National Buildings Database phase 2: understanding Great Britain’s buildings

The National Buildings Database (NBD) brings together a range of existing data sources on buildings: construction geometry energy end uses targeted sector-specific survey data The database features a one-to-one representation of every building in Great Britain and provides a step-change in the evidence available for analysis of decarbonisation across the building stock. Phase 2 is the most recent phase, completed in 2025, and the details of this are available in the reports and data tables. Previous phase An early phase (Phase 1) was known as the Non-Domestic Building Stock (NDBS) . This piloted the data modelling approach to combine existing data with targeted sector specific surveys to produce a complete record of the building stock and its energy use. The Phase 1 pilot study was carried out by University College London Consultants and focused on the hospitality sector, chosen for its highly varied activities and energy uses. As part of the study, they created a national database of every hospitality building. Read the reports from this Phase 1 work , outlining the approach, methodology and results from this first phase of the project. ### Cover sheet | Population Overview Data Tables | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | National Buildings Database (NBD) | | | | | | | | This workbook contains data tables for figures shown in the National Buildings Database Report Chapter 2. This provides figures covering England, Wales and Scotland for a reference date of April 2023. | | | | | | | | The CaRBE Activity Classification used in the tables is explained further in the main National Buildings Database report. | | | | | | | | Contents | | | | | | | | This cover sheet is followed by a table of contents and notes page providing additional information/ clarification for the subsequent data tables. | | | | | | | | Publication dates | | | | | | | | Publication date: January 2026 | | | | | | | | Methodology | | | | | | | | More information on how these statistics are calculated can be found in: | | | | | | | | Reports & Documentation (including pilot study and methodology) | | | | | | | | Notes | | | | | | | | 1. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. | | | | | | | | 2. Data in these tables has been processed to ensure it is not disclosive of individual premises level data. | | | | | | | | 3. Figures by activity class groupings have been assessed to ensure they represent counts of more than 10 premises, and are not dominated by two or less premises | | | | | | | | 4. A synthetic population generated from the premises level data in the database is available at local authority level. Contact the email below for more details. | | | | | | | | 5. These data tables represent some figures that show breakdowns by Self-Contained Unit (SCU). 3DStock generates a SCU by plotting the geospatial locations of premises and then aggregating those that fall within a geometric map polygon representing the building footprint. Where possible, the different premises are correctly allocated to the floor(s) that they are located on which builds up a three-dimensional stack of activity within each building polygon. When activities span multiple building footprints, such as when a premises is located across multiple (historic) addresses, e.g. ‘7-9 The High Street’, then the SCU boundary expands from a single building footprint to encompass the neighbouring building footprints as required. The SCU is designed so that it does not divide any premises and treats the enclosed objects as a single unit. For more detail see the final report. | | | | | | | | 6. The same SCU, with multiple premises from different activity classes can mean that double counting will occur. For example, a SCU with a Shop on the ground floor and an Office on the first floor will appear in the SCU count in both Shops and Offices. For this reason, summing columns which report SCUs may not give the correct result of the total number of non-domestic SCUs. | | | | | | | | National Buildings Database reports & documents | | | | | | | | Reports & Documentation (including pilot study and methodology) | | | | | | | | Contact details | | | | | | | | energyresearch@energysecurity.gov.uk | | | | | | | ### Contents | Contents | | | --- | --- | | Table | Title | | Table_2_1 | Premises, Floorspace, and SCUS by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_2 | Premises, Floorspace, and Energy Consumption Sankey Diagram Data | | Table_2_3 | Premises Floorspace by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_4 | Premises Electricity Energy Use Intensity (kWh/m2/year) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_5 | Premises Gas Energy Use Intensity (kWh/m2/year) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_6 | EPC Rating by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_7 | Premises Heritage Status (%) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_8 | Rural / Urban Location (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_9 | Premises by Self Contained Unit (SCU) (%) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_10 | Public Sector Status (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_11 | Age Period (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_12 | Premises Wall Construction Material (%) by CaRBE Activity Class | | Table_2_13 | Electricity consumption by Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Band, 2017 to 2023 | ### Table_2_1 | Table 2_1: Premises, Floorspace, and SCUS by CaRBE Activity Class | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Coverage: Non-Domestic GB (England, Wales, and Scotland) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This worksheet contains one table, showing summary statistics by activity class | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Freeze panes are active on this sheet. To turn off freeze panes select the 'View' ribbon then 'Freeze Panes' then 'Unfreeze Panes' or use [Alt W, F]. