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Energy management and energy efficiency remain largely the preserve of big business. This is why tailored advice for SMEs might help break the energy barrier and open more energy-saving opportunities.
ISO 50001 – A practical guide for SMEs.
Energy management and efficiency is not just for big companies, small businesses can also achieve big savings. According to the US Department of Energy, small buildings account for almost half of the overall energy use and have the potential to save approximately USD 30 billion annually.
Since energy, environmental and operational savings are so great, it is no longer a question of whether a business can afford to upgrade, but whether it can afford not to.
Any tips to SMEs?
There are two areas: management and technical.
management ideas:
•Be open to changes in work practices.
•Get support from top management.
•Assign clear roles and responsibilities for those involved.
Technical ideas:
•Understand where and why you use energy.
•Understand how your energy consumption varies. Does it vary from day to day or week to week? Why? Or, more importantly, why not?
•Measure and work out your baseload.
This means understanding why you use energy when there is little or no activity in your company, i.e. at night or at weekends or during periods of no production. This can be measured by taking manual readings of your electricity and fuel meters.
•Keep metrics and reports as simple as possible.
