CSRD for Property Managers: Reporting Building Energy Use and Water Consumption

Property management companies play a key role in the sustainability performance of buildings. Even if your firm doesn’t own the assets it manages, you often control energy and water use — two of the most material indicators under the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and the Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for SMEs (VSME).

This guide explains how SME property managers can measure, manage, and report energy and water data for the buildings they operate, in a way that’s practical, proportionate, and aligned with CSRD expectations. For related guidance, see how to measure energy and emissions from construction equipment.

Why Property Managers Are Central to CSRD Reporting

The CSRD expands the scope of sustainability reporting to include a company’s own operations and value chain impacts. For property managers, this means:

• Tracking and reporting the energy consumption and water use of managed buildings.
• Supporting clients (building owners) who must meet ESRS environmental disclosure requirements.
• Demonstrating to investors, lenders, and tenants how resource-efficient and low-carbon your operations are.

Under the VSME Standard (Basic Module):

• B3 covers Energy and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions
• B6 covers Water use and consumption These two disclosures are highly relevant for property and facilities management.

Step-by-Step: Reporting Building Energy Use

Step 1 – Identify the Scope of Reporting

Clarify which buildings are included:

• Owned or directly operated properties (include fully)
• Client-managed buildings (report operational energy use if data is available)
• Common areas (lighting, lifts, HVAC) under your control

In your sustainability report, state whether your data is site-based, portfolio-wide, or tenant-inclusive.

Step 2 – Collect Energy Data

Most property managers already receive monthly or quarterly utility bills for:

• Electricity
• Natural gas or district heating
• Fuels for backup generators

Gather:

• Total energy use per building (kWh or MWh)
• Cost data (optional, for context)
• Any renewable energy share (e.g. solar, green tariff)

If you manage multiple sites, use a spreadsheet or building management system (BMS) to track total and average consumption.

Example:

Building A (office, 3,000 m²): 420,000 kWh electricity, 120,000 kWh gas Building B (residential, 6,000 m²): 310,000 kWh electricity, 80,000 kWh heating network

Step 3 – Convert to Total Energy and GHG Emissions

Under VSME B3, property managers report:

• Total energy consumption (MWh) – renewable and non-renewable
• Scope 2 GHG emissions (tCO₂e) – indirect emissions from purchased energy
• Optionally, GHG intensity – emissions per € turnover or per m² of floor area

Conversion example:

Electricity: 730,000 kWh = 730 MWh Grid factor: 0.25 kg CO₂e/kWh → 182.5 tCO₂e

GHG intensity: 182.5 ÷ 9,000 m² = 20.3 kg CO₂e/m²

Step 4 – Improve Data Accuracy with Smart Tools

If you have access to:

• Smart meters → export annual summaries directly.
• Building management systems (BMS) → use automated dashboards for electricity, heating, and cooling data.
• Tenant sub-metering → record separately where possible.

Where digital tools are not available, use annual invoice totals and apply consistent assumptions across sites.

Step-by-Step: Reporting Water Consumption

Step 1 – Gather Water Use Data

From water utility bills or meters, collect:

• Total water withdrawal (m³)
• Water discharged (if available)
• Note any sites in high water-stress regions (as per EEA or Aqueduct data)

Example:

Building A: 2,500 m³ Building B: 3,800 m³ → Total: 6,300 m³

Under VSME B6, SMEs should disclose:

• Total water withdrawn
• Water use in stressed regions (if applicable)
• (Optional) Water consumption = withdrawal – discharge

Step 2 – Calculate Intensity Metrics

You can report efficiency as:

• m³ per m² (normalised for building size)
• m³ per occupant (for offices or housing)

Example: 6,300 m³ ÷ 9,000 m² = 0.7 m³/m²/year

This allows comparisons between years and properties.

Step 3 – Describe Water-Saving Practices

Narrative disclosures strengthen your report and show progress toward CSRD goals:

• Installing low-flow fixtures and sensor taps
• Monitoring for leaks
• Reusing rainwater for irrigation or toilet flushing
• Engaging tenants on water-saving behaviours

In your VSME report, include a short statement under B2 – Practices and Policies.

Example VSME Disclosure Table

Narrative:

“Energy efficiency audits in 2024 identified HVAC optimisation opportunities. A pilot solar installation and smart water meters were introduced across two sites.”

How This Aligns with CSRD and ESRS

This alignment ensures that your SME report provides usable, compatible data to large companies subject to full CSRD compliance.

Practical Tips for Property Managers

• Start with available invoices and meter data — no need for expensive audits.
• Create a simple tracking spreadsheet (by site, energy type, water).
• Include year-on-year comparisons — CSRD requires comparability.
• Engage tenants and owners — shared responsibility improves performance.
• Keep evidence (bills, meter readings) in case of verification requests.

Key Terms

• CSRD: Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (EU 2022/2464)
• VSME: Voluntary Sustainability Reporting Standard for non-listed SMEs (EFRAG, 2024)
• Basic Module: The minimum VSME disclosure framework (B1–B11)
• ESRS: European Sustainability Reporting Standards
• Scope 2 emissions: Indirect GHG emissions from purchased energy
• Water withdrawal: Water drawn into the organisation’s boundary
• Water stress: Regions where water demand exceeds availability