An Energy Statement is now a central part of most planning applications in the UK. It explains how a new building or development will minimise energy consumption and carbon emissions, demonstrating compliance with Building Regulations Part L and any local sustainability policies.
Whether you’re planning a housing development, a commercial unit, or a mixed-use scheme, a strong energy statement shows that your project is efficient, policy-compliant, and designed with long-term sustainability in mind. It’s not just a planning requirement, it’s a commitment to performance, cost stability, and future readiness.
What an Energy Statement Includes
An energy statement turns design intent into measurable performance outcomes. It is supported by SAP or SBEM modelling, depending on building type, and usually covers the following areas:
The document begins by setting a baseline energy model, showing the predicted regulated energy use and CO₂ emissions for the proposed design. From there, it outlines the project’s energy-reduction strategy , explaining how passive design features, efficient systems, and renewable technologies work together to lower demand.
It then details the fabric specification, including U-values, airtightness, and thermal bridging treatment, before describing the heating and hot-water systems, their efficiencies, controls, and zoning. Most authorities also expect a summary of renewable generation, showing the on-site carbon savings achieved through solar PV, heat pumps, or CHP.
Where a development cannot achieve net-zero carbon on-site, some local authorities also request a carbon-offset payment calculation, typically based on £95 per tonne of residual CO₂.
Why the Energy Statement Matters
A well-prepared Energy Statement does more than help secure planning consent. It proves the design is technically sound, aligns with regional policy, and supports the UK’s broader net-zero goals. For developers, it provides clarity: a verified route to compliance, fewer redesigns, and fewer surprises later in the build process.
Planning officers increasingly expect this level of transparency. Projects that demonstrate clear, evidence-based energy strategies typically experience smoother approvals and fewer conditions attached to consent.
How to Prepare an Effective Energy Statement
The best Energy Statements begin early in the design process. Start by collecting all architectural drawings, construction build-ups, and M&E specifications, and share them with a qualified energy assessor. Running early SAP or SBEM models allows shortfalls to be identified while design changes are still simple and cost neutral.
A strong strategy always follows the recognised energy hierarchy: first reduce energy demand through efficient fabric and passive design, then improve system efficiency, and finally offset remaining emissions through renewables. The key is to demonstrate intentional design — explain why each measure was chosen, not just what it achieves.
Most importantly, use accurate, project-specific data. Default U-values, generic system efficiencies, and placeholder specifications often lead to failed validations or planning delays. The more realistic the data, the more robust your energy statement.
Linked Assessments Often Required
Energy performance rarely stands alone. Many planning authorities now require supporting documents alongside the energy statement.
Part G – Water Efficiency
This assessment demonstrates that internal water use does not exceed national standards, usually 105 litres per person per day for dwellings. Lower water demand also means less energy required for hot-water production.
Part O – Overheating Risk
Residential and mixed-use projects must now show that internal comfort can be maintained under future weather scenarios. Overheating assessments, carried out through the Simplified Method or a TM59 dynamic simulation, prove that solar gain, ventilation, and orientation have been balanced correctly.
When coordinated with the energy statement, these reports reinforce the project’s environmental credentials and ensure all aspects of comfort and performance align.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Many planning submissions fail because the energy strategy feels disconnected from the design itself. Authorities often reject statements that rely on default values, overstate renewable performance, or neglect the fabric-first approach required by most local policies. The best documents clearly link specification choices to measurable outcomes, they read as a design narrative rather than a spreadsheet.
Designing for Future Energy Statements
With SAP 10.3 and the upcoming Home Energy Model (HEM), energy modelling is becoming far more dynamic and realistic. HEM, in particular, calculates heat flow and system response at 30-minute intervals, capturing the true behaviour of a building under real weather conditions. This shift means developers will need to focus more closely on fabric quality, low-temperature heating design, and renewable self-consumption, not just headline efficiencies.
At Energy Digest, our energy statements are already built around SAP 10.3-aligned logic, ensuring a smooth transition to the Future Homes Standard. By anticipating upcoming modelling methods, we help developers design once, comply once, and avoid costly redesigns when the next regulation cycle begins.
Nationwide Support from Energy Digest
Energy Digest produces compliant, planning-ready Energy Statements for residential, commercial, and mixed-use projects across the UK. Our consultants integrate energy, water, and overheating analysis into one clear report, giving planning officers confidence and giving design teams certainty.
We focus on clarity, technical accuracy, and forward-compliance, ensuring your project meets today’s standards and tomorrow’s expectations.
Design once. Build once. Comply once.
That’s the Energy Digest approach, practical, compliant, and built for the Future Homes Standard era.
