Solid assessment of energy data and thorough inspection of your energy estate has so far given you the insights to make data-driven decisions for making savings and boosting your energy management and sustainability strategy.
To take your business’s strategy to the next level, it is important to use your findings and start thinking strategically about implementing energy efficiency projects.
Implementing energy saving projects can typically benefit organisations in the following ways:
COVID-19 will have most likely affected your organisation’s operations, occupation levels, and energy use over the past 12 months. These changes may have presented opportunities that have reduced overheads, consumption, and emissions over the short term, and can now be extended to deliver long term impact on your overall energy and environmental strategy.
Your overall business strategy will unlock how you can prioritise the most advantageous project. Factors that should be considered will include how much money will be saved, whether it is a legislative requirement or an upgrade to an out-of-date system. One key driver that will influence decisions around energy efficiency projects is the Government’s legally binding target for the UK to reach net zero by 2050 and how your business plans to support this goal.
In the last energy management blog, we looked at how data can reveal what to look for in a site survey and detailed some examples of energy efficiency improvements. Potential improvement projects could be endless when it comes to improving the performance of your building, but there may be some more critical to your objectives.
To create your shortlist, start by listing your energy goals, the benefits to your business, timelines, and costs associated with each potential project to create a comparative view of what can be realistically done based on the company’s resources. Each project will have a life cycle and a different level of importance, evaluating each will provide you with a project shortlist.
You can do this by evaluating each project across the following areas:
To help you assess one project against another, give each area a score. The energy efficiency project that has the overall highest score, will be placed at the top of your list.
Usually, addressing the most urgent need will be the wisest choice to prioritise. For example, fixing a malfunctioning heating system will not only save costs but will also provide employees with a more comfortable environment which can impact their productivity.
Breaking down the project into different phases or milestones instead of doing everything at once can also be helpful, especially where a budget is tight as it can help manage cash flow issues. It can also make it easier for business owners to track the progress and budget of the project as it is being completed in phases.
In part 8 of the Energy Management series, we’ll be exploring how to build a business case for your project.
If you are looking to implement energy efficiency projects to improve the overall performance of your building, or to pave the way for net zero success, our consultants can offer help and support to help you build an energy strategy and realise your sustainability goals. Call our team today on 01908 690018 or contact us.