Sustainability Statements & Energy Strategy

Demonstrate local planning policy compliance, optimise your energy hierarchy and strengthen your case for planning approval with evidence-based energy modelling.

Local Planning Authorities increasingly set carbon reduction targets and sustainability requirements that go beyond standard Building Regulations. A well-evidenced Sustainability Statement or Energy Strategy shows planning officers exactly how your development – residential, commercial or mixed-use – meets local plan policy, national frameworks and statutory compliance.

We work directly alongside architects, housebuilders, planning consultants and developers, using SAP and SBEM modelling to evaluate building performance from the outline design stage onward. We map out cost-effective pathways to optimise the building fabric, integrate low-carbon heating and incorporate renewable technologies – giving your application the strongest possible technical footing. See our FAQs below for more information.

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Why work with us?

Experience

Our sustainability consultants bring deep technical expertise in local planning frameworks, SAP and SBEM modelling – but what matters to you is that applications get through. We’ve delivered comprehensive Part L, F and O compliance packages for regional housebuilders like Woodstock Homes, and helped Cotswold Homes exceed carbon reduction thresholds on a 20-home South Gloucestershire scheme. Fabric-first interventions, heat pump integrations, solar PV arrays – we model whatever the local plan demands.

Award-winning

Winner, Consultancy – 2025 Bristol Property Awards.

Winner, Supply Chain Partner of the Year – 2025 Unlock Net Zero Awards.

Winner, Retrofit Assessor of the Year – 2023 Retrofit Academy Awards.

Highly Commended, Employer of the Year – 2023 Retrofit Academy Awards.

Speed

Project deadlines matter. We manage all data collection, modelling and reporting in-house – keeping your project moving without administrative delays.

We work to a standard two-week turnaround, with the majority of reports and certificates delivered well within that window.

Pricing

Our rate card is reviewed regularly, so we’re confident you won’t find better value elsewhere. If you’ve found a lower quote for comparable work, let us know – we’ll match or beat it.

Support

Energy efficiency, decarbonisation and building regulation can be genuinely complex. We work hard to explain building compliance topics in plain English, so you have the clear, actionable information you need to make the right decisions.

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Looking for a fast and reliable sustainability statement?

We’ve been very impressed with Building Energy Experts on all of our developments. We have found them to be very responsive to our queries and always happy to accommodate any further requests. We recently had an instance of an Energy Consultant going AWOL and urgently required a replacement Energy Consultant. BEE were able to quickly provide a quotation and were appointed within the same day of our initial enquiry.

Their information is always clearly represented, whether that’s in their Sustainability & Energy Statements submitted for Planning or SAP Input Summaries supporting their Design SAPs. I would without doubt, consider BEE, to be one of our preferred Energy Consultants.
Ryan Walker, Technical Manager at Woodstock Homes – Part L, F & O compliance services

Building Energy Experts produced a Sustainability & Energy Statement to support our planning application for 20 homes in Engine Common. They worked with our technical team to identify measures that would help energy savings across the development reduce residual carbon emissions. Despite the technical nature of the topic, the report was clear and concise and well received by the Council’s climate officers. I would happily recommend the team to other developers.
Ashley Grant, Planning Manager at Cotswold Homes – Sustainability & Energy Statement

Thoughtful, fast-growing force in sustainable consultancy harnessing analytical theory to deliver multiple projects. Rightly gaining national recognition.
Judges, Bristol Property Awards 2025

Understanding Sustainability Statements & Energy Strategy: Your Questions Answered

What does your Sustainability & Energy Strategy involve?

1. Planning Policy & Target Review
We begin by auditing the site-specific requirements set by the Local Planning Authority. We review local plan policies, carbon reduction thresholds (such as targets requiring a 10% to 20%+ improvement over Part L baseline emissions), water efficiency limits, overheating requirements (Part O) and sustainable material specifications.

2. Energy Hierarchy Modelling (SAP & SBEM)
Using industry-standard SAP (for residential) and SBEM (for commercial) software, we model your proposed development through the recognised Energy Hierarchy:

– Be Lean (Fabric First): Optimizing insulation, glazing, thermal bridging and air tightness to minimise initial energy demand.
– Be Clean (Efficient Systems): Evaluating highly efficient building services, heat recovery and communal heating opportunities.
– Be Green (Renewable Energy): Modelling low- and zero-carbon technologies – such as Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) and Solar PV arrays – to meet residual carbon reduction targets.

3. Policy-Aligned Reporting & Deliverables
We produce a structured, easy-to-read report explicitly written for planning officers and committee members. The document details baseline emissions, calculated carbon savings at each stage of the energy hierarchy, overheating mitigation, water efficiency calculations and climate change adaptation measures.

What is a Sustainability Statement?

A Sustainability Statement is a formal planning document required by Local Planning Authorities to demonstrate how a proposed development will meet local and national environmental policies. It evaluates the broader environmental impact of a building design, addressing topics such as carbon reduction, energy efficiency, water conservation, sustainable material sourcing, waste management and climate change adaptation.

How does a Sustainability Statement differ from an Energy Strategy?

While often requested together or combined into a single report, they focus on different scopes.

An Energy Strategy (or Energy Statement) focuses specifically on building physics, energy consumption, and carbon emissions. It uses SAP or SBEM modelling to demonstrate compliance with Part L regulations and local carbon reduction targets (e.g., demonstrating a 10%-20% improvement over baseline building regulations via the Energy Hierarchy).

A Sustainability Statement is broader. In addition to energy and carbon, it covers non-energy environmental factors required by local planning policies, such as surface water drainage (SuDS), sustainable material specification, construction waste management, overheating risk, biodiversity considerations and electric vehicle charging infrastructure.

When in the planning process is a Sustainability Statement required?

A Sustainability Statement or Energy Strategy is typically required at the validation stage of a full planning application or outline planning application for new residential developments, commercial schemes and major refurbishments or conversions. It must be prepared early in the design phase so that the required orientation, fabric performance, and low-carbon services are integrated into the architectural plans before submission.

What is the “Energy Hierarchy” used in planning statements?

The Energy Hierarchy is a statutory modelling framework preferred by local planning authorities to ensure carbon reduction is achieved logically and sustainably:

Be Lean (Use Less Energy): Focus first on the building envelope – maximising insulation, minimising thermal bridging, and ensuring high air tightness.

Be Clean (Supply Energy Efficiently): Optimise mechanical heating, ventilation (MVHR), and lighting systems.

Be Green (Use Renewable Energy): Offset the remaining carbon demand by integrating low-carbon or renewable energy systems, such as Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHPs) or Solar PV.

What happens if our baseline design fails local carbon targets?

If initial SAP or SBEM modelling shows that the baseline design falls short of the council’s local planning targets, we do not simply issue a failing report. We conduct iterative scenario modelling, adjusting fabric parameters, glazing performance or renewable capacities to present you with costed upgrade options. This allows you to choose the most economical design tweaks required to achieve compliance before submitting to the council.

What information do you need from us to prepare a quote and statement?

To provide an accurate proposal and begin modelling, we typically require:

– The exact site address and Local Planning Authority (to review local planning policies).
– Proposed site layout and architectural floor plans, elevations and sections.
– A brief summary of proposed building construction types or heating preferences (if known).
– Any specific planning conditions or pre-application advice provided by the council.

Need a Sustainability Statement or Energy Strategy?

Our friendly team is ready to provide expert advice for your project. Whether you need a free consultation to discuss your options or a competitive quote for our sustainability statement and energy strategy services, we are here to help.

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