Energy Monitoring - Energy:Minute
You can't manage what you can't measure. Monitoring is an essential component of managing energy use. (podcast) (transcript)
January 25, 2010
Energy:Minute Podcast
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Music by Chris Keister
Transcript
You can't manage what you can't measure. That's why a lot of businesses have for years just accepted energy costs as virtually uncontrollable.Energy monitoring is a process that starts by gathering data from energy meters -- the same ones the energy utility uses to bill their customers, plus submeters on large loads like heating, air conditioning, lighting and machinery.
Monitoring is an essential component of managing energy use. The obvious first step is to compile that data and analyze it, establishing benchmarks and looking for ways to reduce energy waste.
To take this to the next level, you could allocate energy costs to departments -- making the data center pay for its energy consumption, and manufacturing pay for theirs -- so line managers are motivated to contribute ideas for controlling energy costs.
And to take it up another notch, correlate energy use with business processes. Measure the kilowatts per widget manufactured, or the energy cost per contract processed. Consider how that information can make your business more efficient, more competitive, more profitable, and more sustainable.