Cutting the Carbon Whilst Also Cutting the Costs
By Paul Mcindoe
By Paul Mcindoe
It’s probably fair to say that two of the most newsworthy topics in recent times have been the environment & the global economy.
People are becoming increasingly aware of the effects their actions are having on the environment; but at a time when the global financial downturn is hitting many people hard, it would perhaps be a little understandable if they were to shift their priorities from saving the environment to saving themselves from financial oblivion. But it really should not actually be a case of compromising one over the other.
Businesses in particular are coming under increasing pressure to ‘go green’ & cut their carbon emissions significantly, for the greater good of the planet. But this isn’t something that companies should view as a hindrance to their profitability.
Indeed, investigating new ways of managing investments such as property, plant & equipment & ensuring that they areproperly maintained can assist to maximise their lifespan, which will not just go some way towards reducing companies’ capital investments, but their ongoing operational costs too.
Research has revealed that as much as sixty per cent of the average company’s operating & maintenance budget is consumed by energy expenditure. And many businesses simply are not equipped to measure their energy consumption level beyond plant or facility level, meaning they can not identify which specific asset or department consumes the most energy.
This, coupled with badly installed or maintained industrial equipment that is consuming way more energy than it otherwise should be, means that many organisations may be restricted in the extent to which they areable to ‘go green’.
And this is why adopting an effective asset management strategy could be integral to the future of many environmental initiatives. The ability to measure energy consumption at a micro level is central to any organisation’s ability to control their carbon emissions.
An increasing number of businesses are using enterprise asset management (EAM) software to monitor & manage the deployment, performance & maintenance of company assets. These are known to be a very effective tool in uncovering hidden savings for the organisation & streamlining operations to ensure profitability is maximised in the long term. The upshot of this is that by cutting energy costs they will also be benefiting the environment too, thereby going some way towards fulfilling their green obligations.
As such, EAM software can assist increase labour efficiency, implement equipment-based maintenance schedules & reduce maintenance-related inventory levels. And at a time when the environment & global financial climate are key concerns across many industries, implementing an EAM strategy effectively kills two birds with one stone; by reducing operational overheads whilst also minimising their impact on the planet.
Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be actually considered professional content.