How energy literacy is good for your organisation

Probably the biggest challenge for energy companies today is that of maintaining supply for rising energy demand while simultaneously reducing carbon emissions.

To do this, energy companies need to have a full understanding of the role of energy in our lives, its sources and uses. We often refer to this as energy literacy, and it’s not just something energy companies should pay attention to. Businesses and organisations should also have a full understanding of energy literacy to reap the benefits it can bring.

First of all, what is energy literacy?

In a nutshell, it’s the understanding of energy in society, from where it comes from to the impact our energy choices will have on future generations. An energy literate person will appreciate how they use energy in their environment and will be in tune with their energy consumption. With this knowledge, one can learn how to reduce the energy usage within an organisation.

But what does being energy literate actually mean?

The first and most commonly-known advantage of energy efficiency is cost reduction. Everyone knows that you can save on energy bills by consuming less energy, but an energy literate person knows much more than this; an energy literate person knows which areas of their organisation to target for the best results, and where most of the wasted energy is originating from. Energy literacy means understanding energy efficiency, and energy efficiency means conservation. An organisation should be aiming to reduce waste, use energy more efficiently, and make the right decisions regarding their energy usage, but this can’t be done if said organisation has no idea where the energy is being used or to what degree.

Why should an organisation be energy literate?

Changing how you use energy can offer immediate savings on your energy bill, but knowing what kind of energy you use and if there are more efficient and environmentally-friendly energy options can have a lasting effect on your organisation, not to mention the world. Whatever market or sector you fall into, we should all be taking environmental factors into consideration. With less energy consumption comes a smaller carbon footprint and fewer carbon emissions. This puts less strain on depleting natural resources and offers a generally brighter future, a factor that will have a positive impact on your audiences’ perception of you and your organisation.

One of the key principles of energy literacy is that the quality of life for people and society is directly affected by the energy choices we make. These choices will have a direct impact on the future of your audience, and that choice will be recognised. Energy literacy allows you to see all your options, their advantages and their consequences, helping you to make the right choice for you and your community.

It’s not just about implementing these energy saving measures, it’s also about imparting the knowledge onto others and encouraging them to engage. At work, you can demonstrate the benefits to employees or, if at a school, you can educate children to become more energy literate. This isn’t just good for your organisation, but for the people you work with. A study by the National Energy Foundation suggested that four out of five people are interested in reducing the energy they use, so it shouldn’t even be a difficult sell! By becoming energy literate within your organisation, you can inspire others to join you.

So how can you become more energy literate?

It’s all about education at every level within your organisation. A good start would be to become a Low Energy Company (LEC), which means having at least 30% of the people in the organisation training in energy efficiency management.

Being an energy literate organisation is about understanding energy right now and making choices that have a positive impact on your organisation and society as a whole. Choosing to ignore where your energy comes from could prove to be an expensive decision, so keep up to date with energy updates and information at our Energy News page, and feel free to contact us if you have any questions.