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