I was completely innocent - as we all were once - right ? ; )
If you ever lost a job when you were absolutely sure you were doing well, you will be aware how it knocks you back - They say it's about getting back on the horse.
So - in the middle of my energy management blog - I want to tell you how I came to lose a key corporate client a few years back (over a decade now) !
And how to stay on the horse if you find yourself in my position !
More important than my woes is the cause of confusion that effects energy managers and that turned out so badly for me.
I promised myself to make this crystal clear.
First, I checked I was thinking objectively and proved some things to myself (such was the knock to my confidence), but I also wanted to help people labouring under false impressions, or being judged unfairly by their superiors.
I think a lot of energy managers suffer in that the people they report to don't fully understand the reality of energy management with all its' complexities.
This confusion is strong enough and so deeply embedded in our industry that it made it clear to me that it was worth starting a company to cut through the nonsense and injustice once and for all.
Incidentally the system can also reward under-performers.
So if you are an energy manager (or you employ one), I hope that understanding or being able to explain the following very simple example might save you some real pain, or it may help you get out of a hole that is just waiting for you to fall into it as you stumble along your career path! So here goes ...
Imagine
Performance table by building for last year
Building - Performance (A is best) - How Energy Manager Does Job
1 B ?
2 A ?
3 E ?
4 G ?
Assume each building is the same (say offices of a similar size)
Assume the performance is based on Energy Cost per square foot
Question - Can you (or an expert) fill in the third column ?
Answer - No - you can't, I can't - nobody can without more information. So lets add some....
The year before last
Building - Performance (A is best) - How Well Building Energy Manager Does Job
1 B ?
2 A ?
3 B ?
4 G ?
So Building 3 got much worse - do we know enough now ?
Conclusion
Benchmarks tell you where the pain is - NOT the cause of injury !
And what is the best way to argue it ....That I have found ...
Imagine two tables (they may be a little familiar)
Child - Health (A is best) - How Well Doctor Does Job
1 B ?
2 A ?
3 B ?
4 G ?
A good doctor understands causes, treats the pain and maybe cures disease
No doctor grants a child with good health !
Child - Grade Scores (A is best) - How Well Teacher Does Job
1 B ?
2 A ?
3 B ?
4 G ?
A good teacher understands the pupil, can motivate and inspire,
No teacher can add IQ.
Plain silly - obviously - but $ 1.5 Trillion waste is assessed this way !
A good energy manager can explain the cause of injury, tell you what to do about it and what it will cost. But no energy manager can change who built your buildings, the way they were built or change where they were put !
- We do our best, miracles take longer
