The reality behind the building energy transition journey

Marc Gaunt, sales director, commercial buildings, UK & Ireland at Eaton

Decarbonisation has shifted from a theoretical aspiration to a defining part of everyday practice for building services engineers. Driven by urgent climate goals, tightening regulations, and a growing need for resource efficiency, the pressure to deliver low-carbon solutions has never been greater. Yet, despite rising policy and stronger client ambition, the journey to decarbonising commercial and public buildings remains uneven and some challenges need to be resolved.  

The building electrification conundrum

One way to decarbonise a building is through electrification, particularly by replacing fossil-fuel heating with heat pumps and expanding electric-vehicle (EV) infrastructure.

However, there is a tension between how important sustainability is ranked among engineers and facing the hard reality in meeting these necessary decarbonisation goals.  

Evidence for this lies in a recent survey commissioned by Eaton in collaboration with Chartered Institute of Building Service Engineers (CIBSE). In early 2026, more than 250 building service engineers in the UK were asked about their involvement in electrification projects. While the majority (91%) confirmed sustainability was important in their current projects, they revealed there were several challenges stacked against them. For example, capital cost and economic viability are considered the number one constraint (41%), followed by grid capacity and supply constraints (25.5%), while 19.5% said integration with existing building fabric and space limitations are other key struggles the industry faces. 

These insights dispel the myth that electrification is a straightforward technical substitution and bring to the surface serious practical difficulties, such as retrofitting heat pumps into cramped plantrooms, accommodating new risers or substations, and negotiating with network operators over connection capacity.

The complexities of net-zero carbon buildings

In the push for net-zero carbon buildings, engineers are having to juggle multiple, sometimes competing, objectives for the specification and design of electrical infrastructure across the building lifecycle. It is no longer about adjusting their processes for a single parameter, such as capital cost or energy efficiency.

The feedback in the survey demonstrates how complicated net zero can be. Over half of the respondents (64%) mentioned system sizing to accommodate higher peak electrical loads, while 52% highlighted the integration of renewables and energy storage systems. Finally, more than a third of the respondents (35%) flagged the material selection and embodied carbon considerations. Without clearer guidance and consistent metrics, this complexity risks slowing progress, rather than accelerating it.

Additionally, with more buildings depending on electrical infrastructure and digital technologies, power resilience and disruption concerns increase. Engineers, therefore, face a compelling challenge: creating sustainable, low-carbon structures that are fully operational and resilient against grid instabilities, climate extremes and changing building usage.

Alleviating some of the pressure

Yet there are clear opportunities to better support building engineers and their sustainability journey. Traditional resilience solutions, such as diesel generators, sit uneasily with decarbonisation goals, but solutions such as battery storage and smart load management can support in keeping buildings and systems operational.

Grid capacity worries can be tackled by integrating distributed energy resources (DERs), including battery storage, solar PV and EV charging. These solutions help utilities maintain stability while enhancing local grid capacity.

When asked about technologies that will provide the most impact on their work, respondents emphasised digital solutions. Artificial intelligence (AI) and energy consumption forecasting tools were the most popular answers (60% and 57%, respectively). These are closely followed by building performance simulations (53%) that can predict energy usage and carbon emissions, helping optimise building design and supporting a more sustainable construction. Smart sensor systems (44%) and battery energy storage systems (41%) are some more technologies that will continue making an impact in the next few years. Such digital solutions not only automate processes but also support in delivering more accurate and deeper energy insights, vastly improving the day-to-day management.

These technical hurdles sit alongside practical constraints such as project time pressure, changing client expectations and communication gaps that frequently slow progress.

The road ahead for decarbonisation

Although there are several concerns that might hinder a smooth decarbonisation, it is clear that these obstacles are systemic constraints rather than technical restrictions. Engineers need practical support, from design expertise to digital tools and training, to simplify increasingly complex projects. Manufacturers can help by engaging early in the design process and providing modelling and simulation tools. These tools allow engineers to assess energy demand, grid capacity and flexibility options from the start, enabling more confident low carbon decisions.