Control The Shift: How Facilities Managers Can Make The Changes Required To Meet Net Zero

Engineer working on an electrical control panel By Raghav Singh, Head of Large Business at EDF.

With the numerous business sustainability commitments and green pledges at COP26 still fresh in our minds, you would be forgiven for assuming that most businesses have now taken practical steps and formed a strategy to achieve net zero. Yet, despite the world coming together in Glasgow four months ago to reaffirm their climate commitments, less than a third of UK businesses currently have a strategy for reaching carbon neutrality.

If businesses in this country are to change the status quo, then Facilities Managers will begin to come under more pressure to make changes to their business operations and improve their sustainability credentials.

The opportunity is significant, but it can seem overwhelming to work out where to begin. Every business is different, so it’s important to understand that it’s not a ‘one size fits all’ approach. For example, at EDF we recently partnered with JP Morgan Chase to power its UK offices with solely renewable electricity 24 hours a day, helping their facilities become traceably more sustainable.

But what works for one facility may not work for another, which is why there are three key points that Facilities Managers must consider as part of their sustainability strategy.

Know The Starting Point

For any professional in charge of evaluating energy consumption, they must first know where they are starting from. It is vital that they have an in-depth understanding of how they are currently using energy across their entire portfolio, creating a holistic picture that can help identify where savings can be made.

A great way of doing this is through sub-metering. Facilities Managers will be able to monitor individual areas of buildings or pieces of equipment. Breaking down energy consumption means costs can be apportioned accurately - providing them with the data they need to make sensible adjustments and help track return on investment decisions.



Consider The Options

As outlined above, there is no single ‘right’ answer for a net zero strategy; different facilities will have varying needs, priorities and options. This is where an expert like EDF can come in, presenting the different options and helping Facilities Managers to determine what is right for their specific operation, saving them from making costly changes that might not give the desired results.

In most cases, electricity supply is a sensible place to start – choosing a zero carbon electricity source will have a positive impact on sustainability credentials and allows businesses to report zero carbon emissions for their electricity use. There is something for every business, from nuclear power options right through to Corporate Power Purchase Agreements. What is right for an individual business will depend on a number of factors, including its size, the resources available and the budget set aside for innovation.

Make The Most Of The Facility

Lastly, it is vital that Facilities Managers are making the most of the space and the options available to them. For example, rather than just focusing on using zero carbon energy, you can and should seek to go further to make a tangible impact to your emissions.

A potential option to consider is onsite generation. By installing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels on often underutilised real estate – their free land, roof space or car parks - a business could purchase less from the grid, not only creating renewable energy sources, but making the whole process more cost efficient, with self-funded and developer-financed options available.

With the ever-increasing uptake of electric vehicles (EVs) there is also a growing need for businesses to consider the charging infrastructure available at their facilities. If the wider business is making a transition to EVs - whether that be a business fleet or employees’ personal cars - onsite charging will be essential to make the shift. This will in turn reduce the carbon emissions associated with vehicles onsite and lead to lower running costs.

For years we have been saying that now is the time for businesses to act to achieve our collective net zero targets. Facilities Managers will soon need to demonstrate a comprehensive strategy and it is therefore imperative to get ahead of the shift and make a change. If you don’t, who will?

Control The Shift: How Facilities Managers Can Make The Changes Required To Meet Net Zero