Why class B offices are under pressure to cut energy use
Over the last three years, energy has turned from a background line in the budget into one of the key strategic risks for office owners in Ukraine. Tenants in class B buildings are watching every kilowatt hour, comparing offers and asking not only about rent, but also about service charges and energy efficiency. At the same time, many owners are not ready for expensive deep renovations, façade modernisation or full HVAC replacement.
The good news is that the energy profile of a typical class B office leaves room for optimisation even without touching the interior fit out. Roofs, technical floors, parking areas and electrical rooms often make it possible to integrate solar power step by step, with predictable CAPEX and measurable impact on operating costs. Globally, we see the same trend: according to international studies, commercial buildings can cut 20–40 % of purchased electricity through onsite generation and basic efficiency measures, without turning the building into a construction site.
For Ukrainian owners, this is especially relevant. Grid tariffs and volatility, risks of outages and growing ESG expectations from international tenants all converge in one point: energy flexibility. Here rooftop solar is no longer a “green toy” for class A showpieces, but a working tool for stabilising the P&L of ordinary business centres, including those built 10–20 years ago. When we design rooftop PV for office towers design and installation, our goal is not to win an architectural award; it is to reduce the energy line in the service charge and make the asset more resilient for the next decade.
What makes class B offices suitable for solar retrofits
Class B buildings in Ukraine typically have several advantages for solar integration compared with premium towers. Roofs are often simpler, with fewer complicated shapes, and mechanical equipment is concentrated in several zones. That simplifies layout, reduces shading risks and shortens cable routes. Many such properties also have open parkings or stylobates that can host carport structures.
From an engineering perspective, a solar retrofit for an existing office usually focuses on three elements:
- Using available roof or parking space to generate as much daytime energy as possible for base loads.
- Integrating the solar plant with existing electrical switchboards so that tenants do not need to change internal wiring or equipment.
- Ensuring monitoring, safety and maintenance procedures that match international standards and Ukrainian norms.
This approach allows owners to move from “we should do something about energy” to a phased plan with clear indicators: installed capacity per square metre, expected generation, share of self consumption, projected payback and impact on net operating income.
Financial logic: from operating expenses to asset value
For decision makers, the key question is not “Is solar green?”, but “How does this affect the asset’s economics in realistic scenarios?”. When we model projects for class B offices in Kyiv, Lviv or Dnipro, we see several recurring effects.
Typical benefits for owners and tenants look like this:
- Reduction of common area electricity costs by 20–35 % in the first year, depending on roof area and load profile.
- Greater predictability of service charges, which makes lease negotiations simpler and strengthens arguments during renewals.
- Improved competitiveness versus older buildings without energy modernisation, especially in markets with rising vacancy.
- Higher resilience during grid disturbances, if the project includes backup functions or future ready provisions.
In other words, a properly designed solar retrofit works both as a short term savings tool and as a long term value protection strategy.
How to avoid major renovation while upgrading energy performance
One of the strongest objections we hear from owners of existing offices is the fear of construction chaos. They imagine closed floors, dust, tenant complaints and lost rental income. In practice, solar integration can be engineered to minimise interference with normal operations.
On the roofing side, modern mounting systems allow installation without heavy concrete works. Ballasted solutions, distributed load and careful structural assessment make it possible to work even with older roofs, provided that the condition of waterproofing and bearing elements is properly checked. For many class B buildings, the most visible works for tenants are a crane day and short access restrictions to the parking area.
Inside the building, the main focus is on the electrical room and distribution boards. Here a professional integrator analyses existing diagrams, protection settings and reserve capacity, then adds new equipment in parallel or in clearly separated sections. For tenants, the most noticeable change is the appearance of a monitoring screen in the lobby showing how much solar energy the building produced today. In fact, the integration of commercial building solar monitoring and O and M service becomes a visible symbol that the property is managed professionally and transparently.
Regulatory and technical standards that matter
For investors and asset managers with international stakeholders, compliance is as important as the kilowatt hours. Modern commercial solar projects for offices are designed with reference to IEC and EN standards for PV modules, inverters and protection devices, as well as Ukrainian construction norms and grid connection rules.
In practical terms, this means:
- Correct selection of certified equipment compatible with Ukrainian grid requirements and the building’s internal network.
- Detailed engineering documentation and as built diagrams that can be integrated into the building’s technical passport.
- Clear O&M procedures describing inspections, cleaning, performance checks and safety rules for roof access.
Such documentation is not just bureaucracy. It supports insurance discussions, technical due diligence during sale or refinancing, and negotiations with international tenants who assess not only rental rates but also the quality of building systems.
Typical scale and economics for class B offices in Ukraine
In Ukrainian realities, many class B offices operate with leased areas of 5,000–15,000 m² and electrical loads dominated by lighting, ventilation, IT equipment and small cooling systems. Roof areas allow meaningful, but not gigantic capacities. In this segment, we often see projects in the range of 100–400 kW of installed solar power, depending on geometry and shading.
A project around a 300 kW solar power station can cover a substantial share of common area consumption during the day and partially support tenant loads, especially in summer when both generation and cooling demand are high. With the right design and consumption profile, the payback period typically falls into the 4–7 year range, while the panels’ technical lifetime exceeds 20–25 years. That means the building benefits from a long tail of low cost energy after the initial investment is recovered.
Practical roadmap for Ukrainian class B office owners
For owners and asset managers who are considering solar but do not want to launch a complex renovation, a structured roadmap helps reduce uncertainty and internal debates. A typical step by step logic might look as follows:
- Start with an energy and roof audit to understand loads, tariffs, consumption patterns and technical constraints.
- Build one or two realistic capacity scenarios with financial models, including sensitivity to tariff changes and vacancy.
- Decide on the implementation format: own CAPEX, leasing, PPA or a hybrid model, depending on the investment strategy.
- Plan execution in phases, beginning with the most cost effective roof or parking areas and leaving room for future expansion.
- Integrate monitoring and reporting so that both owners and tenants can see the impact on consumption and service charges.
This sequence allows stakeholders to move from abstract discussions about “green investments” to a concrete business case aligned with the asset plan.
Strategic impact beyond immediate savings
Solar for class B offices is not only about lowering today’s electricity bill. In a market where international companies are tightening ESG requirements and Ukrainian businesses are planning for long term resilience, energy strategy becomes part of positioning. Buildings that can demonstrate lower and more predictable operating costs, credible decarbonisation steps and modern technical infrastructure will be better placed when tenants consolidate or relocate.
For owners, this is an opportunity to turn a technical project into a strategic story: the building is not just surviving in a turbulent energy environment, it is adapting. And the adaptation path does not necessarily begin with a multi million euro deep retrofit. It can start with a well designed solar plant on the roof, smart integration with existing systems and a clear plan for gradual upgrades over the next 5–10 years.
When we speak with institutional investors and portfolio managers, they increasingly view such projects as part of an asset wide risk management strategy. A building that can partially generate its own electricity, demonstrate robust monitoring and show transparent performance data is simply less vulnerable to external shocks. For class B offices in Ukraine, this is a practical way to stay relevant in a market that is becoming more demanding every year.
