What happens during a business energy audit?

Rather than looking at energy bills alone, an audit can assess how buildings, equipment and day-to-day operations contribute to energy use. The findings can then be used to prioritise improvements according to their potential impact, cost and available investment.

Green Economy provides resource and energy efficiency reviews as part of its sustainability consultancy, using monitoring data and heat-imaging tools to assess energy use, building fabric and resource efficiency.

Key takeaways

• A business energy audit helps identify where energy is being consumed and where efficiency could be improved.
• An audit can involve reviewing energy data alongside an assessment of buildings, equipment and operational practices.
• The findings can be turned into practical recommendations that consider potential savings, costs and investment requirements.

What is a business energy audit?

A business energy audit is a structured assessment of how an organisation uses energy.

The purpose is to establish where energy is being consumed, identify areas of inefficiency and find practical opportunities to improve performance.

The exact scope will depend on the organisation. A business operating an energy-intensive manufacturing site will have different requirements from an office, retailer or hospitality business.

Green Economy's consultants have experience supporting businesses across sectors including manufacturing, engineering, construction, logistics, hospitality, retail and leisure, as well as service-led organisations.

What happens before the energy audit?

An effective audit starts by understanding the business and its objectives.

This can include discussing how the organisation operates, the challenges it faces and what it wants to achieve through improved energy efficiency.

Existing energy information can also provide an important starting point. Consumption data helps establish current performance and gives the consultant evidence to use when investigating where savings may be possible.

Green Economy describes the first stage of its consultancy process as discovery, where a business advisor gets to know the organisation and its goals before recommendations are developed.

Reviewing your energy consumption

Understanding existing energy use is central to the audit.

Depending on the organisation and available information, this can involve reviewing monitoring data to understand consumption and identify areas that warrant closer investigation.

Patterns in energy use can reveal opportunities that may otherwise be difficult to spot. They can also provide a baseline against which future improvements can be assessed.

Green Economy specifically uses monitoring data within its resource and energy efficiency reviews, combining this information with an assessment of the business itself.

Assessing the business on site

An on-site assessment allows the consultant to understand how energy is being used in practice.

The areas considered will depend on the premises and operations, but the assessment can examine the building fabric, resource efficiency and energy-consuming activities.

Green Economy also uses heat-imaging tools as part of its resource and energy efficiency reviews. These can provide additional information when assessing the energy performance of a building.

The aim is to combine operational observations with energy data to develop a more useful picture of where improvements could be made.

Identifying energy-saving opportunities

Once energy use has been assessed, the next stage is identifying practical improvements.

Some opportunities may involve relatively straightforward operational changes. Others could require investment in more efficient equipment, improvements to the building or green technology.

Green Economy's own case studies show this process in practice. Its audit work has identified measures including LED lighting, improved heating controls and draught exclusion, alongside other energy efficiency recommendations.

Recommendations should reflect the circumstances of the individual business rather than applying the same measures to every organisation.

What does an energy audit report include?

The findings of the audit should give the business a clearer basis for deciding what to do next.

Green Economy states that following its resource and energy efficiency audit, its team develops a tailored carbon reduction strategy based on the organisation's objectives. The resulting independent report is designed to help businesses prioritise actions according to available cost, resources and investment.

This is important because the most effective action is not necessarily the one with the largest theoretical saving. Businesses also need to consider affordability, feasibility and their capacity to implement the recommendation.

How are potential projects prioritised?

An audit can uncover several opportunities at once, so businesses need a practical way to decide which actions to take first.

Low or no-cost measures may offer opportunities for relatively quick improvements, while larger investments may require further planning, procurement or funding.

Green Economy's approach focuses on identifying high-impact actions that can be developed into practical projects. Its consultancy process also includes reviewing performance and reprioritising activities according to where the greatest impact can be achieved.

This allows energy efficiency improvements to become part of a longer-term sustainability strategy rather than a one-off exercise.

What happens after a business energy audit?

Completing the audit does not reduce energy consumption by itself. The value comes from acting on the findings.

Businesses should review the recommendations, identify achievable priorities and determine what resources will be required to implement them.

Some actions can potentially be handled internally, while projects involving new technologies or specialist installations may require external suppliers.

Performance should then be monitored so the organisation can understand whether implemented measures are delivering the expected results and where further action may be worthwhile.

Can an energy audit lead to green technology investment?

An audit may identify opportunities where investment in renewable or energy-efficient technology could improve performance.

Before proceeding, businesses should consider feasibility, costs, expected savings and return on investment.

Green Economy provides independent and impartial support for green technology decisions, including supplier sourcing and quote comparison. Its consultants can help businesses assess technologies and supplier proposals before committing to an investment.

This can help organisations move from identifying an opportunity during the audit to making an informed decision about implementation.

How often should a business review its energy use?

Energy performance should not be considered only once.

Business operations change, energy prices fluctuate and new technologies become available. Measures implemented following an audit can also alter where the next opportunities for improvement lie.

Regular monitoring and performance reviews can help organisations understand whether actions are working and identify where priorities need to change.

Green Economy's consultancy model includes a review stage specifically focused on assessing performance against actions and adjusting plans to prioritise activities offering the greatest impact.

Why a business energy audit is a practical starting point

A business energy audit provides evidence businesses can use to move from wanting to improve energy efficiency to understanding what practical action to take.

By combining energy data with an assessment of the organisation's buildings and operations, businesses can identify inefficiencies and develop a more informed approach to reducing consumption.

Green Economy's published case studies demonstrate this in practice. One on-site energy audit identified operational gaps and quick wins before the business received recommendations designed to reduce both carbon emissions and operating costs.

How Green Economy can help

Green Economy's sustainability consultancy includes resource and energy efficiency reviews designed to assess energy use, building fabric and resource efficiency using monitoring data and heat-imaging tools.

Following the audit, Green Economy can develop a tailored carbon reduction strategy and independent report, helping businesses prioritise actions according to cost, resources and investment. Its wider decarbonisation support can help organisations turn identified opportunities into practical action.