Does energy management really pay for itself?

As an energy and carbon consultancy, one of the major objections we hear from business owners when they receive our quotes is:

“Why should we bring you in to our business when you cost more than you’ll save us?”

Fair question. And one we’re keen to answer.

Why energy management more than pays for itself

The initial outlay of bringing in an external consultant actually costs much less than you’d think – but the money your business saves long-term will make any fee look minuscule.

The initial expenditure goes into understanding your business, collecting data, analysing working practices and reviewing essential services, like:

Heating
Ventilation
Air-conditioning
Controls
Lighting

All of which can account for as much as 80% of a building’s energy usage.

Once you have this data, however, you’re able to see what you’re using, where you’re using it and how much it’s costing you, which will help you make swift and decisive changes that can save your business between 5-10% on company energy bills per annum – guaranteed.

The best part? These changes won’t cost your business a penny.

All you need to do is decide what it is you want to achieve and by when – follow our advice based on our years of experience so when we do provide you with our recommendations you engage with your staff, cleaners and security personnel to:

Review the way they work – can they do things differently and at different times of the day, weekend or evening
Shut down non-essential equipment
Switch off lights when not in use

And you can further reduce your footprint and bills by reviewing the way you work at different times of the year..

The downside for most business owners? It can take up to 3-months for the benefits of these changes to kick in, which sounds like a long time in business. But believe us when we say, those 3-months will fly by and years of experience tells us these changes work. Every time.

Proof energy management pays for itself

For the past 15 years Inteb has worked closely with energy intensive customers, including global investors and major corporates, providing them with a range of services, including:

Strategic carbon reduction plans and reporting
Comprehensive energy consumption analytics
Budgetary and accrual information for electricity, gas and water supplies
Audits and action plans

Thanks to Inteb, a global asset manager was able to:

Engage with property managers and tenants in relation to energy efficiency improvements
Achieve tangible cost savings in excess of £100,000, equivalent to a reduction of over 1,811 tonnes of carbon dioxide
Achieve improvements in the energy efficiency of managed assets, as a function of energy used per occupied floor area
Monitor and drive down year on year CRC allowances and costs at property and fund level

We even had major feedback from their Global Sustainability and Governance Officer:

“Our work with Inteb shows that sustainability can add value to existing buildings and for their owners and occupiers. We have achieved our initial aim of reducing energy consumption while achieving cost savings.”

Does energy management pay for itself?

Absolutely! The initial outlay can feel scary and, with the lack of an instant ROI, it can feel like a gamble… but the long-term benefits and savings mean you can reach your carbon emission goals and deliver real cost savings. And in the short-term it’s all about focusing on the low-hanging fruit, the small details that cost little… but make a significant positive impact.