You're considering energy-efficient upgrades. How do you convince stakeholders of the long-term benefits?

Energy-efficient upgrades can lead to significant cost savings on energy bills over time. Do an initial cost-benefit analysis to quantify the upfront costs of the upgrades versus the projected energy cost savings. This will help stakeholders visualise the return on investment of the upgrades. High energy costs combined with relatively low interest rates makes 3rd party financing an attractive option where funds are not available. Repayments can be structured to give an immediate cashflow benefit where the energy savings exceed the repayments.

In my opinion, explaining cost saving opportunities without having a strong evidence of funding and incentives from government is pointless. Today people are struggling for their daily expenses, how can we ask them to think about sustainability goals and its excessive costs and other challenges? I believe governments must take the first steps first and provide strong incentives for them and then expect them to set their ambitious sustainability goals.

Energy efficiency = Energy usage avoided = Less energy consumed = less cost = lower electricity bills Energy efficiency upgrades and installments come with upfront costs which pay themselves off over time, after which all savings are money in pocket. Subsidies and credits are available for energy efficiency upgrades.

Energy-efficient buildings are more attractive to tenants and buyers, which can lead to higher property values. Also in the UK legislation has been introduced banning the renting out of poorly rated energy efficient commercial buildings.

Energy efficient buildings = Well-sealed building envelope + higher efficiency HVAC systems + smart demand response technology like smart thermostats Better functioning and high efficiency buildings are higher-value properties.

I believe nowadays most people and stakeholders are aware of operational carbon emission and they know how to set their sustainability goals, however they might not be aware of embodied GHG emission. We need campaigns to enhance public awareness about embodied emissions and to encourage manufacturers to produce low embodied emission productions and last but not least, it is governments responsibility to supply a green electricity for people, then industries and people can take advantage of sustainable EL resources and reduce their operational carbon footprint too.

- Lower energy bills, lower energy consumed for processes will reduce operating costs and maintenance costs. Thus, increasing profits.

Get buy-in from all stakeholders by talking to everyone who will be affected by the upgrades, from facilities managers to employees. Address any concerns they may have and get their input on the project. Keep the focus on the long-term benefits as while the upfront costs of energy-efficient upgrades may seem high, the long-term savings can be significant. Be sure to factor in the cost of energy inflation over time when making your calculations.