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1st MPU

WATER MANAGEMENT MONTH: Beyond the Dripping Tap: How modern solutions are saving businesses money and the planet

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
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For Energy Management professionals, the quest for greater efficiency extends beyond just kilowatt-hours. Water usage, a hidden source of energy consumption, is increasingly under the spotlight. Here’s where commercial water management solutions come in, helping businesses not only save money on water bills but also contribute to environmental sustainability, based on inout from attendees at the Energy Management Summit…

The Efficiency Equation:

Commercial water management solutions encompass a range of strategies and technologies to monitor, manage, and ultimately reduce water consumption. Here’s how they contribute to overall efficiency:

  • Leak Detection and Repair: Even small leaks can lead to significant water waste and wasted energy needed for heating or pumping water. Smart water meters and leak detection technologies can pinpoint leaks quickly, allowing for prompt repairs and substantial cost savings.
  • Water-Efficient Fixtures and Appliances: Modern toilets, showerheads, taps, and even dishwashers use significantly less water compared to older models. Retrofitting facilities with water-efficient appliances or implementing water-saving features can reduce water demand dramatically.
  • Process Water Optimisation: Many businesses use large volumes of water in industrial processes. Water management solutions analyse water usage patterns and identify areas for optimisation. This could involve implementing closed-loop systems, reusing treated wastewater, or using rainwater harvesting systems.
  • Behavioural Change Programs: Raising employee awareness about water conservation is crucial. Engaging campaigns and educational initiatives can encourage responsible water use behaviours throughout the workplace.

The Benefits Beyond Cost Savings:

The impact of commercial water management solutions extends beyond reduced water bills:

  • Reduced Energy Consumption: Heating water accounts for a significant portion of a building’s energy consumption. By reducing water usage, businesses also decrease the energy needed to heat it.
  • Improved Environmental Sustainability: With water scarcity becoming a global concern, minimising water consumption is crucial for businesses looking to reduce their environmental footprint and enhance their sustainability credentials.
  • Regulatory Compliance: The UK government is implementing stricter regulations on water usage. Water management solutions help businesses stay compliant and avoid potential fines.

The Future of Water Management in the UK:

The world of commercial water management in the UK is evolving rapidly, with exciting advancements shaping the future:

  • Smart Metering and Data Analytics: Real-time water usage data and predictive analytics will provide deeper insights into water consumption patterns, allowing for more targeted water-saving strategies.
  • Internet of Things (IoT) Integration: Sensors and smart devices integrated with building management systems will offer remote monitoring and automated water-saving measures.
  • Water Recycling and Reuse: Greywater recycling systems and advanced water treatment technologies will lead to greater water reuse within commercial buildings.
  • Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI can analyse water usage data and suggest optimised strategies for water conservation, paving the way for more efficient and automated water management systems.

Commercial water management solutions are an essential tool for Energy Management professionals. By reducing water consumption, businesses not only save money and contribute to sustainability goals but also demonstrate a commitment to responsible resource use. With a focus on cutting-edge technologies and data-driven approaches, the future of water management promises a future of efficient and environmentally conscious operations. Remember, every drop saved is a step towards a more sustainable future.

Are you searching for Water Management Services for your organisation? The Energy Management Summit can help!

Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash

Advances on ESG could be undermined by compliance failures within the supply chain

 960 640 Stuart O'Brien
By:

As businesses continue to develop the application of robust ESG standards into everyday operations, efforts could be undermined by compliance failures within their supply chain.

That’s according to new research published today by independent UK law firm Burges Salmon. In order to gauge how UK companies are reporting on the full ESG value chain of their operations, Burges Salmon surveyed over 360 business leaders across the Energy and Utilities, Technology, Built Environment, Transport and Healthcare sectors, to shed light on how prepared businesses are to meet their supply chain-related ESG disclosure obligations, set to be further tightened by a raft of new legislation, including the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive.

The report – Supply chain ESG disclosure – is your business ready? –  reveals that 32% of all businesses surveyed are completely unprepared to meet their ESG supply chain disclosure obligations and among those, only 29%, fewer than 3 in 10, believe their organisation fully understands the legislative and regulatory landscape governing ESG corporate disclosure.

Michael Barlow, partner and Head of ESG at Burges Salmon, says: “UK companies must first prove their commitment to ESG by complying with a range of mandatory disclosure obligations. Ensuring business partners meet ESG standards requires investment, resources and constant monitoring, and it is clear from our research that most companies still have some way to go.”

Notably, the report shows that it is large companies that are not as prepared as they should be, with only 45% of respondents confirming that they have a dedicated team that deals with ESG related matters. Similarly, only 43% of respondents in these companies say their organisation fully understands the legislative and regulatory ESG risks their supply chain may give rise to.

By contrast, evidence from the research shines a light on small and medium sized businesses as those able to provide greater levels of influence in successfully meeting their ESG compliance obligations, with 75% of respondents from this group claiming their organisation fully understands the legislative landscape.

“A small organisation might have more limited disclosure obligations and can be quite on top of it. For large organisations, obligations are more complicated, particularly if they operate across different jurisdictions. What’s more, if ESG teams are too remote from day-to-day operations, there is a danger that ESG remains on the periphery of business priorities” adds Barlow.

With research insights from across five sectors, the findings seem to position the Energy and Utilities sector firmly as the leader of the pack, with 68% of those surveyed saying their company’s ESG commitments and those of its supply chain are well aligned, and two thirds of respondents also claiming to have someone at senior level monitoring ESG policies, procedures, and compliance with regards to the supply chain.

James Phillips, partner and Head of Energy at Burges Salmon, comments: “In terms of the larger established energy and utilities companies, I think there is a high level of sophistication, expertise and understanding of what it is they need to be doing, and how to approach implementation.”

That is not to say the sector isn’t facing challenges and the data points to a number of areas where sharper focus is needed – in fact, 46% of respondents in the sector say their company has developed a code of conduct in respect of ESG matters that is adhered to by the supply chain, and only 47% say their organisation has detailed procedures in place to assess the ESG compliance of prospective supply chain companies.

Conversely, the Healthcare sector is the one at most risk of non-compliance and the least prepared of all sectors surveyed. Indeed, almost a third of respondents, 31%, say their organisation doesn’t fully understand the legislative and regulatory ESG risks their supply chain may give rise to, and over a quarter, 27%, say robust verification of the ESG data provided by the supply chain isn’t always taking place.

Meanwhile, research data from other sectors surveyed show that some are in a good position to meet corporate disclosure obligations in relation to their supply chain, but more work needs to be done. In fact, only 22% and 14% of respondents from the Technology and Built Environment sectors respectively say their supplier contracts have been adapted to enable them to gather the required ESG information, and nearly 25% of those surveyed in the Transport sector say their organisation doesn’t fully understand the legislative and regulatory ESG risk its supply chain may give rise to.

Highlighting Scotland as the UK nation that is most prepared, the report goes on to explain that it is factors such as the size of the Energy sector, particularly renewables, low carbon industries and the traditional oil and gas sector, that is accelerating its transition, which are all driving this upward trend.

Malcolm Donald, a partner in Burges Salmon’s Edinburgh office says: “Through the conversations I’ve had with clients based in Scotland, I’ve noticed that much of the ESG focus has always been on the environment, but there’s certainly much more focus on social and governance now and I think that has been driven by internal stakeholders. The other thing that clients are recognising, is that it is no longer just about what they do, but it’s about making sure that their supply chain is doing the same thing in a demonstrable way.”