Why an Energy Audit could be the best investment your business makes

For most businesses, the problem is dozens of small inefficiencies that nobody has ever stopped to notice. That’s precisely where a professional energy audit changes the equation.

What you don’t know is costing you

Before an audit, businesses rarely have a clear breakdown of where that energy is actually going. Tharindu Magedara, Energy Services Engineer at Energia, has carried out audits across a range of business sectors, and he has seen the same reaction time and again when clients receive their findings.

“People often don’t realise how much energy they’re consuming during night-time hours, or what the idle loads of their equipment amount to, and how much older equipment is using compared to more efficient alternatives that are available now,” he says. “It’s something of an eye-opener for most of them - the realisation that even when the business isn’t operating they’re still consuming a significant amount of energy. And that’s something they can act on and cut down on.

“The energy audit gives you a clear picture of your energy profile,” Tharindu adds. “Before an audit, you typically don’t know how much energy is being used by each process or piece of equipment. The audit provides a breakdown by percentage and gives you a clear sense of where to prioritise your energy optimisation efforts.”

Hiding in plain sight

Retail is one of the most energy-intensive sectors, and according to Tharindu the sources of waste are often hiding in plain sight. “A good example is HVAC systems. If your temperature set points are wrong and you’re not optimising for the exact target temperature, you can waste a significant amount of electricity and gas. Similarly, older compressors used in refrigeration and cold storage can be quite inefficient, and that can be addressed via measures such as defrost optimisation, evaporator fan improvements and load reduction methods and upgrading with a more efficient new compressor.”

Then there are the behavioural factors. Something as straightforward as how equipment is switched on in the morning can have a measurable impact on costs.

“Staff training on energy awareness is important,” Tharindu notes. “One practical example is avoiding peak loads by following a structured start-up procedure. This means starting this piece of equipment at 7am, the next at 7.15am, and so on, so that consumption ramps up gradually rather than spiking all at once. This can have a significant effect not just on energy consumption but on costs, particularly around peak usage charges and exceeding your Maximum Import Capacity (MIC), which can be expensive. Small adjustments like these can make a considerable difference.”

From data to decisions

An audit is only as valuable as what a business does with it. That’s why having an experienced partner to translate findings into action matters as much as the audit itself.

“Once you have your opportunity list, you can prioritise based on your significant energy uses, and that ensures that whatever you’re investing in energy optimisation is well spent, with a marked improvement in energy performance as a result,” says Tharindu. “From a business perspective, it also gives you a better return on investment.”

There’s also a risk management dimension that is often overlooked. “You don’t want to invest in something that’s generating a lot of buzz without the data to confirm it’s actually the right fit for your organisation,” Tharindu points out. “The energy audit provides that assurance.”

The gateway to Project EEOS support and grant funding

 One of the most practical benefits of an energy audit is the clear line it draws to available supports through the Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOS), under which Energia operates as an obligated party.

The EEOS process, he explains, is more straightforward than many businesses expect. “Nine times out of ten it’s quite straightforward. Once an agreement is made with Energia, we will require 12 months of relevant data prior to the project, and sufficient data post project completion in order to verify energy savings. Once these savings have been verified by SEAI, Energia will pay out the agreed financial support”.

“Grant eligibility is often a significant factor in deciding which projects to prioritise. If something is eligible for a grant, it becomes much more attractive as the payback period is shorter,” says Tharindu. “The idea is to identify the opportunities through the energy audit, highlight which projects are eligible for upfront grants, and set out all the available options. From there, we walk customers through the process.”

Starting point 

In Tharindu’s view, the energy audit is a starting point. The findings inform  capital investment decisions as well as a long-term energy management strategy. “It gets you thinking about energy optimisation more broadly,” Tharindu explains. “In the current global energy context, where costs are rising day by day, energy is becoming a very pertinent issue. The audit becomes your foundational document on which to base your energy efficiency strategy.

To find out how Energia’s energy audit services can help your business, contact our team today.

Tharindu Magedara is an Energy Services Engineer at Energia, specialising in energy audits, EEOS grant support, and energy management for business customers.