navigating a perfect storm of rising energy prices, evolving ESG expectations and tightening compliance standards. For asset managers and property owners, the question is no longer whether to optimise building performance, but how quickly it can be achieved. In this environment, “doing nothing” on energy management has become the most expensive strategy of all.
Energy has always been a big part of the running costs in PBSA, but recent global market volatility has made the issue impossible to ignore. Geopolitical tensions, especially ongoing instability in the Middle East, continue to disrupt supply chains and push up energy prices across Europe.
For providers running all‑inclusive models, this creates a unique challenge. Students don’t feel the price impact of higher energy use, so operators absorb the risk. On top of that, investors and stakeholders are increasingly expecting progress against ESG targets and decarbonisation commitments.
The growing pressure from compliance and ESG
Energy management isn’t just about lowering utility bills anymore. Regulations, performance standards, and reporting requirements are all tightening. Asset owners are now expected to collect robust operational data to back up ESG reporting, benchmarking, and sustainability disclosures.
Buildings themselves account for a significant share of global emissions, driving policymakers and institutional investors to demand measurable reductions. For PBSA operators, energy performance is therefore increasingly linked not only to operating margins but also to asset value, financing conditions and long-term portfolio resilience.
What smart energy control ‘actually’ involves
Smart energy control is much more than putting in a thermostat. Modern solutions use sensors, automation, and cloud-based analytics to monitor and optimise how buildings work in real time.
These systems collect live operational data and automatically adjust heating and other building services based on how spaces are ‘actually’ being used, seasonal demands, or external weather conditions. In PBSA, this means reducing heating output when rooms are empty, or outside term time, cutting out energy waste that often goes unnoticed. Heating alone can account for up to 70% of energy use in student accommodation, making it a huge opportunity for improvement.
Adrian Barber at Prefect Controls commented:
“Effective energy management in PBSA isn’t about restricting energy for residents, that would compromise comfort and ultimately damage brand reputation. The real opportunity is in eliminating waste. A huge amount of energy is used when it simply doesn’t need to be. The increasing use of monitoring platforms is great for insight, but insight alone doesn’t save energy. What makes the real difference is the control of heating and hot water at room level so energy is only used when it’s genuinely needed.”
Smarter control also opens access to Demand Side Response (DSR) schemes, where buildings lower or shift loads during peak times in return for payment from power providers. Providing an extra revenue stream that doesn’t impact resident comfort.
Why doing nothing costs more
The longer buildings run inefficiently, the more operators are losing money unnecessarily, through missed opportunities to improve performance and, inflated energy bills.
Automated energy control turns PBSA buildings from passive, expensive assets into smarter, actively managed ones. It protects operating margins, strengthens ESG performance, and reduces risk at a time when energy prices are anything but predictable.
