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Energy and EnviroFiciency
E
nergy efficiency has become an important item on the South
African corporate agenda. Some organisations have taken this
to heart with the implementation of Green Star energy rated
buildings; many are just beginning to take steps to reduce energy
consumption; but others have not even begun.
There are many things that can be done to reduce energy con-
sumption, however addressing these issues in isolation means that
organisations fail to achieve the important ‘big picture’ view of their
overall energy usage.
Social, environmental, legal
The drive towards improving energy efficiency is due largely to
increasing cost pressures. As energy costs continue to rise, organi-
sations are increasingly looking towards saving energy costs, which
means reducing consumption and becoming more energy efficient.
This cost saving exercise is augmented by increasing social and
environmental awareness, as well as by legal requirements. These
currently include the need for all Johannesburg Stock Exchange
(JSE)-listed companies to include sustainability and carbon emission
reductions as part of corporate reporting. However, there are several
other laws in the pipeline around energy consumption and carbon
emissions, and organisations are beginning to gear themselves
towards meeting these criteria as well.
‘Green Star’
These increasing pressures are leading large corporates particularly
to examine initiatives for improved energy efficiency. Green Star
energy rated buildings are one way that companies are achieving
this, with the side benefits of financial savings on energy and an im-
age of eco-consciousness. However, such buildings are expensive
to construct and are best suited to new developments on Greenfield
sites, something which is not always a feasible option. For most
organisations, energy efficiency revolves around optimising energy
consumption in existing buildings, including areas such as lighting,
heating, ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC), geysers and boil-
ers, and so on, and substantial savings can often be realised from
improving these areas.
Lighting
Lighting is one area where ‘quick wins’ can typically be achieved,
and as a result is the first area organisations look towards when
aiming to improve energy consumption. However, while swopping
out inefficient light bulbs for more energy efficient ones is a step in
the right direction, lighting is often left on unnecessarily, particularly
after hours, which wastes significant amounts of energy. Central
air-conditioning systems are a major culprit for excessive energy
consumption, as the system is often not optimised for efficiency
during commissioning, and the maintenance on these systems often
falls behind which causes them to run inefficiently, with heating and
cooling fighting each other and wasting energy. Heating and cooling
units are also often left on unnecessarily, running after hours and
wasting power.
Heating and cooling
By simply ensuring that heating and cooling are optimally tuned, well
maintained and that these units and lighting are switched off when
Holistic energy management
– ultimate goal of energy efficiency initiatives
By R Wyma, Shared Energy Management
Improving energy efficiency is a journey, and it pays to remember each of the steps taken should work towards the ultimate goal – holistic,
integrated and all-encompassing energy management solutions.
T
ake note
• Improving energy efficiency is a journey – and each step along the way
must take us in the right direction.
• It is never too late to start the journey.
• As energy prices will continue to rise, the sooner you start, the better.
Electricity+Control
September ‘12
48