ABSTRACT
The situation for individual companies is often a microcosm of the national picture. For most businesses, energy usage is the overwhelming part of their carbon footprint, so the most significant reduction they can make to their environmental impact is through reducing the carbon emissions caused by their energy consumption. For smaller businesses a less formal energy plan should be sufficient. In either case the senior management needs to appreciate the importance of a sustainable energy policy, and the benefits it can deliver. Most businesses do not own their premises and so the ability to influence the energy efficiency, and in many cases the supplies of energy at all, relies on the arrangements with the property landlord. Adopt an energy management strategy. In larger businesses this means a formal policy, perhaps under ISO 50001, D9a supported by specific work-plans.
