The relationships of an energy manager
A light-hearted view.
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Would I go as far as to say energy managers are heroes ? Well, yes because we are tasking them with the small job of saving the planet, the future for our grandchildren etc. - so how about we show them a modicum of respect ?
By the way you too can be a full-time energy manager ..
Look around you - find a control (you are a fully qualified light switch operator), consider your context (it's quite bright enough - thanks to sunny weather), you can tell your grandchildren you are saving the planet - your boss calls it corporate responsibility, it makes your accountant happy and who cares about the energy sales rep ! - So switch it off is a win, win, win, win, win situation -
the only loser is big oil - HA !
If you did switch off something here is a reward : We can be heroes - David BowieLets take a look at a few of the trickier dialogues that may occur and see how they should be countered.
Weather Forecaster : The energy manager needs no excuse, ref : Michael Fish BBC Classic
Conclusion : Weather is a great excuse if it is the real reason for energy expenditure, because short term, (apart from earnest prayer) there is little you can do about it - In the longer term, well documented cases can be made for insulation, etc. but it requires really good energy management to make a convincing case from the numbers
Accountant : The average cost for heating is X per square-foot per year so why is ours ....?
You: Our building maintenance budget is ... our boilers are ... old , I am not subscribed to http://kwiqly.com we live in an Igloo on a mountain - Get a Grip man !
Conclusion: while the bean counters have no context, they can be a nuisance. But they have power, so you had better be in a position to explain your role to them (the diagram above may help introduce the ideas) and you can make them your greatest ally.
Business manager : I expect 220 working days per year 08:00 -18:30 and I want comfort
You : "Yes - Ma'am" - alternative (less advisable) retorts available at http://www.dilbert.com/
A well documented set of service targets, occupancy scheduled and organised contextual data about your operations can go a long way to justifying your existence eg energy management of location
Engineer : I would like a ...
You : "Yup good idea - what will it cost, I will work out what it will save - lets do it !"
In short, anyone dealing with an energy manager that does not have the complete picture of their context and control (not billing, but energy use), is not in a position to comment. However, equally, the energy manager lives within a very complex "eco-system" . With the right tools, he or she can ease the workload of a number of people that have contact with company operations. Investment in good energy management tooling usually pays off both directly and with spin-off benefits.
Sorry that last comment was heading in the direction of a sales message - I better stop here.