Regardless of the field of operation, practically every company deals with electricity in some way. There are those that consume more, others less, but the fact is that it drives institutions of all sizes. In this context, energy management is a topic of interest for every leader who wants to reduce and optimize their business costs.
In other words, we're talking about a vital operational input for the financial health of the organization. Managing it consciously and strategically is more than just minimizing expenses; it's about keeping the company's accounts in order.
However, this subject can come with a lot of questions, for example:
- How to monitor this consumption?
- Is there a right way to implement energy management?
- What are the benefits it brings to the institution?
If you don't know the answers to these questions, don't worry! In this article, we will clear all your doubts about the topic.
Happy reading!
What is energy management?
The concept involves a collection of procedures, strategies, and practices aimed at the administration and control of energy consumption in the company's daily operations. Thus, the goal is to facilitate the detection of problems and opportunities for structural improvements.
Let's illustrate: energy management aims to enhance how the institution uses electricity, from simple and basic actions - such as analyzing monthly consumption - to more complex tasks, like ensuring that machinery is being efficient in its overall production.
In conclusion, we can summarize that the focus of this planning is on resource optimization, performance goal evaluation, and ultimately, cost reduction.
What are the benefits of energy management?
When we talk about the benefits of energy management, it's natural to see a highlight in the aspect of cost reduction. After all, the less a company consumes, the more capital is left for investments in other areas. Consequently, the business gains an extra leeway to develop and differentiate itself in the market.
Another point directly linked to the process is the prevention of machinery problems. Effective resource management ensures that leaders identify operational faults in advance, saving potential maintenance expenses.
And what do all these aspects represent? Simple: savings! When examined over the long term, they can bring positive impacts to the financial health of your business.
How to do energy management?
This is the golden question when it comes to energy management: how to put this practice into action?
Below, we will answer this question. Check it out!
Develop a policy for efficient energy use
You know that saying "unity is strength"? As with everything related to the business world, it fits perfectly in this context. Everyone in the institution should be mindful of energy consumption, avoiding waste and optimizing its use.
For this purpose, our suggestion is to establish an internal policy that defines efficient energy use. This way, the various sectors of the organization will be aligned with the purpose of resource optimization.
Set goals
Setting goals is a method that often yields very positive results in the organizational environment. Keeping this in mind, establishing objectives for the team proves to be an excellent idea.
Let's provide an example to make it easier to understand: The company should reduce energy consumption by approximately 25% over a period of three months. Of course, this number will depend on the size of the institution. This is why it's so important to understand the unique characteristics of the business.
Use data to make energy use decisions
Finally, it's important to take the measures mentioned above considering data about your company's energy use. After all, these metrics will serve as an overview of the sectors you need to analyze more closely.
Later on, we will show good ways to collect this information.
4 best practices to optimize energy management
Planning
Everything starts with good planning. For this, the goals and objectives we mentioned above must be well defined. After this step, it's time to structure processes that are fundamental to achieving the desired results.
However, this step directly depends on the company's current situation. To assess this condition, the manager should pay attention to:
- Controlling demand contracts to avoid under-sizing and over-sizing issues;
- Evaluating infrastructure;
- Collecting data about energy consumption for accurate diagnosis.
Evaluate metrics
What's the best way to gather the records we've been talking about throughout the text? The answer to this question is simple: by using intelligent solutions for monitoring and controlling companies' energy consumption, like Squair's platform.
These technologies generate metrics about energy usage that, when measured, will be useful for recognizing the time to:
- Replace or maintain equipment;
- Renew contracts;
- Seek more efficient processes.
Continuous improvement
After evaluating the indices, it's time to take measures to address the discrepancies between what was stipulated and the result of energy management.
For this, the institution should focus its efforts on implementing measures:
- Corrective, when execution errors hindered the progress of management;
- Preventive, when some kind of bottleneck that could disrupt the full execution of the process in the future is identified.
Use of technology
Last but not least, it's crucial for institutions to adopt monitoring technologies available in the market. After all, with each passing day, companies become more modern. And this appreciation for the new can make a difference in your energy management.
These technologies can assist, for example:
- Enhancing business productivity;
- Organizing stages;
- Simplifying management by indicating, in an automated way, the best approach to achieving energy efficiency according to the company's reality.
In this scenario, there are various types of administration-focused applications that can be useful, such as BI, ERP, Kanban, etc.
Furthermore, of course, specific tools for this purpose are the most recommended for a well-optimized and efficient energy management.
Introducing Squair!
Considering the issues raised throughout the article, the importance of a solid energy management process becomes clear. And Squair emerges as the perfect ally to help you turn these actions into reality!
With the assistance of our platform for monitoring and controlling energy consumption in companies, you will have control over all machinery, along with a plan to maintain energy efficiency by using less consumption.
The information provided through IoT sensors ensures a broader analysis for informed decision-making. All of this is geared towards prioritizing operational intelligence combined with environmental responsibility.
Want to learn more? Get in touch with our team and discover what Squair can do for your business using non-invasive technology. Access this link!