“By working to the new standard for energy audits, we were able to implement a standardized, clear process for delivering consistent audits.”

Sam MooreEnergy Services PartnerEDF Energy

Benefits from using the standard

For EDF Energy:

• A more structured and consistent approach to conducting energy audits

• More effi cient processes

• Client confi dence that the energy audit is best practice and value for money

• Greater client satisfaction with the outcomes of the audit

For the Marine Biological Association:

• A well defi ned process, clearly communicated

• Early involvement of key decision-makers, leading to quicker decisions on investment for implementing energy saving measures

• A projected overall annual energy saving of 17 per cent, with a four-year payback

• Projected carbon savings of46 tonnes per year

Using BS EN 16247-1 to structure a better energy audit process and help realize signifi cant carbon and cost reductions

BSI Case Study EDF Energy and Marine Biological Association BS EN 16247-1 Energy audits. General requirements

Following the BS EN 16247-1 standard, EDF Energy delivered an energy audit for the Marine Biological Association (MBA).

BSI Case Study EDF Energy and Marine Biological Association BS EN 16247-1 Energy audits. General requirements

Why use BS EN 16247-1?

EDF Energy is one of the UK’s largest home and business energy suppliers. Its Energy Services team helps business customers save energy, money and emissions by delivering programmes of energy conservation measures. The first step is to conduct an energy audit to identify what measures are appropriate, and where the largest savings can be made. The EDF Energy team chose to work with the new BS EN 16247-1 standard both as a way to check and improve its current audit processes, and as a means to assure to its client that they were receiving a high quality, cost-effective audit.

The Marine Biological Association (MBA) is a charity, and a leading marine biological research organization that has earned an international reputation for excellence and research innovation. For its part, the MBA wanted to find out the available opportunities to reduce its carbon emissions and its energy costs.

Conducting the energy audit

In 2013 the MBA asked EDF Energy to conduct an energy audit at its Plymouth Laboratory. The site has a number of key buildings that include a main office block, laboratories and the National Marine Biological Library. The building utilization and the energy intensity at the site are relatively low, but as an ecological charity, the MBA wanted to understand what could be done to reduce its site’s carbon emissions and energy costs.

EDF Energy’s audit involved six days of work, including a site visit which consisted of an assessment and review of the energy usage on the site and the identification of

opportunities for improving energy efficiency. Following the site visit the EDF Energy engineers analysed the data and developed a report on the results that was presented in person to the MBA.

The audit identified that the key consumers of energy were lighting, IT rooms (servers and air conditioning), and fridges and freezers. Subsequently, six improvement measures were presented back to the MBA, three of which required no investment to produce energy savings. The other three measures covered insulation; energy monitoring and behaviour change; and solar photovoltaics (PV). The identified measures were calculated to provide an overall annual energy saving of 17 per cent of the current energy bill, with a payback of four years, and carbon savings of 46 tonnes per year.

How using the standard made a difference

EDF Energy chose to use BS EN 16247-1 because the standard gave the Energy Services team an opportunity to revisit its internal processes and redefine them in line with suggested best practice. An initial gap analysis identified areas for immediate improvement and subsequently, using BS EN 16247-1 as a guide, the team standardized the stages both in their internal processes and in the final product.

By using BS EN 16247-1, EDF Energy provided MBA with a clear process for delivering the audit. This included a teleconferenced start-up meeting which gave EDF Energy both the chance to introduce its Energy Engineer at an early stage in the process, and to resolve any issues before visiting the site.

About BS EN 16247-1 BS EN 16247-1 is a European standard that sets out the best way to conduct an effective energy audit. Energy audits are an important tool for any organization that wants to understand its current energy use and reduce consumption. Audits can also help organizations meet increasing energy and environmental obligations.

The standard was written with input from recognized energy experts. It defines the attributes of a good quality energy audit, from clarifying the best approach in terms of scope, aims and thoroughness, to ensuring clarity and transparency.

Of course for many years there’s been a range of interpretations of how energy audits can best be done. What BS EN 16247-1 supplies is a consistent and reliable approach, so that recommendations can be implemented with total confidence.

BS EN 16247-1 is appropriate for all organizations regardless of size or industry sector. It provides a management tool for energy, sustainability and environmental managers, as well as for auditors, consultants and senior management interested in targeting energy efficiency, both for commercial and environmental benefits. It also complements the internationally recognized energy management system standard, ISO 50001, and can be used to undertake a comprehensive energy review.

