The so-called green business approach is not only modern, but also profitable, because we live in the era of conscientious consumers – people are ready to pay more not only for healthier and safer, but also more environmentally friendly products and services.
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“It must be remembered that the responsibility of any organization towards the environment is expressed as a purposeful and meaningful action. Turning off lights and electrical devices once a year for one hour cannot be considered as such. In order to let the Earth “rest”, one must think about reducing electricity consumption constantly – every minute, day, month and year. In this case, it is about a strategic approach to saving energy resources. The argument that it is expensive and complicated does not stand up to criticism. Organizations that use it are simply looking for excuses not to do something,” emphasizes Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility head of the institute Dace Helmane.
The fact that energy saving measures are not space science is clearly demonstrated by the experience of the members of the Sustainability Index. Among the most popular measures implemented by the participants in this evaluation, two should be mentioned.
First of all, the modernization of lighting systems, which is not limited to the replacement of ordinary light bulbs with LED bulbs in offices, production plants, as well as advertising signs, as well as the reconstruction of electrical installation systems. The use of photo and motion sensors in outdoor lighting systems, corridors, warehouses and other common spaces where people do not stay for a long time is also very common. Also, intelligent technologies are increasingly being integrated into lighting systems, which allow automation of lighting management processes, including grouping of light fixtures, providing the ability to turn on and off the light in several rooms or areas of the room at the same time.
Secondly, educating employees about the goals and possibilities of saving electricity, thereby promoting the formation of new and valuable habits. For this purpose, both special lessons and inspirational lectures etc. are organized. However, educational articles on the intranet and in internal newspapers are also popular, as well as thematic stickers on work surfaces, as well as on doors, electrical switches, etc., which aim to remind about elementary things:
turn off the light when leaving a room where no one stays; turn off all electrical equipment after work and disconnect computers, printers, coffee machines and other devices that generate passive electricity consumption; use electrical equipment according to their instruction manual; use the stairs instead of the elevator, etc. not only demonstrating care for nature, but also for one’s physical health; to avoid idle operation of production equipment, etc.
But there are organizations that have gone a step further when thinking about energy-saving measures, introducing bolder solutions to reduce overall energy consumption that go beyond just managing lighting systems. What is important is that these “experiments” pay off in most cases. Namely, the used solutions allow not only to significantly reduce electricity consumption, but also to improve business efficiency and profitability.
For example, there are organizations that use renewable energy sources (solar panels, wind turbines, etc.) both for ensuring industrial processes and for other needs, including charging electric cars in the corporate fleet. There are organizations that install energy-efficient ventilation and CO2 cooling systems, as well as energy-efficient electric radiators, reducing their power on weekends and holidays, as well as in passively used rooms on a daily basis.
There are also organizations that pay a lot of attention to saving electricity, implementing so-called “green” procurement, which is an essential part of sustainable procurement. For example, obliges suppliers to use energy-efficient solutions in building construction, reconstruction and improvement works, gives preference to production equipment and electrical devices with the highest possible energy efficiency indicators, etc.
There is no doubt – these examples clearly show that if there is a will, anything is possible. However, summarizing the above, Helmane draws attention to an important nuance. Namely, before starting to implement any electricity saving measures, it is essential to conduct an energy efficiency audit in order to evaluate the current situation and identify electricity saving opportunities. The next step is to define clear, measurable goals, inform employees about the organization’s “green” goals and their role in achieving them, as well as develop a monitoring plan for the current situation. Only then can you think about innovations, as well as creating new energy-saving daily habits in the team.
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2023-07-06 10:51:00
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