Living Sectors · PBSA
PBSA Energy Procurement & Infrastructure Advisory
Block One Group is the UK's specialist energy advisor for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation. We sit 100% on the customer side of the table, turning energy from a portfolio cost into a source of protected asset value for PBSA investors, developers and operators.
Where PBSA operators lose the most money
PBSA is one of the most energy-intensive residential asset classes in the UK. Communal heating, always-on infrastructure, high summer turnover and generous inclusive bills make procurement decisions material to yield — but most operators still rely on brokers and TPIs whose incentives are structurally misaligned with the asset owner.
We routinely find over-sized capacity, inaccurate transformer ratios, duplicated metering, mis-classified sites and inherited contracts that pre-date the current portfolio composition. Left unchecked these compound year on year, silently eroding NOI.
What a PBSA engagement looks like
Portfolio-level Review
A fixed-price diagnostic across every meter, contract and connection in your portfolio. We benchmark unit rates, non-commodity charges, capacity, MOP/DC/DA arrangements and supplier commissions. You receive a full commercial map of your energy estate and a prioritised value plan.
Transform
We deliver the plan. This typically includes competitive re-tender of supply, capacity right-sizing to reduce TnUOS, meter and settlement corrections, disputed-charge recovery, and — where the numbers stack — infrastructure changes such as sub-metering redesign or network operator changes at no cost to residents.
Perform
Ongoing customer-side energy management: continuous market intelligence, budget certainty, invoice validation, ESG reporting and defence against the next round of TPI commissions.
Track record
We have delivered £500k+ per year in savings on a 10,000+ bed PBSA portfolio through capacity optimisation and TnUOS reduction, without exposing the client to future grid upgrade risk. See the UK PBSA portfolio case study for the full picture.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Do you procure energy for PBSA landlords or the residents?
We advise the landlord — the asset owner or operator. Because most PBSA contracts are inclusive, savings flow directly to NOI and to protected asset value at exit.
How is Block One different from a PBSA-focused broker?
We do not take undisclosed commissions from suppliers. Where a client chooses a supplier-paid route we disclose every penny. We are structurally aligned with the customer, not the supplier.
Can you work alongside our existing energy manager or FM provider?
Yes. We frequently sit alongside in-house energy teams, asset managers and FMs. Our role is strategic and commercial — we do not replace operational delivery.
Where are you based and where do you work?
We are UK-based in Cardiff, Wales, and work with PBSA portfolios across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.