| With the growing uncertainty in the | | | | just the sort of image companies feel they |
| electricity and natural gas prices, and | | | | need to portray." |
| increased awareness of energy conservation, | | | | |
| many facilities managers of UK companies are | | | | Energy conservation in another buzz word |
| exploring every option to reduce their costs | | | | often heard throughout the market. In |
| and decrease their impact on the environment. | | | | response to the growing threat of climate |
| | | | change, the UK government set up a program to |
| Until very recently, when it came to energy | | | | help businesses reduce their carbon |
| usage, the primary concern of facilities | | | | emissions. "This is real simple one, I'm not |
| managers was to solely concentrate on | | | | sure why more people don't take advantage of |
| securing the lowest rates for their | | | | this," commented Smith. "If your company |
| electricity and gas. But now they are | | | | qualifies, you can receive government funding |
| finding growing pressure from upper | | | | for energy conservation projects." Many |
| management to lower costs via conservation | | | | recommendations do not require capital to |
| and to be more "green" with their decisions. | | | | implement, and there is a typical 20%-30% |
| | | | site savings potential identified in energy |
| "In the past everyone just wanted to know who | | | | costs and usage. |
| had the cheapest tariffs," explained Rebecca | | | | |
| Smith, Director at Direct Power Associates | | | | UK businesses will always be most concerned |
| Ltd. in the United Kingdom. "But now we are | | | | with the bottom line and keeping costs at a |
| getting more and more questions about green | | | | minimum. But with increased chatter |
| energy. Green energy prices are comparable | | | | regarding climate change and energy |
| to that of normal "brown" energy, while | | | | conservation, facilities managers are faced |
| giving a company a piece of mind that they | | | | with changing their thinking when securing |
| are having less of a negative impact on the | | | | their energy contracts and planning for the |
| environment. In addition, it reflects | | | | future. |
| positively in the publics' eye, and this is | | | | |