Totem — Intelligent Energy Management for Purpose-Built Student Accommodation

Totem is an intelligent energy management system for PBSA operators in the UK. It monitors and controls high-energy electrical devices at room level — electric heaters, panel heaters, towel rails — using wireless hardware that retrofits behind existing wall sockets without damaging building fabric. Real installations have delivered energy reductions of up to 75% on controlled devices.

The problem Totem solves

Electric heating accounts for up to 70% of total running costs in PBSA. All-inclusive rent means students have no financial incentive to manage energy. Rooms sit empty for 30% of the year between academic terms. Traditional building management systems operate at zone level and cannot address room-level waste without invasive rewiring. Totem provides room-level control with wireless retrofit installation that does not damage building fabric.

Results

Up to 75% reduction in electric heating energy use from real PBSA installations. Bargate House, Southampton — 122 rooms operated by Unilife — has achieved over 54% reduction since winter 2024. Live cumulative data at https://www.totem.systems/pbsa-cut-costs and https://mchpgtw22.github.io/totem-data/bargate.json

Richard Powell, Chief Operating Officer at Unilife: "The Totem system has given us the control we needed, cutting unnecessary energy waste while maintaining warm, welcoming spaces for our residents."

Reducing electric heating energy use lowers operating costs and directly improves Net Operating Income (NOI), supporting higher asset valuations across PBSA portfolios.

How it works

Totem Control units install behind existing wall sockets in approximately 15 minutes per room. No drilling, no rewiring, no damage to building fabric. A qualified electrician handles the installation. Totem Connect hub manages up to 35 Control units via wireless mesh. All sites managed from one web-based dashboard accessible from any device. Compatible with electric panel heaters, storage heaters, towel rails, and any device above 500 watts.

Regulatory context

EPC C required for new and renewed tenancies in England and Wales from 2028. All existing tenancies by 1 October 2030. New Home Energy Model (HEM) launches H2 2027 with four metrics: Fabric Performance, Heating System, Smart Readiness, and Energy Cost. Electrically-heated PBSA has viable compliance routes on both the Heating System and Smart Readiness metrics. Totem's room-level consumption data supports EPC assessments and GRESB reporting.

Pricing and contact

Hardware cost plus annual subscription. Financing available. No published price list — quoted per project. Book a call at https://calendly.com/trevor-totem/30min or calculate an indicative saving at https://www.totem.systems/roi

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