Taking Action on Energy

Everyone can take positive action to conserve energy or use it more
wisely. The technology is in place, is relatively inexpensive in most
cases to install and provides rapid payback. 

On the premise that it is impossible to manage what cannot be
measured, for large energy users – i.e. those other than residential
– the Active Energy Efficiency process should start with an
assessment of how and where energy is used and how much of it is
consumed.

Fundamental questions that every organisation
must ask:

  • Is your organisation equipped for energy efficiency?
  • Changes in legislation and regulations are forcing building
    occupiers to get ready for carbon management. Is your staff
    trained?
  • Can your financial teams find their way through any grants and
    incentives offered?
  • How would you evaluate your success?
  • Can you demonstrate this to your customers?
  • Can you account for 90% of your energy usage? In the UK,
    for example, Building Regulations call for 90% of the estimated
    annual energy usage to be measured and accounted for, including
    electricity, gas, water, oil and steam.
  • Who uses your energy? Applying effective monitoring and
    targeting measures to energy consumption increases the success
    of energy efficiency. However, without the buy-in of the people who
    are using energy in an organisation, savings will be unsustainable.
  • Do you monitor awareness levels and attitudes towards Active
    Energy Efficiency in your company?

Further assessment needed:

  • Do you know your requirements? In order to determine where to
    start, you need to know where you are now. However, taking advice
    can be a risk, unless the advice is backed with experience and
    knowledge. Begin with a study of your facilities built around your
    objectives.
  • Do the recommendations show you your route to energy
    efficiency?
  • Do you understand the next steps?
  • Who delivers on energy efficiency? You are in the driving seat,
    and with the right investments come savings. A poor implementation
    of an energy efficiency scheme could significantly reduce the
    potential for savings.
  • Do you have the resource to manage the procurement and
    installation of equipment and ensure you stay on track?