What to do and how to do it
Record savings opportunities
Use the Register of Opportunities template to record your ideas on saving energy identified from Step 7. The Register of Opportunities is a big list that you add to (and take away from) all of the time. The idea is that you put every potential idea on the register and then moves the ones that you’re actually going to implement into a separate Programme Plan (Step 11).
If you wake up in the middle of the night with a brainwave on how to save energy, it should go on the Register of Opportunities! Some actions may be short term, others may be long term. You should add as much detail as you can.
If necessary, use the Energy-Saving Wizard to identify potential actions for the various energy technologies on your site.
Divide your opportunities into:
no or low cost
medium cost
high cost
Estimate savings
Estimate the potential energy savings and the indicative costs for each opportunity.
Assign responsibilities
Assign somebody as responsible for investigating each action and include a target date for deciding whether to proceed with the action.
Keep up to date
Regularly update your opportunities in the Register of Opportunities.
Tip: When prioritising savings, consider the ease and speed with which they can be implemented as well as the cost-benefit.
Possible problems and how to deal with them
Getting bogged down
You could find yourself getting bogged down in the detail here. Firstly, start with the ‘low hanging fruit’, i.e. with the opportunities you already know about. Secondly, focus on the equipment you understand or that is relatively straightforward (such as lighting). Thirdly, if you feel there is too much equipment, then just focus on the main equipment – the significant energy users.
If you think you are describing things in too much detail, take it up a level – you can always get more detail later if necessary.
How long does it take to complete this step?
This work will generally take a professional surveyor between one and three days (excluding large scale facilities or evaluation of production processes).
How do I know when I have completed this step?
You will have a documented list of opportunities, with estimated savings, indicative cost ranges, and responsibilities.
What do I do next?
Congratulations! You have completed the Identify pillar!
The next pillar will help you Plan how you are going to implement your energy management programme.