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | CaRBE Code | CaRBE Class | Number of Premises (thousands) | Floorspace (millions square metres) | Number of SCUS (thousands) | | | | | | | | | | AG | Agriculture, Countryside, Animals | 35.211 | 13.587 | 31.616 | | | | | | | | | | AR | Arts and Leisure | 38.429 | 22.663 | 31.588 | | | | | | | | | | CO | Community | 77.92 | 33.82 | 64.207 | | | | | | | | | | ED | Education | 148.931 | 86.978 | 50.445 | | | | | | | | | | EM | Emergency | 4.668 | 4.127 | 4.068 | | | | | | | | | | FA | Factory | 300.173 | 181.214 | 192.486 | | | | | | | | | | HE | Health | 30.058 | 23.967 | 25.047 | | | | | | | | | | HO | Hospitality | 247.49 | 74.984 | 215.516 | | | | | | | | | | MO | MoD | 1.108 | 1.502 | 0.924 | | | | | | | | | | OF | Office | 470.455 | 114.972 | 163.131 | | | | | | | | | | SH | Shop | 561.38 | 136.784 | 453.184 | | | | | | | | | | SP | Sport | 26.63 | 16.065 | 19.922 | | | | | | | | | | TR | Transport | 15.109 | 5.107 | 11.917 | | | | | | | | | | UT | Utilities | 9.26 | 8.311 | 4.211 | | | | | | | | | | WA | Warehouse | 246.163 | 172.011 | 150.016 | | | | | | | | | ### Cover sheet | Activity Class Data Tables | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | National Buildings Database (NBD) | | | | | | | | This workbook contains data tables for figures shown in Agriculture, Countryside and Animals Activity Class section of the National Buildings Database Report Chapter 3. This provides figures covering England, Wales and Scotland for a reference date of April 2023. | | | | | | | | The CaRBE Activity Classification used in the tables is explained further in the main National Buildings Database report. | | | | | | | | Contents | | | | | | | | This cover sheet is followed by a table of contents and notes page providing additional information/ clarification for the subsequent data tables. | | | | | | | | Publication dates | | | | | | | | Publication date: January 2026 | | | | | | | | Methodology | | | | | | | | More information on how these statistics are calculated can be found in: | | | | | | | | Reports & Documentation (including pilot study and methodology) | | | | | | | | Notes | | | | | | | | 1. Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding. | | | | | | | | 2. Data in these tables has been processed to ensure it is not disclosive of individual premises level data. | | | | | | | | 3. Figures by activity class groupings have been assessed to ensure they represent counts of more than 10 premises, and are not dominated by two or less premises | | | | | | | | 4. A synthetic population generated from the premises level data in the database is available at local authority level. Contact the email below for more details. | | | | | | | | 5. These data tables represent some figures that show breakdowns by Self-Contained Unit (SCU). 3DStock generates a SCU by plotting the geospatial locations of premises and then aggregating those that fall within a geometric map polygon representing the building footprint. Where possible, the different premises are correctly allocated to the floor(s) that they are located on which builds up a three-dimensional stack of activity within each building polygon. When activities span multiple building footprints, such as when a premises is located across multiple (historic) addresses, e.g. ‘7-9 The High Street’, then the SCU boundary expands from a single building footprint to encompass the neighbouring building footprints as required. The SCU is designed so that it does not divide any premises and treats the enclosed objects as a single unit. For more detail see the final report. | | | | | | | | National Buildings Database reports & documents | | | | | | | | Reports & Documentation (including pilot study and methodology) | | | | | | | | Contact details | | | | | | | | energyresearch@energysecurity.gov.uk | | | | | | | ### Contents | Contents | | | --- | --- | | Table | Title | | Table_3_2 | Regional distribution by SCU and premises count, floorspace and total energy demand by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_3 | Distribution of total floor area by activity group | | Table_3_4 | Total energy demand by activity group | | Table_3_5 | Percentage of meter profile classes for electricity meters by activity group | | Table_3_6 | Percentage of floorspace on or off gas grid by activity group | | Table_3_8 | Premises Total Energy Use Intensity (kWh/m2/year) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_9 | Heating fuels as percentage of total floorspace by activity group | | Table_3_10 | Distribution of total floorspace with heating system by activity group | | Table_3_11 | Air-conditioned floorspace by activity group | | Table_3_12 | Premises Heritage Status (%) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_13 | Rural / Urban Location (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_14 | Premises by Self Contained Unit (SCU) (%) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_15 | Public Sector Status (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_16 | Age Period (% of Floor Area) by CaRBE Activity Group | | Table_3_17 | Premises Wall Construction Material (%) by CaRBE Activity Group | ### Table_3_2 | Table 3_2: Regional distribution by SCU and premises count, floorspace and total energy demand as a percentage of GB total (%) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Coverage: Non-Domestic GB (England, Wales, and Scotland) | | | | | | | | | | | | | | This worksheet contains one table, showing summary statistics by activity group | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Freeze panes are active on this sheet. To turn off freeze panes select the 'View' ribbon then 'Freeze Panes' then 'Unfreeze Panes' or use [Alt W, F]. | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Variable | South West (England) | South East (England) | London | East | East Midlands (England) | West Midlands (England) | North West (England) | Yorkshire and The Humber | North East (England) | Wales | Scotland | | | Total floor area | 10.9 | 18.5 | 0.8 | 15.2 | 11.8 | 7.8 | 7 | 12.5 | 2.1 | 5.3 | 7.9 | | | Total Energy Use | 6.3 | 18.7 | 2.3 | 15.7 | 12.4 | 6 | 15.7 | 8.3 | 5.1 | 3.4 | 6.1 | | | No. of SCUs | 12 | 20.8 | 1 | 12.3 | 10.5 | 8.4 | 9.5 | 10.5 | 2.8 | 7.3 | 5.1 | | | No. Premises | 12 | 20.4 | 1 | 12.2 | 10.2 | 8.3 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 2.7 | 6.9 | 6.6 | |