Basic HTML Version
Energy and EnviroFiciency
not needed, organisations can save up to 30% of their energy bills.
However, the reality is that there is no such thing as a ‘one size fits all’
solution when it comes to improving energy efficiency, and if these
initiatives are left to human cooperation they will often fail. Energy
audits need to be conducted to identify areas for each individual
building where improvements can be made, and automated controls
should be put into place for areas like lighting and air-conditioning
to ensure compliance.
All round challenge
These aspects of improved energy efficiency are a solid starting point,
particularly for organisations that have not yet begun the journey
towards optimising energy consumption. However, carbon footprint
is not just about kilowatt hours of electricity usage, but includes water
consumption, fuel consumption, transport, travel and more. Meeting
the challenge of reducing carbon footprint all around requires an
integrated approach to energy management that gives organisations
a complete picture of energy consumption across all areas as well as
carbon footprint. This big picture approach enables organisations to
identify the best cost versus benefit relationships, so that initiatives
for reducing consumption can be selected based on their benefit to the
individual organisation, and then use these savings to drive adoption
of efficient practices and embark upon other energy saving initiatives.
Conclusion
When it comes to improving energy efficiency and reducing carbon
footprint, having the end goal in mind of an integrated, holistic and
big picture approach gives organisations clear objectives to work
towards. As energy prices are only set to rise further and carbon
emission reductions are becoming increasingly important froma legal
perspective, adopting such an approach will stand organisations in
good stead now and into the future.
A
bout the author
After completing his BSc (Engineering) Mech
degree at the University of Pretoria, Rip Wyma
worked as an Engineer in training for one year
at the Defence Head Quarters in Pretoria and in
Kentron for six months. After joining CA du Toit &
Partners in September 1981, his career as a con-
sulting engineer started. In 2000, he joined Shared
Energy Management where he broadened his experience - specialising
in energy and water management. In February 2002 the group was reg-
istered ‘Certified Energy Manager (CEM)’ with the Association of Energy
Engineers (USA). Enquiries: Tel. 012 663 3125 or email ripw@sem.za.com.
49
September ‘12
Electricity+Control