11th Νοέμβριος 2022

The 5 most serious mistakes in an energy efficiency Project

Achieving energy efficiency in buildings requires effort, dedication and, in many cases, renovation of equipment and facilities that involve significant investments.Improving energy efficiency guarantees achieving savings, but also shows that the company cares for the environment. Optimized consumption is crucial for the future, and is something that is already required in new constructions. However, achieving this is not as simple as it sounds, and often serious mistakes can be made when trying.

Mistakes to avoid in an energy efficiency Project.

When dealing with projects of a certain size, different errors may be made, especially if the necessary care is not taken. Problems can arise from all kinds of factors: not achieving the expected optimization, using outdated technologies, not having the necessary planning or not having the right staff, for example. And these setbacks will end up leading the project, sooner or later, to failure.

Such a goal usually requires a strong initial investment, both in monetary terms and in human resources. In addition, it is essential to count on suppliers and partners who facilitate the adoption of these measures. This is the case with GoSafe with ESI, a European project whose services are focused on optimising the savings of companies that are committed to energy efficiency projects, guaranteeing their contractual savings. By collaborating with GoSafe with ESI, the losses from making serious mistakes are largely avoided.

1. Lack of planning

Lack of planning leads to disaster or, at the very least, not achieving the expected results when it comes to improving energy efficiency in buildings. A plan helps to set the way forward, to know the current state of construction, to define the objectives, to decide on the methods and strategies to be used, who will be involved and how the results will be measured once the project is underway.

Without all this, it is impossible to achieve success, and money will be spent without proper results. Knowing the characteristics of the building, the current state of the installations and their use, or the most appropriate technologies to be implemented in each case are some of the data that must be included in the plan. Of course, the plan must be in writing so that the parties involved can review it and send suggestions or corrections if necessary.

It may take time, but this prior effort is essential to achieve results. It should also reflect the budget for all phases of the plan. This will avoid waste and will allow you to adjust each action, as you will know how much to spend, on what, and who will be in charge of finding suppliers.

2. Not counting on external consultants when you do not have the appropriate experience

Managing an energy efficiency project of a certain size requires highly specialised training, and if a company wants to apply it in its own facilities, the knowledge of its staff may not be sufficient. Moreover, the vision of an external consultant is alien to the organisation, which brings independence and freedom to develop its work.

Having external consultants represents an extra guarantee of success since you will always have an experienced point of view from someone who knows the best practices for this type of project. This critical gaze can bring new ideas, and it would alert the company to possible missteps if necessary. Without these professionals, any mistakes will only get magnified over time.

3. Poor involvement

These projects require full involvement, both from the company’s managers and directors and from the suppliers and installers of the efficient technology. You must monitor the execution, review the progress of each phase, and train staff when necessary… The lack of involvement, whether due to scepticism, lack of time or any other reason, will result in a poor investment of resources.

And this error leads to not paying attention to what technological solutions are being applied and whether they are the most suitable for the specific building, or to who are the most appropriate suppliers or installers. In this sense, not having suppliers and installers involved with the results obtained or the maintenance of the facilities, will lead to inefficient results, extra costs and more renovation works.

4. Not monitoring the results

Every plan needs to monitor the results of the actions it includes. This is the simplest and most effective way of knowing if it is paying off or not, and it is vital when looking for energy efficiency in buildings since a good part of the actions in these projects are aimed at optimizing spending —electric, gas, etcetera — within your facilities. You always have to set goals and a way to quantify them.

For this purpose, it is essential to resort to the use of performance indicators adjusted to the needs of the project in question. It is possible to measure the consumption of each new system separately and compare them with the previous versions and with the expected results. The resulting information will be key in the continuous improvement process.

5. Thinking that you are only spending money

Energy efficiency in buildings is focused on saving, and searching for an optimal way to manage resources. The expenditure made in this process should therefore be seen as a medium to long-term investment. State-of-the-art equipment is essential in reducing electricity consumption, as well as having a much longer lifespan, so it will pay for itself in terms of operating costs.

Therefore, considering their acquisition as a mere expense means not seeing their potential or not knowing how these systems work; If financial resources are spared, the necessary efficiency will not be achieved. The precise technology is needed, adapted to the energy requirements of the building and which, at the same time, guarantees the comfort of the people who use it. Trying to save on the basics will lead to not achieving the planned results.

These are five key mistakes that should not occur in any energy-efficiency building project. Avoiding them will require an effort on the part of the organization, but it will also be essential to have all possible external help. In this sense, the professionals at GoSafe with ESI are at your disposal to help you achieve your energy-saving and efficiency goals and to ensure by contract the savings promised by your supplier.

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