When it comes to energy efficiency, money is definitely the name of the game. This factor is what makes energy efficiency and maintenance efforts pay off. Information about costs is an important part of reporting accomplishments to other people. When you are able to track costs, it reveals pricing trends and helps with cost projections necessary to prepare budgets.
These current and projected future prices of energy are then used as the basis for determining whether potential energy efficiency policies will be cost effective. To give everyone in your organization a complete picture of the need for energy investment, any dollar savings figures you use should include actual costs, as well as avoided ones. You will also want to give management some information about what the dollars saved could be used for, such as buying or updating equipment, adding more services, etc.
Benefits to the Environment
Better energy efficiency is a cost-effective way to lower emission rates generated from burning fossil fuels. This added benefit should be very clearly pointed out in your energy management program. You may determine that it is worthwhile for your organization to track the lower level of emissions achieved when energy conservation practices are improved. When management is supportive of using energy resources more efficiently, they are probably very environmentally conscious. Your efforts to increase energy efficiency will likely gain even more support if they can be documented and shared with others in your organization (and possibly the public).
Standard procedures for calculating lowered emissions levels for specific fuels are becoming more available. Contact the Environmental Protection Agency, your state energy or environmental office, or your utility to learn more about making these types of calculations.
Matthew Shields
Energy Expert
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