A GUIDE TO ENERGY STATEMENTS
1. Introduction
Energy consumption is one of the largest contributors to climate change, largely due to the historical reliance on fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. We consume energy in almost every aspect of our daily lives, and therefore if energy is not renewably sourced, we contribute towards global warming and the associated impacts.
As a low-lying and geographically isolated island, Bermuda is highly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, including coastal erosion, sea level rise and stormwater inundation. Consequently, it is important for Bermuda to play its part in combatting climate change through consciously seeking to reduce our energy consumption, and ensure that our energy needs are being met from renewable sources as much as possible.
This guidance note specifically relates to the adaptation measures we can implement to minimise the energy needs of buildings. The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that buildings account for approximately 40% of total energy use globally, and 30% of greenhouse gas emissions. By adopting energy efficiency design measures and technologies, we can significantly reduce the energy needs of our buildings, with long-term financial savings.
This guidance note provides guidance on the preparation of Energy Statements. The objective is to ensure that developments actively reduce energy needs at all stages of the process through incorporating energy efficiency measures and integrating renewable technologies wherever feasible.
While the “Bermuda Image” is not relevant to developments within the City of Hamilton, it must be considered in all other parts of the Island. As such, it is acknowledged that some of the measures outlined below may compete with the requirements to meet this “Image”. In these instances it is important that a balance be struck in applying appropriate measures without compromising the “Bermuda Image” and overall design standards.
Bermuda enjoys a temperate, sub-tropical climate thanks to the Gulf Stream and the Bermuda-Azores High which push warm, equatorial water to the west and north of the Island, up from the Gulf of Mexico. This ensures comfortable temperatures year round, ranging from the mid-60s (on average) in the winter to the mid-80s (on average) in the summer.
As a result of being surrounded by ocean and having relatively high rainfall, the year-round mean relative humidity is 77%, which increases from May to October. Such high humidity levels can make the summer months feel warmer than the ambient air temperature, and the winter months feel colder. Mechanical heating and cooling systems are therefore commonplace across the island.
In addition, Bermuda’s moisture rich air also has a notable salt content which comes with being an island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This can rapidly increase the rate of corrosion of some building materials, significantly impacting upon the maintenance requirements of a building and its lifespan.
In 1992, the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) was adopted by the United Kingdom. The objective of the Convention is to stabilize greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere at a safe level. Bermuda is one of four Overseas Territories (OT) which have had UK ratification of the UN Framework extended to it.
In 2016, Bermuda’s Cabinet Office announced that many nations across the world had entered into the Paris Agreement, pledging to work together to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change. The Agreement provided a pathway for sovereign nations to work together on climate mitigation and adaptation efforts while encouraging participants to increase their commitments over time and further, that every actor within the global community should do its part. The UK signed the Agreement and welcomed interest from its Overseas Territories in also being covered by the Agreement.
In 2021 the Deputy Premier/ Minister of Home Affairs and Bermuda Business Development Agency (BDA) attended the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 26) in Glasgow, Scotland. The conference brought parties together to accelerate the action towards the goal of the Paris Agreement and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. A document entitled “The Bermuda Difference in Climate Change and the UN Conference of Parties, Glasgow” declares that “Bermuda is committed to increasing our protection of our fragile ecosystem, reducing our carbon footprint, and mitigating the impact of climate change. “ Collaborative initiatives with our partners both locally and internationally are also outlined in the report to protect our ecosystem and to mitigate the effects of climate risk. The report notes that “the Government’s Bermuda Development Plan and Building Code has been updated to encourage and require adaptation measures, renewable energy and incorporating energy efficiencies. “
The Government of Bermuda has partnered with the Green Overseas Programme (funded by the European Union) who will assist the Department of Planning with the review of its building code to make homes and buildings more energy efficient and more resistant to extreme weather.
This outlines the Government’s national commitment to climate change.
