Setting energy savings targets

 

The first place to start is to look at your current and previous energy use. You can do this through an official energy audit, or by going through the past few years’ energy accounts yourself.

Goals should be challenging but achievable. Industry standards give you an idea of what is realistic. When you achieve one of your energy goals spread the good news through the energy manager’s communication network.

Once you have a good idea of your organisation’s energy use patterns and have set your targets for the year, set up a reporting system. This will help you review your goals as information about your energy use becomes more accurate.

 

Prioritise your targets

Your energy audit should show what the changes and targets you will aim for first. It’s usually best to start with operational and management changes that can be brought in easily and with minimal cost. They will help you build on early wins and gather support for other energy plans. Bigger changes take planning, investment and careful integration with existing systems - but they too can deliver fast returns.