Trial / Demo
As part of a two-phase decarbonisation and optimisation strategy, IES developed a calibrated Digital Twin of the Queenslie site and integrated it with the IES Live platform to deliver a single-pane view of performance and actionable insights.
United Wholesale Scotland (UWS) is Scotland’s largest independent cash-and-carry and wholesale operators. At its Queenslie HQ, located on the outskirts of Glasgow, the company is using IES Live to take control of its energy use, optimise operations, and reduce carbon emissions.
Within just 12 weeks, Phase 1 Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) – including LED screen optimisation, warehouse zoning, access door control, and solar PV performance improvement – identified £25k–£30.6k in annual savings, from 39% gas and 9% electricity reductions, with further Phase 2 opportunities under review.
Understanding the Challenge
The first phase of analysis confirmed that LED advertising screens within the main cash-and-carry space were a major contributor to electricity demand, accounting for 25% of total site electricity - an annual cost of over £77k.
The solar PV system was also identified as a major underperformer, generating 50% less than expected due to maintenance issues, and losing £2,423 annually in Feed-in Tariff payments, altogether leading to £4,829 in potential additional revenue for the site.
With growing electricity loads, UWS recognised the need for accurate, real-time data to guide investment, validate maintenance work, and prevent performance drift.
Applying IES Live
A calibrated Digital Twin of Queenslie HQ was created to represent real energy flow across the site. This enabled the project team to visualise performance, diagnose inefficiencies, and test “what-if” scenarios to prioritise interventions.
Informed by the Digital Twin, IES and UWS identified multiple “quick-win” opportunities:
LED Screen Optimisation
Digital Twin modelling showed that simple control strategies such as dimming brightness, or linking screens to daylight sensors could save £11k–£14.5k annually and reduce additional costs from planned new advertising screens. While previously UWS did not have access to the data required to quantify the financial yield of their advertising screens, the team is now using IES Live to assess how advertising revenues compare against the cost of operating the screens, to ensure a strong financial return.
Solar PV Performance Validation
In addition to highlighting the maintenance issues that were causing the existing PV panels to generate ~50% less energy than expected (which had a direct impact on Feed-in-Tariff revenue), IES Live highlighted that UWS could double the financial yield of their current PV system, to help offset site energy costs by up to £89,000 over the next 10 years.
Additional metering to enhance data collection will ensure PV performance is tracked through IES Live to verify the impact of maintenance works, inform future service contracts and ensure a maximum financial return from the existing system going forward.
Heating Efficiency
Real-time monitoring of warehouse temperatures and gas heater operation will further help to identify excessive run times and maintenance issues. This will support the potential 39% reduction in gas consumption identified in Phase 1, driven by optimised operation and scheduling of the existing on-site heating system.
Next Steps – The Power of Data
The Queenslie HQ project continues into Phase 2, with expanded IES Live metering to capture even more granular data across the site. Planned upgrades include:
• Sub-metering of general lighting to assess future retrofit opportunities
• Automated PV meter readings for more accurate generation tracking
• API integration with LED screens for automated control and yield optimisation
• Monitoring of refrigeration, EV, and forklift charging to manage emerging electrical loads
• Tracking of indoor environmental conditions in warehouse zones
These measures will enable UWS to unlock further operational and retrofit savings of up to £40,000 annually, fully informed by data and continuously validated within IES Live.
Outcomes and Benefits
Identified Phase 1 Savings
• Annual cost savings: £25,000–£30,600
• Gas savings: 39%
• Electricity savings: 9%
Identified Opportunities
• LED Screen optimisation savings: £11,000–£14,500 per year
• PV maintenance optimisation: +£4,829 annual benefit
• Lighting controls: +£10,000 potential savings
• Total potential savings (Phase 2): up to £40,000 annually
Using IES Live, UWS’s Facilities and Engineering teams will be able to monitor, verify, and act on performance insights - reducing operational risk, improving ROI, and supporting data-driven capital planning.
A Smarter Path to Net Zero
Through the power of IES Live, United Wholesale Scotland is cutting costs, reducing carbon, and future-proofing operations - unlocking measurable, impactful improvements aligned with net-zero ambitions, the impact of which can be live tracked in the platform.
"The insights from IES Live have been transformational. Working closely with the IES team, we have been able to pinpoint issues we simply couldn’t see before to quickly uncover major savings – including optimising our LED screens and PV generation. Going forward, IES Live will continue to play a critical role in how we manage energy across multiple UWS sites, and will help set us on track for even bigger gains." – David Milton, Finance Director at UWS