As regulators of development activity we must ensure that sustainable practices are adopted and adhered to. There are a range of ways in which this can be achieved, including but not limited to, the implementation of a robust and up to date development plan and building code, which recognizes international best practice in response to this global issue.
2. Policy Context- The Bermuda Plan 2018 and the City of Hamilton Plan 2025
Policy DSN.25 of the Bermuda Plan 2018 speaks to sustainable design and energy, requiring new developments to be designed in a manner that incorporates energy efficiency, water conservation, green building materials and/or other sustainable design measures.
The City of Hamilton Plan 2025 requires that development proposals consider climate change factors, sustainability and resource efficiency. In addition, the Plan has adopted a sharper focus on specific measures relating to clean energy and how energy demand within buildings can be minimized.
There are a number of policies which provide the framework for the considerations of both Plans, as detailed here.
3. When is an Energy Statement Required?
Policy GP.9 of the City of Hamilton Plan 2025 states that an Energy Statement is required for new developments (including adaptive re-use, change of use and extensions).
While the Bermuda Plan 2018 does not specifically state when an Energy Statement is required, Policy DSN.25 of the Plan requires new developments to incorporate energy efficiency, water conservation, green building materials and/or other sustainable design measures. As such, the request for an Energy Statement may be necessary to demonstrate compliance with this policy.
Those types of developments which are expected to submit an Energy Statement include:
- Development proposals for new buildings with 10,000 square feet or more of gross floor area (GFA);
- Development proposals for renovations and/or alterations, and/or additions to an existing building with 10,000 square feet or more of GFA; or
- Developments proposing 5 or more residential units.
Please note that these thresholds will be regularly monitored to ensure that they are both reasonable, whilst also having a meaningful impact on reducing the energy consumption of buildings.
4. Department of Energy
The Department of Energy may be consulted on Energy Statements through the planning application process to ensure that the measures proposed are reasonable and commensurate to the scale of the development proposed. Applicants are therefore encouraged to seek guidance from the Department of Energy prior to submitting an application as this will save time during the processing of an application.
5. Conditions of Approval
The Development Applications Board, or the Director of Planning via Delegated Authority, will normally impose a condition requiring Energy Statements to be adhered to and this will be administered through the building permit process. The Board, or the Director of Planning via Delegated Authority, also has the discretion to require the contractor to demonstrate that measures committed to in the approved Energy Statement have been implemented, which would then be verified by the Building Control Section prior to the issuance of a Certificate of Completion.
6. International Energy Conservation Code 2012
The Department’s Building Control Section has adopted the International Energy Conservation Code (IECC) 2012 for all commercial developments. In preparing Energy Statements, applicants are strongly encouraged to review and apply the standards set out within the IECC 2024. The standards set out within the 2024 version exceed the requirements for the 2012 version, and will therefore result in an energy efficient building beyond the adopted standards.
7. What Constitutes an Energy Statement?
An Energy Statement must detail design measures proposed to address each consideration below:
- A reduction in energy consumption through incorporating passive design measures (BE LEAN);
- Ensure efficient use of energy within the building (BE CLEAN); and
- The incorporation of renewable technologies to meet residual energy needs (BE GREEN).
Planning assessments will not be solely based on those measures set out in Sections 8, 9 and 10 below, however, these provide an indication of how an Energy Statement could address the 3-staged process. It will be important to ensure that the energy efficiency measures to be used are determined at the outset of a project to ensure that they form an integral part of the design process.
An Energy Statement Template form must be submitted with planning applications for developments which meet the thresholds set out under Section 3, detailing all measures proposed to address each consideration. An example of a completed form can be found here.
