If you want to invest in load orchestration or energy management then you need to know the best practices to get the most out of your investment. Although improving energy efficiency in your business can be as easy as turning off lights when you leave the office, smart companies will take things to the next level and show you opportunities you never thought of.
Establish benchmarks
The old saying that you cannot manage what you cannot measure is true. Measuring the energy use of your company is the first step to reducing your energy usage. A good energy management company will consolidate the energy use of your company into a centralized system. This will allow you to better track your energy use and manage it as well as hold employees more accountable by increasing visibility of how energy is being used.
Set goals
Setting goals is key to progress. In addition to setting individual goals for each of your facilities, you can have a companywide energy reduction goal. In short, you will be able to reduce the energy needed compared to the data being carried on.
Hold people accountable
Your employees are powerful agents of change within your company. They are the people who are ahead of many things and make choices that affect the overall energy usage of your company. To support your employees in their efforts, you are tying the performance of energy management systems to annual employee performance reviews.
Communicate your progress
It is important to communicate your progress and goals as it can bring success. Incorporate information in your central energy database into your key performance highlights and recognize people that made efforts and progress during the month. This way, you will be able to inform your employees about who did well in conserving energy. Rewarding high-performing employees will encourage the other employees to try hard and be rewarded next time.
Establish a governance structure
You need to organize the way your company manages its energy use whilst maintaining and improving the reliability, quality and competitiveness of your services. It is important to have someone dedicated to energy management.
Take small steps
The small steps you take will add up sometime in the future. For example, you can start by changing your bulbs and replacing them with energy-saving lights. Then you should replace your old electronics that could be using more energy than necessary. Add smart security lights that only light when they sense movement. This will avoid the continuous shining of your security lights and significantly reduce your energy usage. The small steps you take will add up and one day you will realize that the whole facility is energy efficient.
Explore alternative energy
Even with energy monitoring systems, load orchestration and energy management technologies, you might not be able to save on energy bills if your utility company is overcharging you. You should therefore explore alternative energy sources such as solar panels and windmills. Solar panels are expensive to install but you will save a lot of money in the long term.