People Are Energy Vampires

With the current focus on and attention being given to information technology these days, it has become very easy to discount or overlook completely the important role that humans play in business. This factor is the key to having any organization run smoothly, and this is true of energy management as well. Whether energy resources are used effectively or wasted rests entirely with them.

This statement was proved to be accurate when the United States Department of Energy commissioned a study to determine the effectiveness of the Institutional Conservation Program. The results were very interesting, to say the least: up to 80 percent of savings in an energy management program were directly attributed to the actions of the organization's Operations and Maintenance staff. When trying to get a handle on energy costs, many organizations focus on bringing in more energy-efficient equipment instead of the human part of achieving energy savings. In fact, only about 20 percent of energy savings came from installing updated equipment.

As you can see, this human influence can be considered the most important aspect of energy management. The attitudes and actions of top managers set the tone for the rest of the organization, but they need to have access to accurate information and in a timely manner. Everyone in the organization, no matter what their function is, has a role to play in helping to keep energy costs down.

People are Key

The 1973 oil embargo taught all of us a lot about the people factor with regard to an energy program. In the past, this knowledge hasn't been effectively used to improve energy management programs, unfortunately. Here are a few examples for you to consider that will underscore this fact:

When a traditional energy audit is conducted, it is written with the underlying understanding that conditions will stay the same for the lifetime of the equipment or the project in question. The part that humans play in energy conservation efforts is simply not factored in. Since we now know that the actions of humans is responsible for the bulk of energy savings, it doesn't make sense to ignore this essential part of the formula.

Another interesting fact that has come to light in recent years is that poor maintenance is the main cause of indoor air quality issues. No doubt this can be attributed to the fact that it is very common for organizations to cut the maintenance budget when utility costs are on the rise.

When energy costs are up, then the organization decides to make cuts to its operations and maintenance budget, which ends up having the opposite effect than what the administration really wants. The whole thing turns into a vicious cycle of higher utility bill, which leads to more cuts, and which leads to a higher level of energy consumption. At the same time, the indoor air quality of the organization's premises declines.

Matthew Shields

Energy Expert