In today’s world, where sustainability and cost efficiency are paramount, organisations are constantly seeking ways to optimise their operations. Completing an energy audit is often an overlooked but highly effective strategy, enabling real insights into an organisation’s energy and carbon usage and ways this can be improved upon.

In this blog, TEAM’s Energy Consultant, Alex Au Yeung, will explore the vital role commercial energy audits can play in understanding an organisation’s data so they can make changes to how they manage their energy and carbon emissions.

What is an energy audit?

An energy audit is a process that evaluates how energy is being used in a building or facility by identifying inefficiencies and recommending improvements. From then the audit will reveal energy consumption patterns through the building/estate and identify ways a business can make overall improvements to save on energy usage, cut the cost of energy bills and reduce their carbon emissions.

Why should organisations consider an energy audit?

An energy survey can identify increases in an organisation’s energy consumption pattern and make cost effective recommendations for improvements that can reduce energy use and a business’ energy bills. Additionally, an energy consultant will identify and address any energy inefficiencies and suggest improvements to enhance the overall operational efficiency of systems and processes, this may include reducing maintenance costs, enhancing productivity, and streamlining processes.

An audit can also be used to understand the overall carbon emissions of an organisation and provide advice on how to introduce meaningful changes to make significant carbon emissions reductions and support a business’s transition to carbon neutral or net zero.

How can an energy audit help informed decision making?

Commercial energy audits can provide organisations with data insights into their energy consumption and forecast the potential and positive changes that can be made to business’ energy use. With a data driven approach, organisations will be supported in making a business case to stakeholders and directors when looking to implement and invest in high-cost energy efficient and sustainable technologies and practices.

An energy audit and survey can also be used as a starting point for discussing energy saving behaviour throughout an organisation. By leveraging the data driven insights from an energy efficiency audit, organisations can effectively drive change and implement energy efficiency measures, empowering employees to support energy saving and carbon reduction.

If an organisation is committing to net zero transition, getting regular energy audits, and tracking any improvements made in business carbon emission reduction can support them in meeting their targets. It is advised that organisations complete an energy audit every 3-5 years to track their progress and help manage the integration of new technologies and initiatives that may be available.

How can an organisation use an energy efficiency survey to support their net zero plans?

Planning a net zero or carbon neutral strategy is time consuming and sometimes overwhelming, requiring a well thought out Carbon Reduction Strategy. By providing the data insights needed for a strategy and making recommendations for changes businesses should implement, an audit can be used to guide organisations on the right path.

By completing business energy audits regularly to benchmark and monitor energy and carbon consumption, organisations can track their progress over time and report transparently on their successes. This can help to enhance a business’ reputation as an organisation committed to prioritising sustainability, positively impacting their stakeholder engagement, increasing customer trust and loyalty, retaining employees, and recruiting top talent.

Energy audits are more than just best practice, they are the important first step in any effective net zero strategy. By using it to understand the energy performance and carbon implications of a building or facility, businesses can create a carbon reduction strategy and make changes in reducing their business’ impact on the planet.