Energy efficiency projects
Make energy efficiency business as usual
Energy-saving solutions for the industrial sector that get the job done.
Companies EM3 is working with
What is energy efficiency?
In a nutshell, energy efficiency simply means using less energy to perform the same task. In other words, eliminating energy waste. Energy efficiency is the cheapest - and often the quickest - way of reducing our use of fossil fuels.
How to improve energy efficiency
Fortunately, as an industrial business, your scope for improving energy efficiency across all areas of your operation is huge.
How to be more energy efficient in industries
Building design
If your business has the luxury of a new build, take its natural surroundings into account. For example, consider the building orientation to maximise natural light and heat through clever placement of windows.Building maintenance
It may not surprise you to learn that heating and lighting are the two biggest contributors to business energy consumption so this is the place to start for some quick wins.Here are some tips:
- Ensure your boilers are serviced annually (at least) and are in tip-top condition. A badly maintained boiler can increase your heating costs by 30% or more1!
- Make sure your boiler is the right size for your business. Boilers that are oversized will never reach their full potential as they’ll always be running a part load.
- Replace traditional bulbs and compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) on your premises with LED lights. They cost more upfront but use 90% less energy and last far longer so you’ll soon see a return on your investment.
Energy generation and distribution
To improve energy efficiency, explore the viability of technologies like CHP (Combined Heat and Power), a highly efficient process that captures and uses the heat produced as a by-product of the electricity generation process.Building location
When researching the site of your building, make proximity to public transport a priority to reduce employees’ greenhouse gas emissions commuting to work.Take advantage of existing structures
Instead of building an entirely new structure, look for an existing building and adapt it to meet your needs. This can not only save a huge amount of money in construction costs, but also the energy involved in constructing a new building from scratch.Good insulation
Another way to improve energy efficiency in industry is by looking at the insulation. Insulation is a critical factor in making buildings energy-efficient. First, choose a green insulation material such as polystyrene or cellulose and then ensure the building is insulated thoroughly to prevent hot air escaping.Choose the right windows
Choosing double or triple-pane and low-emissivity windows can make a big difference in insulating your building and saving business energy.Use insulated concrete
Rather than turn up the thermostat, consider using modern building techniques such as Insulated Concrete Forms (ICF) coupled with metal framing. This provides extra insulation and can withstand extreme temperatures, helping further to improve business energy efficiency.Consider installing solar panels
Solar panels can be cost-effective for many industrial and commercial buildings, often giving a payback period within six years, particularly where grants are available. When a roof is designed for solar panels from the start, their installation becomes easier and project costs are reduced.Choose a high efficiency HVAC system
An HVAC system has a huge impact on your business’ energy efficiency. This single system controls the heating, ventilation and cooling for the entire building so it makes sense to choose one that has a high energy-efficiency rating, meaning it needs less energy to operate.Workplace savings
Computers and other equipment are big contributors to your energy consumption. To keep this to a minimum and to further improve on energy efficiency:- Turn all equipment off at the socket - standby mode still uses energy.
- Programme PCs to automatically snooze if left idle.
- Turn screensavers off. They actually waste more energy than you think and a black screen is more energy-efficient.
- Remove redundant plugs that are plugged into multi-sockets but are not being used.
- Go paperless to save on printing and copying costs and preserve trees!
- Buy energy-efficient appliances, whether it’s a kettle for employees’ hot drinks, a small fridge for packed lunches or a work canteen.
- Encourage employees not to boil kettles unnecessarily and to only boil as much water as needed.
- Don’t leave fridge or freezer doors open. This allows heat to enter the appliance so it has to work harder to maintain the correct temperature.
Understand your business’ energy consumption
- Check your business energy contract. When companies forget to renew their energy contracts they slip onto ‘deemed’ or out-of-contract rates, meaning they’re paying up to 80% more than they need to.- Install a smart meter to show how much energy you’re using and pinpoint wastage.
