Achieving Value for Money Sustainability Outcomes
Achieving Net Zero is among the top priorities across various governments in Australia. However, doing so in a cost-effective ‘value for money’ way (without ‘breaking the bank’) is a chief concern among many organisations that have made a Net Zero commitment.
Solar PV has become increasingly popular way for government and commercial organisations to reduce their carbon footprint and progress towards Net Zero. That is because Solar is a renewable form of clean energy and it can help reduce the reliance on the National Electricity Market, which is mostly powered by fossil-fuel power plants.
Aside from Solar PV which is classified as an energy generation measure, Energy efficiency (or Energy Conservation Measures / ECMs) is an equally valid means of reducing energy costs and carbon emissions.
Energy efficiency is a proven and cost-effective method of achieving value for money sustainability through increased energy savings and reduced carbon emissions which can further support Net Zero ambitions.
There are various energy efficiency upgrades or ECMs that can be implemented. The most common examples include:
- LED lighting upgrades
- Optimisation to Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning systems
- Replacement upgrades to HVAC including Boilers, Chillers etc
- Power Quality Analysis, Power Factor Correction and Harmonic Filtering
- Building Management System upgrades
Holistic Approach Key to Driving Value for Money Sustainability Initiatives
Organisations that are looking to maximise sustainability performance and obtain value for money from their sustainability initiatives, should consider undertaking both energy generation and energy efficiency measures; and not in isolation, neither as separate technology specific projects (e.g. Solar PV only, LED lighting only, HVAC only etc).
While many organisations are considering Solar PV and may have for example already replaced their light fittings with high efficiency LED luminaires either recently or several years ago, they may want to consider upgrading to the latest technology and take advantage of implementing other additional ECMs as part of a holistic initiative, including Solar PV.
Combining both energy efficiency measures and renewable generation measures as a holistic project will produce far better value for money and sustainability outcomes and most importantly, deliver better Return on Investment (ROI) than undertaking separate technology specific projects.
To maximise energy savings and optimise ROI, a building should be optimised for energy efficiency first before the Solar system is designed and implemented.
Partnering with the right company can help drive value for money for your sustainability initiatives.
Leading Net Zero specialist firms like Ecosave, can design and implement a comprehensive project – end to end – taking a holistic approach to your facilities and sustainability goals. They can take into account all opportunities to maximise energy efficiency and optimise the Solar PV system design accordingly. This approach will mean that the Solar PV system will be an adequate size and complement the needs of a more efficient building or facility – as opposed to installing an unnecessarily larger system which would cost more and may not deliver the kind of ROI that Chief Financial Officers are looking for.
In prioritising energy efficiency, the investment required in Solar PV would be smaller and the cost savings generated by the efficiency gains from ECMs would improve the overall ROI of the project as a whole and represent a better value for money sustainability initiative.
For organisations that have multiple buildings across numerous locations, Ecosave can partner with you to design and implement a Minimal Viable Pilot Project at a select few sites as the first step. This approach will help ensure the delivery model is fine tuned for a potential portfolio-wide roll out program. In so doing, sustainability and ROI outcomes from the MVP can be measured and verified and the success of the MVP could then help justify further investment across the portfolio. This approach combined with our savings guarantee will reduce project and financial risks and further enhance value for money from your sustainability initiatives.
For assistance with designing and implementing the best value for money energy savings project for your organisation, connect with the experts at Ecosave – or Call 1300 557 664 today!
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