23 February 2023
Data is critical in the journey to becoming a more sustainable business. By tracking your energy use, it’s possible to gather this data, use it to identify waste, understand carbon emissions and build a reputation for sustainability.
Of course, all technology is only as good as the use you put it to, and things always work better if you are able to analyse and act on the data you receive.
With that in mind, here are three reasons why tracking energy use can be a good idea for a resilient, forward-looking business.
If you’re wasting business energy, you’re not only causing unnecessary emissions – you’re wasting money, too. It’s important to track down any sources of energy waste, as a first step toward longer-term sustainability.
Waste can come from a variety of sources – but often from lighting, heating and cooling. By monitoring and keeping track of your energy usage, you could stay in control of all three of these areas.
Carbon emissions and reporting is subject to a complex set of compliance and regulatory criteria – such as the Greenhouse Gas Protocol, the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP). By monitoring your energy use with the right technology, you can have data available for emissions reporting.
Because reporting rules are complex, it may be helpful to refer to British Gas market insights for updates on these ever-changing regulations.
Even if you aren’t required to report on emissions, tracking your energy use and emissions could be a way to work toward net zero – and tackle climate change as a business priority. You could help build a reputation as a supplier of carbon-neutral products, for example.
If you supply some large organisations, you may find in future that they also require emissions data from you, if they begin to measure and track indirect (Scope 3) emissions from within their supply chain. As Jonathan Sykes, Executive Chairman at Carbon Intelligence, says in a British Gas blog, organisations are “interdependent and co-dependent”, so good data matters.
77% of organisations say they are planning to embed ‘internet of things’ technologies into equipment by the end of 2025[1].
Tracking energy is easier than it used to be
With improvements in energy technologies, tracking your energy use is easier than it once was.
To understand your energy usage and improve your control over your energy consumption, consider an energy management platform from British Gas Business.
Or for more basic energy tracking, consider smart meters – which keep track of how much energy you use, while avoiding the need to take meter readings.
If you are already a British Gas Business customer, register for an online account here.
[1] Your business guide to pursuing net zero, UK & Ireland bar: page 11.
The views, opinions and positions expressed within the British Gas Business Blog are those of the author alone and do not represent those of British Gas. The accuracy, completeness and validity of any statements made within this blog are not guaranteed. British Gas accepts no liability for any errors, omissions or representations. The copyright in the content within the British Gas Business Blog belongs to the authors of such content and any liability with regards to infringement of intellectual property rights remains with them. See the Fuel mix used to generate our electricity. Read about making a complaint about your business energy.