- Conduct a business energy audit to identify where energy is being wasted so you can make changes.
Benefits of energy efficiency projects
Saves money
Research by the Carbon Trust shows that a 20% reduction in energy costs gives the same bottom-line benefit as a 5% increase in sales for many businesses3. This is a powerful incentive for businesses to implement energy efficiency projects.
Reduces risk
Becoming energy-efficient means companies are less vulnerable to fuel shortages and rising energy costs. This is a significant driver behind many energy efficiency projects.
Improves brand reputation
Customers are increasingly taking non-financial factors into account when making purchasing decisions so being seen as environmentally-responsible can enhance your company’s reputation. But beware of greenwashing!
Compliance with legislation
More than 70 countries, including the UK have pledged to bring greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050. With businesses accounting for around 18% of all CO2 emissions in the UK, large businesses are already legally required to measure and report their carbon emissions under the UK’s Carbon Reduction Commitment. Many smaller businesses are now voluntarily choosing to disclose and reduce their emissions through energy efficiency projects.
Benefits of using EM3 for energy efficiency projects
Expertise
EM3 engineers are industry-leading experts in energy-efficient project design. We draw on our decades of experience, knowledge of modern technologies and best practice to make your energy work harder.Proven capability
With over 15 years’ project management experience, EM3 has the proven capability to manage the delivery and implementation of energy efficiency projects on time, within budget and producing verifiable energy savings.Highly competitive
Our agile business model and talented multidisciplinary engineering team allow our pricing to be highly competitive.Vendor-agnostic
As EM3 is not tied to any suppliers, our energy efficiency recommendations are always impartial, based solely on what’s best for your business.Reduced risk
We offer customers a data-driven analytical solution to eliminate the risk in project or equipment selection.Contact us today to discuss how we can help improve your energy efficiency.
Get in touch! contact us
EM3’s Real Zero tool
Your journey to Real Zero starts here
A series of energy efficiency projects is a highly effective route to dramatically reduce your carbon footprint, cut costs and improve your business’ long-term sustainability. If you’re serious about reducing your operations’ impact on the planet, we’ve developed this tool for you.
What is the Real Zero tool?
Our Real Zero interactive tool gives you a personalised roadmap to help you reach your emissions reduction target. Benefit from our expertise and years of experience to avoid wrong turns and save time getting where you want to be.
You’ll get summary charts, like the one below, and full guidance on the steps to take in each phase. Ready?
Related solutions
With energy prices and production costs rising rapidly, it’s never been more important for industrial businesses to avoid energy waste. EM3 can help you successfully implement your energy efficiency solutions so you get a measurable return on your investment. Our extensive knowledge of industrial energy management means whichever of our services you need, you can rely on us to deliver sustainable projects that result in quantifiable energy savings.
Top energy efficiency projects to consider for big wins
Boiler House of the Future: Food & Nutrition Client
Energy-efficient design creates increased capacity with lower emissions
Upgraded boiler capacity with energy-efficient design leads to energy savings of 34 million kWhp, 8,000 tonnes of CO2, 8,000 tonnes of CO2 and €15 million for manufacturing plant.
Compressor Upgrade: Pharmaceutical Client
Air compressor upgrade increases capacity and improves performance
EM3 created additional utility capacity at this site to support an expansion of manufacturing capability for a pharmaceutical client. We upgraded the system, focusing on energy efficient design and equipment sequencing, to give improved equipment performance.Air
Steam Boilers
Energy efficient design in boiler replacement project give payback in 4.02 years
This end-of-life replacement project incorporated energy efficiency design throughout to reduce CO2 emissions and give financial savings. The technologies employed in this steam system upgrade greatly increased system efficiency, eliminated 476 tonnes of CO2, created energy savings of 4.73 GWh and financial savings of €141,820.
Take the first step to cleaner energy!
Contact us today to explore how our energy efficiency solutions can benefit your business:
