There’s a secret dogging British buildings with some of the most coveted environmental ratings: On paper they’re green, but scratch the surface and they’re red hot. Buildings that have received the highest rating in the U.K. — an A Energy Performance Certificate — use more energy than some of their peers rated C, D, E or even F. 

This disparity between how buildings are designed and what their actual emissions are is widespread in the U.K., according to recent findings from the Better Buildings Partnership, which analyzed 2020 self-reported energy data provided for more than 1,100 commercial properties.

It found that commercial buildings regularly use more energy than their sterling eco-friendly labels would suggest. In fact, the analysis finds, the ratings are so far off that the median energy intensity for all B-rated buildings is higher than for C-rated buildings.  

“We did the research and there’s very little relationship, if any at all, between the Energy Performance Certificates and the actual energy usage of buildings,” said Sarah Ratcliffe, the CEO of the Better Buildings Partnership, a nonprofit coalition of commercial property owners in the U.K. 

The new data is not comprehensive, as it only includes commercial buildings from real estate companies that are members of the Better Buildings Partnership and voluntarily submitted energy use. Still, the findings point to a hole in green building policies and practices that will be essential to fill in order to hit emissions targets, say experts.

The problem: Just because buildings meet some of the most prized environmental building design standards doesn’t mean they’ll meet emissions goals.

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