Energy management across different sectors
What does energy management mean for Boots UK?
“As a responsible business, we know that it’s important to work o
n a wider scale to help tackle energy issues. We champion change towards a low carbon economy and have an EnergyCare program through which we deliver our energy management and reduction strategy across our business.
As part of our EnergyCare program we are committed to a 30 percent reduction in our carbon footprint by 2020 (compared to a 2005 baseline). As members of the Prince’s May Day Network, we are part of a network of businesses committed to working collaboratively to tackle climate change, helping to build a sustainable future for our planet.
At BootsUK, we have invested in our own energy generation since 1915 when our first Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Plant was constructed at the Island Street site in Nottingham. Fast forward to today and we still follow this same principle through our highly efficient CHP energy centre at our site in Beeston which generates the majority of the energy for our 300 acre Nottingham Support Office, logistics and manufacturing site. Our other sites, stores and warehouses across the UK use 100 percent certified green electricity (excluding landlord supplies).
We are strongly committed to energy reduction, however this isn’t about simply investing in the latest technology; it’s about having great insights and information and using this to invest wisely in real solutions that will work for our c.2,500 stores. Since 2009, we have invested over £20 million in technology to reduce energy consumption in stores, for example by replacing inefficient lighting with LED (light emitting diode) technology. We’ve also taken learnings from our stores which champion low carbon technology and using the information from the trial technologies installed, we make the best investments through improvements in the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems and utilise automated building management systems, for example, to increase control of energy consumption.
We take energy management and reduction very seriously; it helps to enable the success of our collective business plan and allows us to have a holistic management of energy and carbon. Our integrated energy reduction strategy fits within our overall business objectives.”
What does energy management mean for Bourne Leisure?
“With the spend on utilities being the third largest annual operating cost to our business, the efficient use of energy and water represents a significant opportunity to boost the profitability of the company. Coupled with this internal driver, our guests and holiday home owners and our team members are becoming more expecting of more environmentally friendly ways of operating as sustainability and environmental responsibilities become more co
mmonplace in our lives.
Energy Management in all its forms is therefore an important part of our daily operation across all levels of our team. From low cost, high value initiatives such as team engagement and a review of operational procedures to highcost capital projects including new building and venue design.
It was important to achieve Board level involvement early on and our CEO was happy to support this and sit on our cross brand Sustainability Working Party with representatives from all operational brands.”
What does energy management mean for the University of Essex?
“From personal perspective energy management at the university is all things to all men. As we evolve from Government funded leviathans to dynamic providers 
of quality education and research in a global market, protecting the bottom line has become ever more important. Of course blowing the energy managers’ trumpet our actions and decisions play an ever-increasing role in protecting the employer, while delivering efficiencies and saving.
As well as saving energy, there are
forgotten parts to the role which are imposed upon us, the stuff which stops a knock on door from the authorities, such as DEC’s and ESOS to name but a few and there is the soft part of the remit, the hearts and minds of the staff and students.
The University sector as a whole has acknowledged its sustainable responsibilities both through the curriculum and through its actions, driven by people like you and me, the energy managers. I consider myself an ambassador for institution, influencing students, staff and visitors from around the world to save energy, not just on campus, but at home, wherever that may be. It is evident energy managers within the sector can play a significant role in informing, educating and influencing stakeholders from around the world to meet our organisations wider sustainable objectives.”
What does energy management mean for your organisation? Let the EMA know, email: [email protected].
The above examples are extracts from articles in the May-June 2016, July-August 2016, September-October 2016 issues of The EMA Magazine. For the full articles please access the respective issues.