If your council has requested an energy statement to support a planning application, the right consultant will show your scheme meets carbon targets without forcing expensive design changes. This guide explains what a good energy statement consultant in the UK should offer, the questions to ask, and how to choose in 2026.
What does an energy consultant do?
An energy consultant demonstrates how your development reduces carbon emissions in line with planning policy. A planning energy statement works from the Part L 2021 baseline and applies the energy hierarchy — Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Green — calculating carbon savings at each stage. For a primer, see what is an energy statement. Note this is a planning document, distinct from the Part L compliance calculations done at building-control stage.
What to look for in a top energy consultant
- Correct baseline and method. The statement should use the Part L 2021 baseline and the SAP 10.2 notional-building method (moving toward SAP 10.3), and work through the full energy hierarchy.
- Policy awareness. A good consultant knows your authority’s targets — and for London schemes, the London Plan Policy SI2 35% on-site carbon reduction target and carbon offset payments.
- Fabric-first thinking. The strongest statements reduce demand before adding technology — the U-values and airtightness we cover in fabric first — then size low-carbon heating to suit.
- Sensible technology choices. Look for realistic, deliverable measures: heat pumps, rooftop solar and good fabric, not a wish-list. See heat pumps vs gas boilers.
- Future-proofing. With the Future Homes Standard in force from 24 March 2027, a good consultant designs a strategy that will still stand up as policy tightens.
- Clear, deliverable reporting. The statement should be specific enough for a planning officer and buildable on site — not commitments you cannot meet later.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Will the statement use the Part L 2021 / SAP 10.2 baseline and the full energy hierarchy?
- Does it address my authority’s carbon target — and SI2 35% if my site is in London?
- Are the proposed measures realistic and deliverable on my budget?
- How does the strategy align with the Future Homes Standard?
- What is the turnaround, and what is included?
Matching the consultant to the scheme
A single dwelling or extension needs a proportionate statement built on a sound baseline and a credible low-carbon strategy. Large or non-domestic schemes — apartment blocks, commercial units, or major London developments with offset calculations — may need detailed modelling (including BRUKL for non-domestic buildings) and a specialist. Choosing the right level keeps the cost proportionate to the application.
Common mistakes in energy statements
Several mistakes crop up again and again. The biggest is a technology-first statement that bolts on solar and a heat pump without first reducing demand through fabric — planners increasingly expect a genuine fabric-first approach. Others include using the wrong baseline or an outdated calculation method; ignoring an authority’s specific carbon target, or the London Plan SI2 35% requirement on a London site; and confusing the planning energy statement with the separate Part L compliance check done at building control. Watch, too, for commitments that cannot actually be built or afforded — if a measure becomes a planning condition, you have to deliver it. A statement that promises unrealistic savings can create problems long after consent. Ask for a strategy that is both policy-compliant and genuinely deliverable on your budget.
How Fortress Associates can help
Fortress Associates produces automated energy statements for planning applications across every UK local authority. The report is free and ready in minutes, built on the Part L 2021 / SAP 10.2 baseline and working through the full Be Lean, Be Clean, Be Green hierarchy with CO₂ savings at each stage. For London schemes it addresses the London Plan Policy SI2 35% target and carbon offset. Explore our services or get in touch. See also the Future Homes Standard and energy statements.
Sources & further reading
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