Pioneering building raises the standard

More than 40 % of the energy consumption in Finland is consumed in buildings. Accordingly, buildings have an important role in tackling climate change. A common problem is that owners do not know the energy consumption of their buildings due to lack of data and analysis tools. Even if there are measurements, only 10 % of the gathered data is further used for making decisions. Analytics could substantially improve the productivity of, for example, a standard building automation system.

Making the most of a vital resource

When low impact is a very good thing

Less waste, more profit

• Sandwich-maker targets food waste to save money
• A review reveals up to 80 % of waste can be recycled or reused

By selling leftovers from sandwich and wrap production, Dublin-based food-maker Freshways saves € 7 000 and earns an additional € 8 000 a year in a clear win-win for the company and the environment.

The big sustainable swap

• Sustainable solutions introduced by major catering services company
• The move away from single-use cups leads to big savings and environmental gains

Sodexo provides catering services to a large IT company based in Cork, Ireland which employs around 2 000 people. Every year, around 1.2 million paper cups were being used and then sent to landfill. Altogether, it cost about € 120 000 a year. 

Pressure goes down, savings go up

• Meat processor identifies excess water consumption during cleaning
• Calculations reveal where savings could be made but the end result maintained

An audit of water and energy usage at a Midlands pork meat processing factory revealed that a vast amount of hot water is being used to clean equipment on a daily basis. Typically, cleaning involves the use of high-pressure (triggered) hoses that spray hot water at temperatures ranging from 55º C to 65º C.

Solving two problems at once

Cold truths about hot water 

Sweet taste of success

• Sugar factory optimises its whole energy management systems
• Measures identified and implemented result in € 272 000 in annual savings

Illintsi Sugar Factory produces 10 800 tonnes of sugar every year in what is considered an energy-demanding sector; it requires about 50 000 MWh of energy and  228 600 m3 of water. 

A review of the company's energy management practices led to a decision to modernise its processes to reduce waste heat (steam). This involved: