Smart thermostats and building controls can help commercial sites reduce wasted energy, improve comfort and support better building performance. They are not always the biggest or most visible upgrade, but they can be one of the most practical places to start.

For offices, schools, pubs, clubs, assisted living environments and managed commercial properties, poor control settings can quietly waste energy every day. Heating may run when rooms are empty. Cooling may operate outside trading hours. Lights may stay on in unused areas. Different systems may even work against each other.

That is why controls should be part of any commercial EPC improvement plan.

At Azure Electrical Ltd, our control panel services, mechanical services, electrical services and electrical installation services support businesses looking to make building services safer, clearer and more efficient.

This guide explains how smart thermostats, heating controls and wider building controls can help commercial sites reduce waste and make better energy decisions.

What Is a Commercial EPC Rating?

An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, rates how energy efficient a building is. GOV.UK explains that commercial premises are rated from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient.

Official reference: GOV.UK Energy Performance Certificates for your business premises

For commercial landlords, EPC ratings matter because non-domestic private rented property generally needs to meet minimum energy-efficiency standards before it can be let, unless a valid exemption applies.

Official reference: Non-domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard

For business occupiers and facilities teams, EPC performance also matters because it can affect energy costs, comfort, maintenance planning and long-term building value.

Can Smart Thermostats Improve an EPC Rating?

Smart thermostats and building controls can support better energy performance where they help reduce unnecessary heating, cooling or lighting demand.

However, a smart thermostat alone does not guarantee an improved EPC rating. The impact depends on the building, the existing systems, how controls are configured and whether the upgrade forms part of a wider energy strategy.

Controls can help by:

• Reducing heating in unused areas

• Preventing systems from running out of hours

• Improving zoning

• Reducing manual overrides

• Supporting better time schedules

• Helping facilities teams spot waste

• Reducing heating and cooling conflicts

• Improving comfort where systems are used correctly

For many commercial buildings, controls are a practical first step before larger upgrades such as heat pumps, solar panels or major plant replacement.

Azure’s wider guide on how to improve a commercial EPC rating with electrical upgrades explains how controls fit into a broader improvement plan.

Why Building Controls Are Often Overlooked

Building controls are not always visible.

A failed light fitting is easy to see. A broken air conditioning unit gets reported quickly. A cold office or overheated meeting room creates immediate complaints.

But poor control settings can waste energy quietly for months.

Common examples include:

• Heating running before the building opens

• Cooling staying on after staff leave

• Timers set for old opening hours

• Meeting rooms controlled like full-time occupied spaces

• Pub or club cooling running outside trading hours

• Heating and cooling operating in the same area

• Thermostats being overridden by multiple users

• Controls not updated after a refurbishment

• Poor labelling on control panels

• No one knowing who is responsible for settings

These issues may not look urgent, but they can increase energy use and make the building harder to manage.

Smart Thermostat vs Building Controls: What Is the Difference?

A smart thermostat is usually a device that controls heating or cooling based on temperature settings, schedules and sometimes occupancy or remote access.

Building controls are broader.

They may include:

• Heating controls

• Air conditioning controls

• Ventilation controls

• Lighting controls

• Time clocks

• Sensors

• Control panels

• Motor control centres

• Building management systems

• Occupancy settings

• Plant sequencing

• Remote monitoring

• Energy monitoring

A small commercial site may only need simple smart thermostats and time controls. A larger site may need a more structured controls strategy, especially where heating, cooling, ventilation and lighting all interact.

Azure’s control panel services are relevant where commercial building services rely on panels, controls, plant interfaces and electrical coordination.

1. Start With Time Schedules

Time schedules are often the easiest place to find energy waste.

Facilities teams should check:

• What time heating starts

• What time cooling starts

• Whether systems run after closing

• Whether weekend settings are correct

• Whether holiday periods are included

• Whether bank holidays are accounted for

• Whether trading hours have changed

• Whether cleaners or security need separate settings

• Whether different areas need different schedules

A school, office, pub, club and assisted living environment will all have different operating patterns.

Azure supports office and corporate sites, education settings, pubs, clubs and assisted living environments, where controls need to reflect real occupancy and use.

2. Improve Zoning

Zoning means controlling different areas separately.

Without zoning, a building may heat or cool areas that are not being used.

For example:

• A meeting room may only be occupied for short periods

• A school hall may have different use patterns from classrooms

• A pub cellar, bar and dining area may need different conditions

• A club may have changing demand depending on events

• Offices may have zones with different sunlight, occupancy or equipment loads

• Assisted living spaces may need different comfort considerations

Better zoning can help match energy use to real demand.

This can support comfort while reducing the chance of heating or cooling the whole building unnecessarily.

3. Reduce Heating and Cooling Conflicts

One of the most common control problems in commercial buildings is heating and cooling running against each other.

This can happen when:

• Heating and cooling set points overlap

• Separate systems serve the same space

• Staff override thermostats

• Different contractors manage different systems

• Controls are poorly labelled

• Room layouts have changed

• Sensors are in poor locations

• Systems are not commissioned properly

The building may feel comfortable, but energy is being wasted.

A controls review should check whether heating, cooling and ventilation are operating together sensibly.

Azure’s heating services, air conditioning services and ventilation services can support a more joined-up approach to building services.

4. Use Occupancy Sensors Where They Make Sense

Occupancy sensors can help reduce waste in spaces that are used intermittently.

These may include:

• Meeting rooms

• Toilets

• Store rooms

• Corridors

• Staff welfare areas

• Classrooms with varied use

• Back-of-house spaces

• Plant rooms

• Office breakout spaces

For lighting, occupancy sensors can reduce the chance of lights being left on unnecessarily. For heating and cooling, occupancy-led control may be useful in some buildings, depending on the system and controls available.

The key is to use sensors where they suit the building. A poor sensor strategy can frustrate users or create comfort issues.

Azure’s article on LED lighting and EPC ratings explains how controls can make lighting upgrades more effective.

5. Review Thermostat Locations

Thermostat location can have a major impact on how a space is controlled.

A thermostat may give poor readings if it is:

• Too close to a heat source

• In direct sunlight

• Near a doorway

• In a draught

• Close to equipment producing heat

• Hidden behind furniture

• Located in a space that does not represent the wider zone

• Accessible to too many users

If the thermostat reads incorrectly, the system may overheat or overcool the space.

A controls review should confirm whether thermostat and sensor locations still make sense, especially after refurbishments, layout changes or changes in room use.

6. Stop Uncontrolled Manual Overrides

Manual overrides can be useful, but uncontrolled overrides often cause energy waste.

For example, staff may increase heating in one room and forget to return the setting. A venue team may override cooling for an event and leave it running overnight. A tenant may change settings without understanding how the wider system works.

Facilities teams should decide:

• Who can change settings

• Which areas need local control

• How long overrides last

• Whether settings reset automatically

• Whether users understand the controls

• Whether access should be limited

• Whether instructions are visible

The aim is not to remove control from users completely. The aim is to prevent settings from drifting away from the intended operating strategy.

7. Make Control Panels Clear and Maintainable

Control panels are often central to commercial building services.

A good control panel setup should be:

• Clearly labelled

• Safe to access

• Documented

• Suitable for the system

• Maintained properly

• Understandable to competent contractors

• Supported by accurate drawings where available

• Easy to isolate where required

Poor labelling and unclear control arrangements can make fault finding slower and maintenance more difficult.

Azure’s control panel services can support commercial clients with control panel servicing, fault investigation, maintenance and upgrade planning.

8. Coordinate Controls With Air Conditioning and Ventilation

Smart controls should not focus only on heating.

Air conditioning and ventilation can also waste energy if schedules, sensors or controls are not suitable.

Facilities teams should check:

• Are ventilation systems running when spaces are empty?

• Are air conditioning units scheduled correctly?

• Are local controllers being overridden?

• Are systems fighting heating?

• Are meeting rooms or event spaces controlled separately?

• Are ventilation and cooling aligned with occupancy?

• Are complaints linked to specific rooms or times?

HSE guidance on workplace temperature explains that thermal comfort is affected by factors such as air temperature, humidity, airflow, clothing and work rate.

Official reference: HSE Managing workplace temperatures

For ventilation, HSE also provides guidance on workplace ventilation: HSE Ventilation in the workplace.

Azure’s related article on air conditioning and EPC ratings is a useful companion piece for businesses reviewing cooling and energy performance.

9. Think About Controls Before Installing Heat Pumps

If a business is considering a heat pump, controls should be reviewed early.

A heat pump installation may not perform well if the building has:

• Poor zoning

• Unclear heating schedules

• Conflicting controls

• Old thermostats

• Poor sensor locations

• User overrides

• Poorly understood plant controls

• Existing heating circuits that do not match the building’s use

Before installing new plant, facilities teams should understand how the building is currently controlled.

Azure’s article on commercial heat pump electrical requirements explains why electrical capacity, controls and building services coordination matter before installation.

10. Use Controls Data to Support Better Decisions

Modern control systems can help facilities teams understand how a building is being used.

Useful information may include:

• Operating hours

• Temperature trends

• Fault patterns

• User overrides

• Energy-use patterns

• Areas with recurring complaints

• Equipment running out of hours

• Seasonal differences

• System alarms

• Maintenance needs

Not every building needs a full building management system. But even simple control reviews can reveal waste.

CIBSE Guide F includes control strategies and building energy management systems within energy-efficiency guidance.

Official reference: CIBSE Guide F: Energy efficiency in buildings

For maintenance planning, CIBSE Guide M is also relevant because it helps building and property operators manage building services responsibilities.

Official reference: CIBSE Guide M: Maintenance engineering and management

11. Keep Electrical Safety and BS 7671 in Mind

Controls may seem like a low-disruption upgrade, but they can still involve electrical work.

A controls project may include:

• New wiring

• Control panel alterations

• Sensors

• Switching arrangements

• Local isolation

• Power supplies

• Interfaces with plant

• Testing and certification

• Remedial works

Azure Electrical Ltd references BS 7671 as a major standard when carrying out electrical work, alongside relevant regulations, manufacturer guidance and site requirements.

The IET explains that BS 7671:2018+A4:2026 has been published, with the previous Brown Book edition remaining valid during the transition period until 15 October 2026.

Official reference: IET Staying up to date with BS 7671

Azure has also written a dedicated guide on BS 7671 Amendment 4 and what businesses need to know.

12. Keep Records After Control Changes

Any changes to controls should be recorded.

This may include:

• Updated schedules

• New set points

• Sensor locations

• Control panel alterations

• User instructions

• Commissioning notes

• Contractor reports

• Electrical certificates where relevant

• Outstanding remedial items

• Maintenance recommendations

Records matter because controls often drift over time.

A future contractor, facilities manager or site lead should be able to understand how the system is supposed to operate.

Azure’s article on compliance calendars for property managers explains how building-services records can be organised across the year.