The Department of Energy Security and Net Zero has commissioned a group of researchers to build a database of every building in Scotland, England and Wales. Many sources of information are being fed into this database, including existing data and the insights we gain from the telephone surveys and site audits.

Once completed, the National Buildings Database will underpin government policy related to building construction, planning, energy security and net zero.

By participating in this research, you will contribute to a significant project for the future of Britain’s energy and environmental well-being.

The research is being conducted by a consortium led by the University College London Energy Institute, along with Winning Moves and Verco. Researchers from Winning Moves are conducting the telephone survey and Verco has partnered with Sustainable Construction Services (SCS) and Carbon Futures to conduct the site audits. The companies are highly experienced in research and energy audits and abide by the highest ethical standards.

You can find more information on Winning Moves and Verco on their websites.

Thank you for your interest! To volunteer to take part in our research, please fill out the contact form at the bottom of this page and we will follow up with you within a few days. Or, you can email us at: nationalbuildingsdatabase@winningmoves.com

All original data will be destroyed. The data from the phone surveys and audits will be anonymised, meaning all data that identifies you or your business will be removed, and held in a secure environment which has been fully security vetted and tested against potential security breaches.

If you have been invited to participate in the phone survey, and want to find out more about how we look after your data, please read our Privacy Notice.

If you have been invited to participate in an in-person audit, and want to find out how we look after your data, please read our Privacy Notice.

The length of the telephone survey depends on your answers and whether we need to ask follow-up questions, but we expect the interviews to take approximately 10 minutes.

Whenever possible, we will try to accommodate your schedule and conduct the survey at a time that suits you.

We hope to complete all phone surveys by the end of May 2024.

Verco, who will be conducting the site audits, takes your privacy very seriously and are committed to protecting your personal information and the information you provide as part of this research. This privacy notice explains how we do that along with the relevant laws, registrations and standards that we adhere to.

Over many years Verco has worked to make the audit experience as simple and informative as possible for audit hosts. The following guide provides key details about what to expect before, during and after an audit visit.

The National Buildings Database is founded on more than a decade of development of building stock models at the UCL Building Stock Lab. This document explains the vital role that the telephone surveys and site audits play in ensuring the accuracy of the database.

As a host you will benefit from a visit by an experienced auditor which will result in insights that will be shared with you both during and after the audit. The value of the audit is significant. You can read about the benefits in more detail in this document.

We will need consent from the owner or occupier of the identified property to allow an energy audit to be conducted as part of the National Buildings Database. Further details of the audit, the project and what will happen to the data gathered are contained in the information sheets on this FAQs page as well as the NBD website.  You will be asked to complete a consent form like this.