Building Performance

What Is the Performance Gap?

Modern buildings are designed to achieve energy, carbon and comfort targets. Yet many fail to deliver the outcomes expected once occupied.

A building may achieve planning requirements, an EPC rating or sustainability certification while still consuming more energy than predicted in operation. This difference between predicted and actual performance is commonly known as the Performance Gap.

The Performance Gap can arise from design assumptions, commissioning issues, control strategies, occupancy patterns and operational practices. As energy costs rise and organisations pursue ambitious net zero targets, understanding how buildings perform in use has become increasingly important.

Why Building Performance Matters

Building performance affects energy consumption, carbon emissions, occupant comfort and long-term asset value. Improving performance can reduce operational costs, support sustainability objectives and help ensure buildings deliver the outcomes they were designed to achieve.

KJ Tait combines building services engineering, sustainability consultancy and operational energy expertise to help clients understand how their buildings perform in practice, identify opportunities for improvement and close the gap between design intent and real-world performance.