Commercial Real Estate

`Energy systems for commercial buildings and real estate portfolios`

Commercial real estate assets — including office buildings, retail centres and mixed-use developments — operate complex building energy systems dominated by HVAC infrastructure.

Electricity demand is shaped by occupancy patterns, indoor climate requirements, lighting systems and vertical transport.

K24Energy analyses building energy behaviour and develops engineering strategies that reduce peak demand, optimise HVAC operation and improve the long-term energy economics of commercial properties.

Sector Context

Energy systems in commercial buildings combine several major consumption categories:
• HVAC systems (heating, cooling and ventilation)
• lighting and building services
• elevators and escalators
• tenant equipment and IT loads
• electric vehicle charging infrastructure

Because building demand follows occupancy patterns, electricity consumption typically peaks during working hours and decreases during nights and weekends.
Understanding these patterns is essential when designing PV, BESS and EMS architectures for commercial buildings.

Energy Flow in Commercial Buildings

Typical electricity consumption structure

This diagram shows the typical distribution of electricity consumption across major end-uses in commercial buildings..

Energy Challenges in Commercial Real Estate

Commercial real estate typically faces several energy challenges:
✓ high electricity demand from HVAC systems
✓ peak loads during daytime occupancy
✓ rising operating costs due to energy price volatility
✓ integration of EV charging infrastructure
✓ pressure to reduce carbon emissions and meet ESG targets

Engineering solutions must balance energy efficiency, tenant comfort and building operational requirements.

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Engineering Focus for Commercial Buildings

Engineering strategies for commercial buildings typically focus on:
✓ optimisation of HVAC system performance
✓ reduction of peak electricity demand
✓ integration of rooftop PV systems
✓ battery storage for peak demand management
✓ EMS-based building energy optimisation

The objective is to reduce operating costs while maintaining building comfort and operational reliability.

Industry Energy Metrics

Metric	Typical Range	Engineering Implication
HVAC share of electricity	40–50%	primary optimisation target
Daytime peak demand	high	peak demand management required
Building load variability	medium	load shifting potential
EV charging demand	growing	infrastructure planning
Energy flexibility potential	medium-high	suitable for EMS optimisation

Typical Use Cases

Office Building Portfolio

• HVAC optimisation
• PV integration on rooftops
• building energy management

Retail Shopping Centre

• peak demand management
• lighting and HVAC optimisation
• EV charging infrastructure

Mixed-Use Commercial Complex

• EMS coordination of building loads
• integration of PV and battery storage