8. REDUCTION IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION (BE LEAN) THROUGH PASSIVE DESIGN
Solar Paths
Attention to solar paths and orientation can impact solar gains. Direct heat gain is the most basic form of solar gain. Sun light enters through the south facing elevation and is absorbed by the thermal mass of the building (exterior walls, the ground and roof). Heat is stored in this thermal mass and re-radiated back into the internal space. Controlling heat gain can have a significant impact on the internal temperatures of spaces by decreasing internal temperatures in the summer and increasing them in the winter months, reducing the use of mechanical cooling and heating systems. Critical to this is the need to strike the right balance in creating the optimal conditions for cooling and heating.
ENERGY FACT: daylighting strategies can directly reduce cooling costs by 10% to 20%
Natural Daylight
Maximising natural daylighting through careful consideration of window and door placement in relation to solar paths can significantly reduce energy consumption. By generating waste heat, electric lighting adds to the loads imposed on a building’s mechanical cooling system.
For those spaces which do not have windows and doors, natural daylight can be brought into a space utilising sun tubes. Some tubes can be designed with fans to ventilate spaces as well.
Large sun tubes can even be used to bring daylight into multi-story buildings as seen in Figure 3. A rooftop heliostat (computer-controlled, powered mirror) has also been installed which tracks the sun and re-directs light down the sun tube.
Utilising skylights with white laminate glass can also allow for natural daylight and ventilation to the uppermost floor of a building. Ventilating a building with an operable skylight also releases the hot air that naturally accumulates at the ceiling.
ENERGY FACTS:
One 10-inch sun tube is equivalent to three 100-watt bulbs, which is enough to illuminate a 200 sq.ft. room
A building with 20% skylight coverage can save up to 85% in CO2 emissions from lighting and heat loss
Orientation and Form
The orientation and form of a building directly impacts upon its exposure to the sun. A compact building form with a smaller surface area will reduce heat gain compared to a building with more external walls and surface area. Buildings with a vertical emphasis can also help with cross ventilation and the natural stack effect, which can also be used to exhaust the hot air of a building.
Orienting buildings to maximize natural cross-ventilation by aligning them with the prevailing wind direction and thoughtfully designing the size and placement of windows and doors, can significantly lower energy costs associated with mechanical cooling.
Properties of Air
Designing around air pressure differences and taking advantage of the physical properties of air (e.g. hot air rises) can also reduce the reliance on mechanical ventilation systems. These pressure differences can be caused by wind or the buoyancy effect created by differences in temperature or humidity. In either case, the amount of ventilation is significantly impacted by the size and placement of openings in a building.
As shown in Figure 6, consideration of the placement of buildings on a site and in relation to buildings around a site, can enhance and accentuate wind movement, which can further take advantage of passive air circulations and ventilation, again reducing reliance on mechanical systems.
ENERGY FACT: The use of natural ventilation can save 20% to 40% in energy consumption
Sun Control and Shading
Incorporating sun control and shading devices (interior and exterior) as part of the building design can reduce solar gain. Incorporating overhanging roofs can also assist in protecting the openings and walls from direct sunlight, which decreases the surface temperature of the internal space. Facades can also incorporate exterior mounted systems to provide sun control at glazed openings. Such sun controls minimize solar heat gain, reduce energy costs, ensure occupants’ comfort, and contribute to sustainable design projects.
ENERGY FACT: Cantilevered, horizontal, vertical, and inclined sun controls can filter up to 80% of the sun’s heat and glare
Glazing
Utilising appropriate forms of glazing and giving careful consideration to the tint of the glass can significantly impact upon energy consumption. Certain materials and substances are more transparent, allowing for greater solar gain. Different types of glazing used in windows can control the amount of solar heat gain/loss which can reduce energy consumption. In some cases, up to 75% of the solar energy striking the glass façade of a building is converted to thermal energy. Figure 9 shows how the thickness of glazing can be used to optimize natural heating and cooling.
Air Sealing
Air sealing is one of the least expensive and most cost-effective actions you can take to improve the comfort and energy efficiency of a building. In an average home air leaks add up to about a two-foot square hole. This can be significantly more in a multistorey building. By air sealing you reduce draft and keep the air you have paid for to heat or cool the building on the inside.
