Business

Taking green steps to success

When new business legislation comes into play it can be difficult to get your head around the logistics. But when it’s an environmental initiative it’s more important than ever to ensure you comply. A ‘green-thinking’ company is a smarter business of the future, explains Katie Greenhalgh from Investors in the Environment (iiE) Consultancy

Launched in September 2014, the Energy Saving Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is the government’s new mandatory energy assessment and energy saving identification scheme that large businesses must comply with. If you are a big business with more than 250 employees, or with an annual turnover exceeding €50 million and a balance sheet exceeding €43 million, or a corporate group that meets either of the first two criteria, then it is vital you meet the requirements.

What does this mean for your business? Well, it requires you to carry out the following three actions: 1. Measure your total energy consumption (buildings, transport, industrial activities). 2. Conduct an energy audit to identify cost-effective energy efficiency recommendations. This must be through an ESOS compliant audit, a Display Energy Certificate, a Green Deal Assessment, or through an ISO50001 Energy Management System. Audits can be used from as far back as December 2011 as long as they meet ESOS audit requirements. Unless an ISO50001 system is used, all audits must be conducted or reviewed by a qualified Lead Assessor, who is registered with the Environment Agency. 3. Report compliance to the Environment Agency by the deadline of 5 December 2015.

‘It isn’t actually essential that you implement the energy efficiency actions the audit identifies,’ explains Katie Greenhalgh, the ESOS Lead Assessor from iiE Consultancy. ‘But obviously this is where you will see the benefits through reducing energy use and saving your business money!’ Once you have met the deadline of 5 December 2015, you will be required to submit new evidence every four years. Failure to notify the Environment Agency of compliance by the required date will lead to a fixed penalty of £5,000 and/or an additional £500 per day starting on the day after the date of compliance until notification is completed. There are also similar penalties for not maintaining adequate records to demonstrate compliance, not completing an audit and so on.

iiE Consultancy
iiE Consultancy offers a range of services designed to meet the needs of the business community. It has saved businesses over £360,000 in the last year alone, which is an average saving of over £8000 per business, or 10 times the average cost of the services. As part of the charity Peterborough Environment City Trust (PECT), iiE Consultancy is a not-forprofit support service that strives to achieve significant improvements in the environmental performance of the businesses it supports.

Get expert guidance!
iiE Consultancy has registered as one of the few Lead Assessors in the region, who can conduct and sign off ESOS audits in 2015. If you need to comply with the scheme, then please get in touch for expert advice, guidance, and to book in your audit before the deadline of 5 December 2015.

Contact iiE Consultancy on 01733 882549 for a free no-obligation quote or email . You can also visit the website www.iie.uk.com/consultancy for more information.

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