Five benefits of good energy management
Focusing on energy management within an organisation can seem like a thankless task. It can take time for usage to reduce and impact on your bottom line and, if everyone in the business isn’t onboard with working to reduce energy use, it can be difficult to make much headway. However, it is worth persevering and, done properly, good energy management can bring about a whole host of benefits. Here are five of the key ones:
- Cutting costs
Top of the list when it comes to reducing energy use is the effect it can have on your bills. Energy isn’t a fixed cost so any fall in the amount of energy you use will have a positive financial impact on the company. Remember though that there can be initial costs involved in the move to using energy more efficiently, whether that’s the cost of an energy audit or paying for monitoring equipment to be installed, so make sure you factor this into any proposal. In the longer term though, being able to monitor, predict and reduce the energy you use will mean more capital is available to invest back into the business.
- Reducing risk
In recent years there has been growing volatility in global energy markets and the International Energy Agency only expects this to continue. As the population grows and demand for energy increases, prices are set to continue to fluctuate. Investing in renewable energy sources is one way to avoid the uncertainty surrounding oil and gas, while reducing consumption means you’ll be less affected by this volatility.
- Complying with guidelines and legislation
In order to reduce the impact of this volatility, many governments have encouraged consumers to reduce their energy use. For example, the UK’s Climate Change Act 2008 established the world’s first legally binding target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions (initially 80% reduction by 2050 compared to 1990 levels). Earlier this year, the government extended this to ‘net zero’, whereby emissions from homes, transport, farming and industry will have to be avoided completely or – in the most difficult examples – offset by measures that will remove CO2 from the atmosphere, such as planting trees.
To reach these targets, the government is encouraging organisations to invest in low carbon technologies and reduce their energy demand. Those that choose to do so sooner will almost certainly be in a better position when the expected tougher regulations come into force – there is already talk of introducing mandatory operational energy ratings, such as Display Energy Certificates, for all commercial buildings so there’s no harm in being ahead of the curve on this one.
- Improved working
As well as benefiting the bottom line, energy management can play a central role in creating an optimum working environment for employees. For example, you only have to walk into the average office to experience how heating and cooling systems often compete against each other in different areas. A properly installed and maintained HVAC system that automatically adjusts to changes in temperature can lead to significant reductions in energy use while creating a comfortable environment for everyone.
- Reputational benefits
A robust energy management plan can form a key part of your organisation’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative. Being seen as a leader in energy efficiency and management can be a major benefit in today’s increasingly environmentally aware world, and provide a USP if you’re going above and beyond what others in your sector are doing.
Energy efficiency is about more than just cutting costs. Done properly it brings a whole host of benefits for everyone, from business owners and employees to customers and the environment. To find out how we can help you be at the forefront of energy management, contact us here or download our guide on how to reduce energy across your business below.