Applying caulk to seal small cracks and gaps, using weather stripping for moving parts like doors and windows, utilizing foam sealants for more significant gaps, and installing gaskets around electrical outlets and wall openings all assist in reducing air leakage.
ENERGY FACT: On average, buildings can save 20% of their energy bill with proper air sealing
Functional Lighting Design
Designing lighting to function efficiently will ensure that work surfaces for the task at hand will be lit by an appropriate lumen. While harmonious, equidistant lighting can look good on a floor plan it may not work for the function of the space.
Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Facility
A CHP plant consists of an electrical generator combined with equipment for recovering and using the heat produced by that generator. By producing electricity on-site, a CHP also avoids transmission and distribution losses that occur when electricity travels over power lines. By avoiding losses associated with conventional electricity supply, a CHP further reduces fuel use, helps avoid the need for new transmission and distribution infrastructure, and eases grid congestion when demand for electricity is high. Because CHP facilities capture and use heat that would otherwise be wasted from the production of electricity, they need less fuel to produce the same amount of energy. Given the significant costs associated with a CHP they tend to be used for large scale projects only.
9. ENERGY EFFICIENT USAGE (BE CLEAN)
In other jurisdictions connecting to a heat network system is a highly effective way of obtaining a sustainable energy source. There are complexities with these types of systems which may make them cost prohibitive in Bermuda, however, they could be worth exploring in the future, subject to viability. Other energy efficiency measures could include:
Energy Efficient Electrical Appliances
Installing electrical appliances with high energy efficiency ratings can reduce electricity consumption and lower electricity bills.
The Energy Star label is used in the United States and indicates that a product meets strict energy efficiency standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE).
ENERGY FACTS:
Energy rated appliances can save between 20 to 50%
Energy Star Appliances have reduced fossil fuels in the US to the extent of taking 25,00,0000 cars off the road
Light Emitting Diode (LED) Lighting
Using LED (or light emitting diode) lighting is one of today’s most energy-efficient and environmentally-friendly lighting technologies.
They have a number of benefits including but not limited to the following:
- Long lifespan
- Reduced power usage
- They are low voltage, making them suitable for indoor and outdoor lighting
- They have comparable lumen ranges to traditional bulbs
- Minimal heat emissions, making the safer
- Good colour rendition; and
- Are available as dimmable
ENERGY FACT: LED lights save up to 90% energy compared to a traditional bulb
Self- Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology (SMART) Appliances
Installing SMART appliances or devices can allow you to monitor and control your electricity consumption.
Smart appliances/devices can be programed to communicate with your smartphone for remote control. Most can also be programed to a schedule, connected to a smart speaker, or even set up to perform actions on their own. By giving the user more control, smart devices can form part of an energy saving plan, by optimizing performance and reducing waste.
Energy Efficient Heat Pump
Efficient heat pump water heaters can significantly save on energy consumption. This type of water heater is an air source heat pump that extracts ambient heat from the surrounding air and circulates that heat around within the pump to increase the temperature of the contained water.
A heat pump water heater is two to three times more efficient than an electric water heater because it moves heat around instead of generating heat by itself.
The efficiency of a heat pump water heater relies on the quality of the system, the calibre of the installation, climatic conditions and the positioning of the compressor unit.
These are ideal for a range of uses varying in scales. They range in capacity from about 10,000 Btu/h to over 250,000 Btu/h, which covers the majority of water heating applications. In addition to the primary savings in electricity consumption, the free cooling and dehumidification can be used to directly or indirectly reduce the air conditioning costs to areas of the building that have the most significant heat load.
10. RENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (BE GREEN)
Having gone through the initial stages outlined within this document of reducing the energy needs of a building through employing passive design measures and utilising efficiency technologies, efforts should be made to meet residual energy needs from renewable sources.
The most common forms of renewable energy generation in Bermuda are photovoltaic panels and solar water heaters.
