Energy Monitoring and Targeting Services -
Five Steps to Energy Efficiency

SOCOTEC's site specific energy monitoring and targeting regime has been designed to help with the measures to reduce a building/s carbon footprint, identified following an energy audit of a site. The recommendations from the energy audit are formulated within our M&T Report for energy efficiency and carbon reduction initiatives.

What is energy monitoring and targeting?

Energy monitoring and targeting is an energy management technique which involves analysing key building information such as occupancy, location, asset/plant operation and energy/water/waste to identify and then reduce its carbon footprint. When broken down into its key components, energy monitoring can be defined as establishing the existing pattern of energy consumption for a building or plant. Energy targeting uses the identified consumption levels to find new ways in which to reduce energy usage and improve efficiency.

To carry out energy monitoring and targeting, utilities are analysed for their consumption levels before an energy audit of the site has taken place. Once this data has been obtained, energy audits/consultations can be carried out, allowing targets to be set, trends and fluctuations to be interpreted and any remedial actions to be implemented thereafter.

Why is energy monitoring and targeting important?

As a fundamental part of a business’ energy audit, energy monitoring and targeting informs businesses about their energy consumption and performance, helping them to understand where they have room for improvement and recommending appropriate action to reduce these levels where possible. When carried out effectively, energy monitoring has enormous potential for saving energy with and without capital investment, as well as reducing overall costs. It can also act as an early warning system that highlights issues before they can have a significant impact, helping to reduce energy costs.

What are the five steps of energy monitoring and targeting?

Energy monitoring and targeting can be broken down into five key steps:

1. Identifying where energy is consumed and recording energy consumption data at site level
2. Analysing the data in order to highlight consumption trends and identifying relevant variables that influence energy consumption
3. Developing energy consumption baselines that represent typical/expected consumption
4. Setting targets for energy consumption with references to the baselines
5. Monitoring energy consumption rates against set targets to identify when and why it fluctuates from the norm and taking action as and when appropriate.

What are the benefits of energy monitoring and targeting?

There are a number of benefits to energy monitoring and targeting, including:

• Improved data for justifying capital investment
• Identifying peak usage times/excessive consumption as and when it occurs
• Increased efficiency and quality of resources due to the ability to identify irregularities
• Improved budgeting and cost-saving initiatives for your building
• Reduced waste, water and materials
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions
• Compliance with ISO 50001 requirements
• Enhanced life expectancy of a plant.

Consumption and cost savings of between 15-30% are frequently identified and achievable (with a three to four-year payback on average if capital expenditure is required). No and low cost savings are generally in the region of 10-15% with less than 12 months’ payback.

How does SOCOTEC conduct energy monitoring and targeting?

As technologies, legislation and commercial imperatives change and employees come and go, SOCOTEC’s Energy team can help you to review and refresh your business’ action plan so that your energy management remains a top priority. Our team of technically qualified and competent staff will ensure that the appropriate measures are put in place, meaning that the only energy required is used with no unnecessary waste. 

To carry out the energy monitoring and targeting service, SOCOTEC will use the data gathered from the energy audit of the site in question (a full energy audit service can be provided by our Energy team if required). The size of your building’s carbon footprint will be measured by analysing existing electricity, gas and water consumption and carbon dioxide usage on a monthly basis to track and demonstrate where your business can make savings. Any anomalies in the energy consumption data will be identified and rectified accordingly, ensuring that carbon compliance is met.

SOCOTEC’s energy monitoring and targeting service comprises a number of site visits, whereby a member of the team will meet with the relevant staff members to discuss recommendations and identifiable actions (the number of site visits required will be decided prior to the commencement of the service). A report will then be compiled containing all of the observations, review and actions, including any findings from the original business energy audit relating to specific operation and energy management activities at the premises. Daily half hour electricity, gas, water and waste data will also be collected and analysed (on invoice data if needed) and will be represented in the body of the report where available.