Practical tips for energy managers

James S Murray
clock

BusinessGreen and Global Action Plan reveal how some of the UK's top energy managers are pioneering new techniques for cutting energy bills and carbon emissions

Reducing corporate energy use is often easier said than done. Management intransigence, tight budgets and dismissive colleagues can make it difficult for organisations to improve their energy efficiency, even when significant financial and environmental savings are on offer.

However, a number of tried and tested techniques and technologies have been shown to help organisations of all shapes and sizes to reduce their energy use and improve their environmental performance. Environmental charity Global Action Plan has pulled together many of these successful approaches to energy efficiency improvement and employee engagement gathered over its 20 years of leading environmental behaviour change.

The organisation recently ran a day-long course for energy managers and those with influence of bills such as FM contract managers, supported by funding from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). The training reached 180 managers across the country, in workplaces with an annual energy expenditure of approximately £750m.

Working in partnership with Global Action Plan, BusinessGreen caught up with some of the energy managers involved to discover how they are embracing best practices and using new technologies and employee engagements initiatives to help enhance their energy efficiency. Each day this week we'll bring you a new in-depth case study revealing how a leading organisation is improving its energy management, starting today with the work of the Westminster Park Plaza hotel:

More on Management

Study: Firms back net zero transition - but few equipped to manage social impacts

Study: Firms back net zero transition - but few equipped to manage social impacts

Vast majority of businesses are working to tackle climate and nature impacts, but few are taking practical steps to deliver a just transition, report finds

Stuart Stone
clock 25 June 2026 • 3 min read
'The climate transition is underway': Business leaders acknowledge sustainability key to competitiveness

'The climate transition is underway': Business leaders acknowledge sustainability key to competitiveness

Major survey reveals widespread support for corporate sustainability efforts, but businesses want stronger and more consistent policy frameworks to help avoid a disorderly net zero transition

clock 22 June 2026 • 4 min read
'Ahead of the curve': 90 per cent of UK and Ireland's financial services firms have net zero target in place

'Ahead of the curve': 90 per cent of UK and Ireland's financial services firms have net zero target in place

UK financial firms among world leaders in transition planning and net zero target setting, according to EY's latest Climate Action Barometer

Stuart Stone
clock 19 June 2026 • 4 min read