Photovoltaic Panels
A solar PV panel is a device that converts sunlight into electricity by using photovoltaic (PV) cells. PV cells are made of materials that generate electrons when exposed to light. The electrons produce direct current electricity which then needs to be inverted into alternating current. One the DC power is inverted into AC power, the clean energy will flow into the main electrical breaker panel of the property. Any solar electricity that is not consumed during the day can be sent back to the national grid under the net metering scheme. Any energy received to the grid is compensated for according to the Feed in Tariff. Batteries can be used to store up unused solar energy to use at night or in the event of an outage.
Solar Water Heaters
Solar water heating systems, or solar thermal systems, use energy from the sun to warm water for storage in a hot water cylinder or thermal store.
There are several different types of solar water heaters, but most pump cool water through pipes in a collector that is exposed to the sun. Glass on the front of the collector allows sunlight to pass into the collector, but prevents heat from escaping. The hot water returns to an insulated storage tank, similar to a regular hot water heater. This tank holds the hot water until it is required and ensures that hot water is still available even when the sun has gone down.
Most good quality solar hot water systems will last over 20 years if well maintained, though some components may need replacing sooner and this should be accounted for when assessing the cost of a system.
For maximum energy yield, panels should be located in an un-shaded location that faces south at a 32 degree angle.
ENERGY FACT: A water heating bill could be reduced by up to 80% with the installation of a solar water heating system
11. Government Incentives
- The Customs Department waves duty on Solar PV components and parts, details of which can be found here.
- The Government of Bermuda has partnered with a number of organizations on the LED lightbulb program.
12. Emerging Technologies
Energy storage plays a crucial role in maximizing the benefits of small-scale renewable generation, especially for buildings with rooftop solar photovoltaic systems. The latest advancements in storage technology offer greater efficiency, longer lifespan, and improved affordability:
- Lithium-Iron Phosphate (LiFePO₄) Batteries – These batteries provide enhanced safety, longer lifespan, and greater thermal stability compared to traditional lithium-ion batteries. They are ideal for home and commercial energy storage applications.
- Solid-State Batteries – A next-generation technology that offers higher energy density, faster charging times, and improved safety. As these become more commercially available, they could be a game-changer for residential and small business energy storage.
Solar PV remains the most viable renewable energy source for Bermuda’s buildings, but emerging technologies can further improve efficiency and aesthetic integration:
- Bifacial Solar Panels – These panels absorb sunlight from both sides, increasing energy yield per square meter and making them ideal for Bermuda’s reflective rooftop environments.
- Building-Integrated Photovoltaics (BIPV) – Solar panels embedded into roofing tiles, windows, and facades allow buildings to generate power without requiring additional space. Transparent solar glass can be used for skylights and windows in commercial and residential buildings.
- Perovskite Solar Cells – A new generation of highly efficient and flexible solar cells that could significantly boost rooftop solar efficiency once commercially available.
Traditional large-scale wind turbines are impractical for Bermuda’s dense urban environment, but new small-scale wind technologies offer promising applications:
- Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs) – Compact, quiet, and efficient, these turbines can be installed on rooftops to generate wind power in urban areas with moderate wind speeds.
- Hybrid Solar-Wind Systems – Integrating small wind turbines with solar PV allows buildings to generate power even when solar output is low (e.g., at night or during storms).
While large-scale hydrogen infrastructure may not be viable for Bermuda, small hydrogen fuel cells offer promising backup power solutions for businesses and homes:
- Hydrogen Fuel Cells for Backup Power – These units provide reliable, emission-free electricity as an alternative to diesel generators.
- Hydrogen-Powered Microgrids – For energy-resilient commercial buildings, hydrogen microgrids can store and supply electricity generated from renewable sources.
Letters of objection and/or representation should be emailed to planningfrontdesk@gov.bm referencing the PLAN or SUB number in the subject line.