BSI Case Study EDF Energy and Marine Biological Association BS EN 16247-1 Energy audits. General requirements

The process also provided for different ways of communicating with the client. For example, the team engaged the MBA from the beginning on their reasons for the audit and their objectives. Templates and checklists were used to ensure consistency, and that processes were being followed. It led to on-going reviews with the client, and a final presentation of the results that included the MBA’s key stakeholders.

EDF Energy found that the standard gave a structure for it to request information from the client – previously found to be one of the more challenging parts of the energy audit. It also meant that the team felt more comfortable requesting information at an earlier stage. This ultimately benefitted the MBA too as the whole process ran more efficiently.

“The standard reduced unnecessary delays waiting for the right people to have the right information.”

EDF Energy noted that the most beneficial part of working with the standard was getting key stakeholders involved from the beginning. This helped ensure that timely decisions were made, and resulted in a more streamlined process for both parties.

Overall the standard made sure that the output from the energy audit provided value to the MBA and helped it determine its strategy for managing energy efficiency going forward. “Identifying opportunities alone doesn’t realize tangible savings for

our clients. They need to choose which measure to implement and then manage a programme to do so,” noted Sam Moore, Energy Services Partner at EDF Energy. “Too often,” he continued, “the Energy Manager struggles to get investment in projects, even where the numbers clearly show savings.” The process suggested by the standard reduced unnecessary delays waiting for the right people to have the right information.

Benefits from using BS EN 16247-1

The standard brought much more consistency to EDF Energy’s audit process and inspired the team to improve their processes further. There is now greater communication with the client, greater sharing of information, and client feedback is requested on the process and finished product. The standard also led EDF Energy to put much more focus on helping its client push projects through internally – helping bridge the traditional barrier between energy managers and financial decision makers.

Overall the MBA was very impressed with the expertise of EDF Energy’s engineers, with the way the audit was delivered, and the thorough approach taken to considering a wide range of energy saving opportunities. Jon Parr, Deputy Director of the MBA, said: “The service delivered was very professional and the ongoing client contact throughout provided us with reassurance that the results would match our expectation, and confirmed we were getting value for money.”

“It provided us with reassurance that the results would match our expectation, and confirmed we were getting value for money.”

The Energy Services team at EDF Energy now conducts its energy audits in line with BS EN 16247-1. The actual audit has not changed, but the process and end-product have greatly improved the customer experience, as evidenced by the positive feedback received to date.

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BSI Case Study EDF Energy and Marine Biological Association BS EN 16247-1 Energy audits. General requirements

This case study was enabled by the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills as part of its ongoing commitment to supporting innovation in the UK.

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The EU’s Energy Efficiency DirectiveThe EU is not currently on track to meet its target of reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent by 2020. As a result it introduced an Energy Efficiency Directive in 2012. The Directive imposes a duty on energy utilities to encourage end-users to cut their energy consumption through efficiency improvements. It also requires large companies (firms with 250 employees or more) to do an energy audit every four years.

About BSI StandardsBSI is the UK’s National Standards Body and represents UK economic and social interests across all European and international standards organizations and in the development of business information solutions for British organizations of all sizes and sectors. BSI is responsible for originating many of the world’s most popular management systems standards and publishes over 2,500 standards annually. These standards address the most pressing issues of today from clear billing to energy management and disability access to nanotechnology; spanning sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare, IT and retail. BSI’s standards are underpinned by a collaborative and rigorous approach, working with industry experts, government bodies, trade associations, businesses of all sizes and consumers to develop the standards for excellence.

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About BSIBSI (British Standards Institution) is the business standards company that equips businesses with the necessary solutions to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. Formed in 1901, BSI was the world’s first National Standards Body and a founding member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). Over a century later it continues to facilitate business improvement across the globe by helping its clients drive performance, manage risk and grow sustainably through the adoption of international management systems standards, many of which BSI originated. Renowned for its marks of excellence including the consumer recognized BSI Kitemark™, BSI’s influence spans multiple sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare, IT and retail. With over 73,000 clients in 150 countries, BSI is an organization whose standards inspire excellence across the globe.