Independent Energy Assessors Ltd (IEA) announces the launch of a sister organisation called E Advantage Ltd.

E Advantage Ltd will be the new proposition to market for Energy Management Systems to the standard BS EN 16001 and Environmental Management Systems to the standard ISO 14001 from IEA.

Demand on IEA for these standards is growing and given the current market positioning which primarily focuses on the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. (EPBD), means there is a need for a new offering and identity to the market for the provision of these services.

E Advantage is set to help businesses of all sizes with implementation and compliance to these standards, by providing a unique commercial approach to environmental issues, helping businesses to pull their environmental achievements through to their marketing and brand. Securing existing markets and discovering new business opportunities.

Visit E Advantage at www.e-advantage.co.uk for more information.

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Our environmental credentials extend well beyond producing EPCs. IEA can also produce environmental policies and environmental management systems (EMS). The aim of EMS is help a business manage their environmental impact through their trading activities and demonstrate this in accordance with ISO standard 14001. Once this is in place an functioning they can achieve this ISO accreditation. The benefits do not stop at achieving the accreditation, but implementing an EMS helps to reduce the running costs of the business through efficiencies made in almost every department and area. The system is managed using a web based software application that makes management reporting and accreditation easy.

Businesses are constantly striving to maintain their competitive advantage, holding their market share and keeping costs under control. EMS is a great additional tool in the box through which these things can be achieved.

If you are considering implementing an environmental policy or system then we can help. Call us to talk through the benefits to your business and the environment of having a robust easy to use system.

Hotels, banks, schools, local authorities and around 5,000 other large organisations could all be slashing their energy bills and carbon emissions as part of a new government initiative aimed at boosting energy efficiency and tackling climate change.

A new guide is published today by the Department of Energy and Climate Change to provide a helping hand to business to prepare for the introduction of the Carbon Reduction Commitment, which will begin in April 2010. The guide establishes who is covered by the scheme and guides the reader step-by-step through what they need to do to take part in the scheme.

Energy and Climate Change Minister, Joan Ruddock, said:

“Cutting back on energy use and becoming more energy efficient makes economic sense for firms at the best of times, but it’s even more important now given the difficult business environment.

“By taking measures to improve energy efficiency, businesses can slash their energy costs. The Carbon Reduction Commitment could help business save a total of £1billion by 2020, whilst also helping them play their part in the fight against climate change.

“The Carbon Reduction Commitment is part of a package of measures in the ground breaking Climate Change Act which will help mobilise 5,000 organisations to save over 4 million tons of CO2 a year, equivalent to taking a million cars off the road.”

The revenue raised from the scheme will be recycled back to participants on the basis of a league table — so that those who are making most improvements in energy efficiency will be financially rewarded, and will receive recognition for their achievements.

The Government will further the roll out of the Carbon Reduction Commitment by launching a consultation today on the regulations which will form the basis of the initiative. Participating organisations will have to register with the Environment Agency who will administer the scheme.

The Government is already providing advice and financial incentives to help businesses take practical steps to improve their energy efficiency through the Carbon Trust and Climate Change Agreements.

Home improvement retailer, B&Q, is one such business that is already taking action to reduce their carbon footprint - Andy Francis B&Q’s Energy Manager says:

“As a responsible business, we wanted to demonstrate real reductions in our energy use and help from the Carbon Trust made this happen.  Our new eco-store in Surrey uses a whole host of new technologies – including a green roof, wind turbine and movement sensitive lighting – generating around half the CO2 emissions of similar sized store.

“This new initiative will give financial rewards for greener businesses, so it makes both environmental and financial sense for us to reduce our emissions.”

Climate Change Agreements are voluntary agreements that lead to real reductions in CO2 emissions across sectors ranging from steel to chemicals, aerospace to brewing. Businesses which meet the targets under these agreements receive an 80% reduction on their Climate Change Levy.

These reductions have already helped to save 16.4 million tonnes of CO2, and estimated energy savings worth £1.5 billion and the Government is today launching a consultation on the next stage of the Climate Change Agreements Scheme.

Notes to editors

1. You can find the Carbon Reduction Commitment User Guide here: www.defra.gov.uk/carbonreduction

2. You can take part in the Carbon Reduction Commitment consultation here: http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/open/open.aspx

3. You can take part in the Climate Change Agreements consultation here: http://decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/consultations/open/open.aspx

4. The aim of the Carbon Reduction Commitment is to help businesses save money and cut their carbon emissions by reducing their energy use. The Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) will be a mandatory auction based emissions trading scheme for large non-energy intensive business and public sector organisations, delivering emissions reductions of 4.2 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (MtC) per year by 2020. Government aims to begin the CRC in April 2010, or as soon as possible thereafter, covering large organisations using more than 6,000 MWh per year.

1. All businesses whether they are taking part in Climate Change Agreements, the CRC, or are simply small businesses wishing to cut their energy bills can find assistance through the Carbon Trust which provides advice to business on what practical steps they can take to improve energy efficiency, and also help to develop low carbon products and services.

6. In its new ‘One Million A Day’ campaign, the Carbon Trust is urging businesses of all sizes to join up and prioritise actions to kick-start immediate energy savings, reduce carbon emissions and make significant direct costs savings. For more information on the Carbon Trust visit http://www.carbontrust.co.uk/ or call the Carbon Trust Advice Line on 0800 085 2005.

