Industrial organisations are under growing pressure to control energy costs, strengthen resilience and deliver credible decarbonisation plans. We spoke with Nick Langlois, Head of Sales for Ireland and NW Europe at EM3, about the trends shaping energy management in 2026, the technologies creating the greatest opportunities, and why a joined-up, data-led strategy is now essential for long-term business performance…
Tell us about EM3, its services and the value it brings to industrial organisations.
EM3 is an independent, engineering-led energy management and advisory partner for energy-intensive organisations. We help clients understand what is really happening across their sites, identify where energy is being wasted, and translate technical findings into clear, investable business cases. Our support spans energy audits, decarbonisation roadmaps, metering and data analysis, ISO 50001 gap analysis and implementation, engineering design, commissioning, M&V, utility studies and optimisation, long-term carbon roadmap stewardship, and end-to-end grant support for schemes such as ESOS, SECR and CCA.
A key differentiator is that EM3 stays involved beyond the audit. We connect operational, engineering, finance and sustainability teams, helping clients move from site-level insight to practical implementation and measurable, sustained results.
What are the main trends you are expecting to see in the market in 2026?
The biggest shift will be the continued movement from isolated energy projects towards integrated, site-wide strategies. Businesses are looking at energy efficiency, electrification, onsite renewable generation, green procurement, resilience, compliance and capital planning as connected decisions rather than separate workstreams. We will also see greater demand for reliable operational data. Organisations need clear visibility of Significant Energy Users, baselines and performance indicators so they can prioritise investment, prove savings and avoid building inefficiency into future projects.
What have been the biggest challenges the Energy Management industry has faced over the past 12 months?
One of the biggest challenges has been helping businesses move from ambition to delivery. Many organisations have strong sustainability targets, but projects can stall because data is fragmented, responsibilities are unclear or the business case has not been expressed in terms that finance and senior leadership can act on. Energy teams are also navigating changing regulation, pressure on capital and competing operational priorities. The challenge is not simply finding opportunities; it is sequencing them properly, securing internal alignment and maintaining performance after implementation.
And what have been the biggest opportunities?
The opportunity is to treat energy as a strategic business asset. Better data, stronger energy management systems and well-developed business cases allow organisations to reduce cost and carbon while improving resilience and competitiveness.
Technologies such as heat pumps, controls optimisation, metering, onsite generation and storage can all play a role, but the strongest results come when they are assessed as part of a wider roadmap built around the site’s real operating conditions, growth plans and available capital.
What technology is going to have the biggest impact on the market this year?
The biggest impact will come from the combination of granular metering, connected energy data and intelligent controls. No single technology solves every site’s challenge. What matters is giving teams the visibility to understand where demand occurs, identify avoidable consumption and test how different interventions will affect cost, carbon and capacity. That foundation supports better decisions on heat pumps, electrification, cooling, onsite generation, storage and other capital projects. The rollout of industrial heat pumps is accelerating, along with that comes grid capacity constraint issues. These projects need to be incorporated holistically to reduce this impact by also considering potential heat and cooling energy recovery projects in tandem.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learnt about the Energy Management sector?
The most surprising thing is often how much opportunity remains hidden in familiar systems. A site can have experienced engineering teams and established processes, yet their focus is on production targets and uptime. While separate teams, one step removed from the factory floor, are tasked with achieving energy or sustainability goals. The key is to bring these teams together and provide insights, recommendations and solutions that support all priorities.
What is the biggest priority for the Energy Management industry in 2026?
The priority is execution. The industry has built strong awareness around efficiency and decarbonisation, but organisations now need practical roadmaps that turn targets into funded, deliverable projects. That means establishing a credible baseline, prioritising the right actions, developing defensible business cases and maintaining accountability through design, delivery and ongoing measurement. The goal should be measurable, lasting performance rather than a collection of disconnected initiatives.
You go to the bar at the Energy Management Summit – what’s your tipple of choice?
Guinness.
What’s the most exciting thing about your job?
The most exciting part is working with different industrial businesses and seeing how different organisations have different challenges and structures. Every site has different constraints, priorities and opportunities, so the work is about listening, understanding how the operation really functions and bringing the right technical and commercial people together. It is particularly rewarding when an initial conversation develops into a long-term programme that delivers measurable savings, enables investment and helps the client build a more resilient, competitive operation.
