Establishing a meaningful energy conservation program requires more than comparing year-to-year metrics. To really make a difference, you must incorporate energy reduction into your sustainable policies and practices, starting at the top and extending into the daily choices of everyone in the organization. Energy efficiency projects are typically seen as a good way to lower greenhouse gas emissions. When the Clinton Climate Initiative announced the Energy Efficiency Building Retrofit Program, earlier this year, it noted that buildings account for nearly 40 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, and in major cities, the number is closer to 70 percent. Since energy and water consumption along with emissions are related, reducing one factor helps reduce your footprint on multiple points.

The Right Metrics

To make a difference, start with the right data. Repeatedly collecting and reviewing “this year” versus “last year” measurements will not bring about change. Actually these figures are not the most important ones to consider in reducing consumption. Viewing year-to-year data lets you know what you’ve done, not what you can do. The important benchmark with energy consumption is not what should be, but what could be. Impressive gains are available through a range of technologies and services.

The Right Resources

Investigate the combinations that work for your organization and location. While electricity and natural gas are the top suppliers in most of the country, remain open to incorporating alternative sources into your energy supply template. Depending on your region, solar, wind, methane and/or hydropower may provide a larger share of the energy pie. At the same time, changes in design to allow more natural light and innovations in technology that require less energy to operate machinery are helping to reduce energy demands.

Staying current on energy topics will help find ways to push off-peak energy use. Keep tabs on best practices like compressed air control advances, enthalpy controls for HVAC, variable speed drives and motor efficiency improvements. An idea that doesn’t have an application now may provide a solution after a renovation or installation of new equipment.

Make use of your personal energy to exchange ideas with others and develop a network of experts. You can jumpstart your knowledge base through involvement with national and statewide energy groups where you do business. Stay abreast of innovative practices in your part of the world that may offer partnerships, as well as insights into what technology is offering your industry. There also may be opportunities to tap into think tanks through university research and experiments.

As you expand your energy network, become friends with your electric and natural gas utility account representatives, along with their electro technologies experts. Options for heating, cooling and lighting your facilities to a certain extent are affected by geography, especially when working with an existing facility.

The U.S. Department of Energy Industrial Technology (www1.eere.energy.gov/industry) is a good resource with access to e-newsletters, conferences, research and idea exchanges. Another resource is the higher performance buildings database of the department’s Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (www.eere.energy.gov/buildings/highperformance). This site offers detailed profiles of facilities from around the world with searchable capabilities by project name, location, or building type and size to find case studies on projects similar to your situation. Each case study covers the structure's materials, energy and water systems, indoor environment, project costs and land use.

Other sources to check include International Facility Managers Association (www.ifma.org); U.S. Green Building Council (www.usgbc.org) and Alliance for Sustainable Built Environments ( www.greenerfacilities.org).

Making It Work

By redesigning processes to be less water intensive, Milliken has reduced its water usage by 50 percent over the last 15 years. As an example, the air-conditioning system at Milliken’s headquarters reuses water from fountains on the grounds.

To reach your energy reduction benchmark, someone has to be accountable. Historically, energy performance and conservation responsibilities have fallen to facility managers. Today, FMs continue to lend technical expertise, gather data, and present the data. However, FMs cannot be accountable for controlling energy use. Meeting the energy reduction benchmarks is a shared responsibility.

To make a significant shift in energy use requires an organizational culture willing to accept revisions with a process open to implementing these changes. We all know installing the most efficient lighting makes no difference if the human factor leaves the lights burning. While motion sensors have helped, the principle remains the same. Advances in technology have increased our options for energy sources as well as for efficiencies in manufacturing and office settings that will lower energy costs. To implement changes worth bragging about, the process has to involve everyone who walks through the door.

Milliken has implemented energy conservation projects since the 1950s. However, the biggest breakthrough took place when the company launched an associate driven process called Milliken Quality Energy Process modeled after the company’s successful associate driven safety process. Since its first year of operation, the associate participation rate has run as high as 94 percent. Involving everyone has accelerated energy savings and vested the entire organization in lowering consumption.

Finding an Energy Balance

As you start or expand your energy conservation activities, find an energy balance of what comes in and what goes out. As you examine all these energy inputs and outputs, you can pinpoint exactly where the energy is used. Locating the energy hogs will help set priorities. Depending on the size of your facility, you may need to sub-meter before listing priorities.

Preparing for the Future

Understanding the energy world will help in making decisions moving forward. One advantage of participating in energy networks is seeing what’s on the horizon. Being informed about DOE, utility suppliers, rate cases, NYMEX, natural gas and crude futures can help you understand what’s happening in the energy marketplace.

The more you learn about energy, the better you can serve your organization in reducing environmental impacts and energy costs as you prepare for the future.