7. Climate Change Levy is an energy tax levied on most business and public sector energy use. It is estimated that the CCL package will save around 21MtCO₂ per year by 2010 – equivalent to taking around 5 million cars off the road. Energy intensive industries may enter into Climate Change Agreements, which provide for a discount of up to 80% from the Levy in return for meeting challenging energy efficiency or carbon saving targets. At present more than 50 sectors have CCAs.

8. Throughout April the Environment Agency will be running a series of half day seminars for businesses in England and Wales. These events will provide valuable information to businesses on how CRC will affect them and what they need to do.

Source: Department for Energy and Climate Change

IEA have extended our service to include Air Conditioning Inspections. We have a number of accredited assessors now able to offer this sevice.

Air conditioning

Many commercial buildings and an increasing number of homes have air conditioning systems. These systems should be carefully maintained and managed in order that they do not consume too much energy.

We are introducing regular inspections for air conditioning systems. By 4 January 2009 all air conditioning systems over 250kW must have their first inspection, and by 4 January 2011 all air conditioning systems over 12kW must have their first inspection.

The trigger for air conditioning systems inspections is the size (effective rated output) of the system not the type of building and so the measures apply to homes, commercial and public buildings.

The inspection which is done by an accredited energy assessor will include an assessment of efficiency, a review of their sizing and advice on improvements or replacements and alternative solutions. To find an accredited assessor see the Energy assessors and qualifications page (see link on right). For more information on how to become an accredited Air Conditioning System Energy Assessor (ACSEA).

To help with implementation a new DVD has been produced to help users understand air conditioning inspections and what they need to do. The DVD is available on our website (see link on right) and features buildings which have had an air conditioning assessment.

Inspection reports for air conditioning inspections are not generated from software. Inspections follow the convention described in TM44, published by CIBSE.

Source: DCLG web site.

IEA announce its ISO 14001 service.

IEA Environmental provides organisations with a framework for achieving accreditation under ISO 14001 - Environmental Management Systems (EMS).

Organizations of all kinds are increasingly concerned with achieving and demonstrating sound environmental performance by controlling the impacts of their activities, products and services on the environment, consistent with their environmental policy and objectives. They do so in the context of increasingly stringent legislation, the development of economic policies and other measures that foster environmental protection, and increased concern expressed by interested parties about environmental matters and sustainable development.

Many organizations have undertaken environmental “reviews” or “audits” to assess their environmental performance. On their own, however, these “reviews” and “audits” may not be sufficient to provide an organization with the assurance that its performance not only meets, but will continue to meet, its legal and policy requirements. To be effective, they need to be conducted within a structured management system that is integrated within the organization.

International Standards covering environmental management are intended to provide organizations with the elements of an effective EMS that can be integrated with other management requirements and help organizations achieve environmental and economic goals.

IEA Environmental parent company Independent Energy Assessors Ltd has had much success in providing energy performance advice to its customers and this resource places us in a unique position in providing Environmental Management Systems as a whole package.

Call us now to discuss the benefits to your business in achieving a successful environmental management system.

Source: IEA & ISO policy document.

Environmental measures have been identified by businesses as cost cutting mechanisms.

A survey of companies by government-funded Envirowise revealed that 85 per cent of businesses rated waste prevention, reducing raw material use and energy recovery as the best steps to cut business costs.

According to the organisation, the findings show that enterprises are becoming aware of the benefits of ‘going green’.

Programme manager Elaine Sharp said: “With fuel, energy and raw material costs continuing to rise and changes in the economy persisting in creating challenging marketplaces, there has never been a better time to lead the way in using resources wisely, eliminating waste and ultimately raising environmental standards.”

A “difficult and risky climate” for business has been forecast for the next six to nine months by the British Chamber of Commerce, making any costs savings important for the survival of businesses.

There are various steps which can be implemented in buildings to reduce their overall environmental impact and their costs.

Water conservation and energy efficiency devices can significantly reduce bills, with Envirowise claiming that taking care of water can save up to 30 per cent on water costs.

Source; Energy Saving Trust. 03 September 2008

Carbon Trust top energy saving tips for businesses.

Here are a few simple but very effective tips from the Carbon Trust that save both energy and money.

Switch lights off in empty rooms.

You could cut your lighting costs by as much as 15%, just by making sure you turn lights off in rooms and corridors that aren’t being used

Don’t turn up the heating unless you really need to

Unless it’s just too cold for comfort, try to keep your thermostat at 19°C. Your heating costs will go up by 8% each time you increase the temperature by just one degree.

Maintain your equipment properly.

If you don’t regularly check your heating equipment, you could be adding as much as 10% to your heating bill without knowing it.

Vending machines v kettles.

It is cheaper to provide a kettle for staff who work outside normal business hours than to continue to run a drinks vending machine during these times.

Standby.

A single computer and monitor left on 24 hours a day will cost over £50 a year. Switching them off out of hours and enabling standby features could reduce this to £15 a year each and prolong the lifespan of equipment.

Lighten up.

Replacing high wattage filament lamps or tungsten halogen lamps with compact fluorescent lamps or metal halide lamps will give energy savings of 65-75%.

Find and fix compressed air leaks.

Compressed air leaking through a single 3mm hole could cost you nearly £700 per year in energy costs.

Motors and drives.

Swapping a single 10kW motor running at 25% loading for a 2.5kW motor running at full load can save around £300/year

Leaving electric motors running over weekends across the year could cost over £2,000 per motor

Lowering the speed of a motor by just 20% can produce an energy saving of up to 50%. 

Source Carbon Trust.