Yesterday the Pew Center on Global Climate Change released its new report From Shop Floor to Top Floor: Best Business Practices in Energy Efficiency at its conference in Chicago. ACEEE's Neal Elliott was an advisory for the report, which was prepared by ACEEE's former Deputy Director Bill Prindle. The report provides important insights into how corporations internalized energy efficiency into their operations through extensive surveys of leading companies and key case studies of six global leaders. In particular, the report identifies the 7 habits of highly efficient companies.
The conference has had representatives of many of the companies profiled in the report sharing their experiences, and providing insights into how they have made energy efficiency part of their businesses. (Presentations from the conference should be up on the Pew web site in a week or so.) Among the key insights are that setting ambitious corporate target EE targets are a great way to produce substantial results. As Rob Schasel with Pepsico said, "Make up a number. It saves time and inspires the staff." Jay Dietrich with IBM pointed out that there are always opportunities that the company is not aware of that they will find once they start looking for them. Several of the speakers commented that staff know about lots of energy efficiency opportunities, and that companies need to empower them to go out and realize the savings. Several speakers, including international energy management expert Peter Garforth pointed out that energy efficiency is about money, and that efficient companies are profitable companies that are likely to succeed in the new global marketplace.
The vast majority of the companies accept that global carbon regulations are coming, and that as Garforth, Elliott and Southern California Edison's Gene Rodrigues all pointed out what U.S. companies need is regulatory certainty so they can move forward with investments.
The new report is a must-read for those interested in understanding energy efficiency in manufacturing, and the role of energy efficiency in climate policy.
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Maybe I am just being naive but in my personal life I lead by example when it comes to trying to reduce my carbon footprint. I choose to dry my laundry on a clothes drying rack versus using a dryer. I choose to ride my bike to work or the bus when it is raining rather than drive a car.
ReplyDeleteWhy can't businesses also lead by example show that they can cut their consumption and produce products that are low energy users with out regulations that they are constantly working against.