ENERGY MANAGEMENT & SUSTAINABILITY
KEEPING WITH THE PROGRAMME
The last few weeks have seen the economy start to show signs of life, with many businesses beginning to open their doors, albeit in a controlled, socially distanced manner.
But while shops and service businesses begin to open, the vast majority of commercial buildings and offices across the country still remain unoccupied. Despite this, a recent report by Carbon Intelligence suggests that office buildings are still consuming almost 85% of the energy they do at full capacity.
It’s a statistic that represents not just a huge amount of wasted energy, but also a lot of money spent and carbon emissions generated unnecessarily.
Of course, it’s important to acknowledge the extraordinary impact of the current crisis and the immense pressure it’s placing on many businesses – energy management will not have been top of the list of priorities for most. However, the statistic does reveal that there remains a worrying lack of agility in the control businesses have over their energy consumption.
A clear case for smarter energy
management systems The number of fully powered but empty buildings we have seen since lockdown began shows that most companies don’t use energy management systems (EMS) that adapt to occupancy levels and that, in many cases, businesses lack direct control over key energy systems.
“A recent report by Carbon Intelligence suggests that office buildings are still consuming almost 85% of the energy they do at full capacity.”
Failure to think about the role energy plays in a building and how it can be controlled by smarter EMS is costing businesses significantly – not just while buildings are empty during lockdown but also in the long-run.
Those without building control systems and without insight on occupancy versus consumption may not be aware of or able to control the energy they have been wasting for many years.
Able to act With a remote monitoring and servicing package operating on key systems, it’s much easier for facilities managers to control a business’ energy use – whether they’re located on the premises they oversee or not.
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There is a good chance that we will all be working more flexibly in the future, even when the current crisis is over. For those who manage business energy strategies, more agile arrangements will be vital, as Liam Burlinson, Head of Business Energy Efficiency at British Gas Business, explains.
This kind of smart control is by no means the preserve of big businesses. In fact, smart-home systems for the domestic market have exploded in popularity. There is no reason that an approach that is proving so popular with individual consumers for their own home shouldn’t be applicable for small businesses, and solutions are already available from a range of suppliers.
A wide range of connected HVAC and lighting control devices and software platforms are available, to put managers in control of energy consumption and implement automation to avoid excess consumption.
This kind of enhanced control can make it possible to implement zonal heating and lighting strategies that adapt depending on the number of people using a building at any given time. Energy systems must be able to adapt to run efficiently in these circumstances, and this can have a material impact on a firm’s overheads.
Virtual help is at hand For many smaller businesses looking to get a better grasp of their energy use, the first step may simply be carrying out an audit of your energy infrastructure. This helps energy suppliers and facilities managers build a much clearer picture of energy consumption and provide insight on where savings might be made.
As we look to emerge from lockdown giving businesses options to reduce their energy spend can place those businesses in a better place for success.
Help is at hand In times of crisis, investments in infrastructure improvement often fall down the list of priorities. But it’s worth noting that many types of financing are available to help businesses make these investments. With the right partner, firms can benefit from expert advice and maximise the project’s return on investment.
It’s not just about low-interest loans, but also about being aware of the government grants that are available for energy-saving projects – information that is readily available from local authorities.
Ultimately, it’s almost inevitable that, following this lockdown period, UK business will take a more flexible approach to their workforce. That means occupancy levels are likely to vary much more than they ever have.
In this new normal, facilities managers need to think hard about how they adapt their systems to avoid long-term overspend and excess consumption and emissions.
www.britishgas.co.uk/business twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
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