| Green Energy - Chamber points the way |
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Government figures suggest 20 per cent of energy used by all organisations is wasted, so it is crucially important to raise their environmental performance and reduce waste to save money. This is especially important given new regulations such as the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive and the Carbon Reduction Commitment which penalise poor energy performers. One of the best starting points is a Carbon Trust on-site audit, which is available free to qualifying companies through the authorised consultancy Chamber UtilitiesTM. The service is delivered by Utility Auditing, part of ENER-G Plc, which provides a range of end-to-end engineering solutions to business, including energy management, combined heat & power (CHP) systems and geothermal technology that taps solar energy absorbed by the earth. Chamber members can benefit from an integrated approach including consultancy, procurement and smart metering, as well as online energy and utilities data  management systems that optimise energy use. One of the hi-tech solutions available is the Virtual Energy Manager (VEM) system, which cuts costs and reduces carbon footprints by improving the energy performance of buildings making them more comfortable.. Combining an internet-based portal, automatic meter reading and SeaChange building energy management systems, VEM is a single platform for managing every part of an organisation's energy use. ENER-G's Combined Heat & Power (CHP) operations are at the forefront of cogeneration technology after installing more than 1,000 CHP units. CHP technology enables organisations to generate their own electricity, radically reducing carbon emissions. This method is highly energy efficient (85 per cent) as it recovers heat created in the electricity generation process and avoids transmission losses because the energy is generated locally. In conventional power stations, which are only 30 per cent efficient, this heat is wasted because it disappears into the atmosphere. Instead, leisure centres can use it to provide heating and hot water. ENER-G's geothermal energy arm, Ground Source Solutions Limited, supplies heat pumps that harness solar energy absorbed by the earth and transfer it to buildings to provide renewable power for heating, cooling and domestic hot water. The business also supplies air source and water source heat pumps. For further information contact Chamber UtilitiesTM on 0845 120 2423, www.chamberutilities.co.uk |
