Rising energy prices and recent legislation have placed energy and carbon performance firmly within the financial arena. Public and private sector organisations recognise that this is a key area for reducing their operational costs.
The Climate Change Act 2008 and the 2010 Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) energy efficiency scheme have clarified that carbon emissions have a market price. The price of emissions is set to gradually rise, and organisations who do nothing in response will face an increasing cost. In addition, approximately £65 billion is spent each year on fuel in the UK. The government has calculated that 20% of this could be saved by investing in energy conservation.
Our carbon and energy management team works pro-actively with our customers to understand their needs. This is fully integrated with our strategic asset management capability, so we can develop comprehensive long-term strategies. Our performance analysis of operational assets leads to proposals for effective changes. We can manage those changes, to:
- Meet national and local objectives at the minimum cost
- Avoid fines being incurred
- Produce direct savings in fuel bills
- Reduce management and maintenance costs
- Increase asset values and the ‘letability’ of a property portfolio.
Our services to clients across the UK include:
mandatory action management
We manage clients' compliance with legislation, such as registration with the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Scheme. This includes:
- Registration and fee management with the relevant government bodies and agencies
- Negotiations to purchase carbon allowances
- Nomination of key appointments, where required
- Collation and forwarding of required information and reports about energy consumption and carbon emissions
- Production of display energy certificates (DECs) and energy performance certificates (EPCs), which have been a mandatory requirement for local authorities and social landlords since 2008.
carbon and energy management
Our surveyors carry out forensic measurement of energy and carbon performance. This establishes a baseline performance level, and highlights existing liabilities, risks and opportunities. We can then prepare ‘Invest to Save' plans with options for no cost, low cost, and investment. The plans define how rationalisation, disposal, and refurbishment would achieve agreed targets for energy and emissions reduction within a tightening budget.
Our wide experience of improving energy performance for clients across the country gives us valuable data. It allows us to make realistic comparisons with similar buildings, giving our management proposals a high degree of predictability.
utility company bill management
The large number of properties we manage across the country has enabled us to build good working relationships with account managers at utility supply companies. This puts us in a good position to negotiate supply contracts at preferable rates. We can produce significant savings when compared with the rates normally offered to individual customers. Often we are able to establish contract terms over a number of years, to help give our clients budget predictability. We then deal directly with the utility providers on behalf of our clients, checking and validating all energy bills against our own meter readings to ensure they are not being overcharged.
performance management through design
We have in-house sustainability specialists, who work with our architects and engineers in the design of advanced mechanical & electrical systems. This enables us to design and project manage the installation of new systems that increase the energy performance of our clients’ buildings. By managing the installation of technologies such as automatic meter reading (AMR), we can also reduce the ongoing costs of building operation.
We carry out feasibility studies to assess the suitability of low and zero carbon technologies. Our teams have experience of working with combined heat and power (CHP), bio-fuels, and renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, and hydro-electric. Our qualified energy assessors have been trained by NHER, the UK’s largest energy rating scheme, and are members of their accreditation scheme. We also have accredited assessors who can produce BREEAM environmental performance ratings.