Energy manageme friend not foe for FMs
Tim Wynn-Jones, Head of Distributed Energy Solutions Sales at Centrica Business Solutions
Energy and facilities management have converged in recent years. Tim Wynn-Jones, UK Head of Distributed Energy Solutions Sales at Centrica Business Solutions, explores the opportunity this creates for facilities mangers to be drivers of efficiency and value within their business. In both the public and private sectors,
there is increasing pressure to cut costs and streamline processes. Government benchmarks for environmental impact are ramping up and sustainability targets are becoming more of a priority for executive teams. One consequence of this is that energy
efficiency has moved up the boardroom agenda. More often than not, it is facilities managers who are expected to address this. We see this with many of the organisations
we work with, from hospitals and universities, to hotels and retailers. For facilities managers, this not only
adds another area of ownership to an already large jobs list, but usually means reporting into a different part of the business – often finance – and balancing a shift in priorities from leadership. This is a challenge, yes, but also an
opportunity. 22 fmuk
The opportunity
The energy market is going through a transformative phase. Power generation is becoming decentralised and a greater proportion of power than ever before is coming from renewable sources. At the same time, new and emerging technologies are presenting better ways of meeting energy challenges and managing energy use. This has led a lot of businesses to shift
their perception of energy away from being a commodity that is consumed passively and towards being a potential deliverer of competitive and commercial advantage. Facilities managers are increasingly being
expected to work cross-functionally on the energy projects that this shift in mindset encourages. This presents them with a
chance to add another layer of value to their organisation and put themselves on the radar of executive teams as a force for positive change.
Room for improvement
A lot of organisations have made headway on reducing energy costs. Competitive procurement processes mean that the savviest firms are already getting the best price they can from their energy supply contracts. This, understandably, can leave facilities managers believing that there is no room left for improvement. But there are other more gains to be
made than simply driving the down cost of energy. One such opportunity is in making energy usage more efficient. Simple switches such as upgrading to LED lighting or installing more modern air con units can bring down consumption significantly and, in a lot of cases, this is something that facilities managers are already doing. But moving beyond this stage is where a more concerted energy management strategy must come into play.
Turning insight into advantage Energy insight is vital in bringing
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