Climate Action - Energy

ENERGY MANAGEMENT

Essential energy management

Driving Climate Action is a strategic priority for Fáilte Ireland, and we aim to help tourism businesses play their part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Energy Management is an essential Climate Action priority for your business. It is one of the biggest ways to help your business reduce its carbon footprint, and it’s an area where you can make huge savings too.

Minimising energy consumption and replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy alternatives reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

Our advice leads to cost savings and makes your business operations more sustainable. Look out for the money symbol on the right, as we’ll use this on any cost saving advice and remember, saving energy also saves money.

Let’s get started. THE ACTIONS IN THIS GUIDE CONTRIBUTE TO THE FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS (SDGs).

This useful Carbon Calculator can help you establish the carbon footprint of your business. Find out about the Climate Toolkit 4 Business here

Energy management explained

Energy is a major outgoing in the tourism and hospitality sector, but by introducing small changes across your business, you’ll make noticeable savings and become more sustainable at the same time. Let’s explain why energy management is an important part of your Climate Action Plan.

THE CLIMATE CASE FOR REDUCING ENERGY CONSUMPTION

1 The burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal and gas contributes to global warming. Reducing consumption of energy derived from fossil fuels will reduce emissions of the greenhouse gases responsible for climate change.

2 Electricity generated using fossils fuels is inefficient with only 35% of the fuel converted to electricity. 65% is wasted as heat or lost in distribution.

3 Reducing the burning of fossil fuels reduces air pollution and increases respiratory health.

4 Less oil consumption means fewer spills, cleaner oceans, and cleaner ground water.

CLIMATE ACTION PLANNING

Energy management explained

ERRIGAL

WHY MANAGING ENERGY CONSUMPTION MAKES BUSINESS SENSE

1 It reduces costs in your business Energy is generally the biggest utility cost for hospitality and tourism businesses, but it also offers the biggest opportunity for savings. Energy costs have risen in recent years and are forecast to continue increasing above inflation, providing an incentive to focus on energy management.

2 It builds business resilience We are transitioning towards a low carbon society, and this will shape

our economy over the next decade. Our national commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 requires all sectors to reduce consumption of fossil fuels such as gas, oil and electricity generated from fossil fuels. It is important to adapt now to build long-term business resilience.

3 It may boost your business brand and reputation Your commitment to tackling climate change may boost your brand and reputation, and support your recruitment, marketing, and sales.

Jargon Buster EMISSIONS EXPLAINED

Businesses are responsible for three types of emissions, referred to as Scope, 1, 2 and 3.

Scope 1: Greenhouse Gas Emissions your business produces directly e.g., through burning fossil fuels such as gas or oil to run your heating system.

Scope 2: Greenhouse Gas Emissions your business produces indirectly e.g., when you import electricity produced by power stations burning fossil fuel.

Scope 3: All the emissions not directly owned or controlled by your business, but that you are indirectly responsible for through your supply chain e.g., through the products you buy from suppliers such as food.

This guide includes actions relating to Scope 1 and 2.

4 Your clients, customers and staff expect it Customers are aware of the implications of climate change and are demanding greener options. Taking positive action to manage energy is favourable from a consumer point of view.

Let’s talk energy management

This guide provides you with a practical and systematic approach to managing energy in your tourism and hospitality business. Let’s start with the four key steps.

Top Tip

Review your energy bills to establish consumption trends and costs, reading the bill back to front. If there is any terminology or charges that you do not understand, contact your supplier.

4 ESSENTIAL STEPS TO ENERGY MANAGEMENT

STEP 1 Understand how much energy is consumed in your business and how much it costs.

STEP 2 Identify the large energy-using equipment in your business.

STEP 3 Review, evaluate and prioritise actions.

STEP 4 Implement strategies to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and costs.

LOUGH MARDAL LODGE, BALLINTRA, CO. DONEGAL

STEP 01 Understand energy consumption and costs

Managing energy consumption and monitoring your success in reducing energy is dependent on how well you keep track of your consumption. Take a snapshot of where you are right now, before you take any further action.

In this step, there are three recommended actions:

A. Log how much energy is consumed and how much it costs.

B. Establish your energy benchmark.

C. Commit to energy monitoring.

This useful Carbon Calculator can help you establish the carbon footprint of your business. Find out about the Climate Toolkit 4 Business here

C A RBON C A LCULAT O R

A. LOG ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COSTS

The best way to track energy consumption and costs is to review your bills on a monthly or bi-monthly basis. The information on your energy bills is powerful if you take time to compile the consumption and cost figures on a regular basis. This will allow you to:  track energy consumption and prices over time

 see the average unit costs for the various energy types you use. For example, you will see that electricity costs at least four times the cost of natural gas per kWh used  compare the consumption of the various energy types for your business  spot and analyse energy consumption trends

 identify and anticipate irregular usage and usage spikes.

You may have several energy bills including electricity, natural gas, bottled or tank gas, oil, wood. The convention is to convert all energy used to the common currency of kWh (kilowatt hour) using the conversion factors in the table on the next page.

REVIEW ANNUAL ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND COSTS

CALCULATE YOUR ENERGY COSTS

The below example illustrates how this might look for a restaurant business. Annual unit figures are taken from bills or requested

from suppliers. Use annual bills to extract energy units and costs. Insert data in the table below to calculate total kWh consumed per annum per type of energy.

Annual units (from bills) Conversion factor Annual kWh (annual units x conversion factor)

Cost Saving

Prices can vary among energy suppliers. Shop around when your contract expires and check in regularly to make sure you’re not missing out on deals. New customers often get the best prices. Remember that prices often increase at the end of a contract, up to a whopping 25%!

There are lots of useful websites where you can compare prices including Bonkers.ie and check out Cru.ie to get a full list of energy suppliers.

Annual cost (from bills) Average unit cost €/kWh (annual cost divided by annual kWh)

Electricity 84,000 kWh 1 84,000 €21,000 0.25

Mains gas 0 kWh 1

Tank of bottled gas 8,928 litres 7 62,500 €5,000 0.08

Oil 12,135 litres 10.3 125,000 €10,000 0.08

Other fuels

Totals 271,500 €36,000

JOHNNIE FOX'S PUB & RESTAURANT, CO. DUBLIN

Benchmarking is an excellent method to track energy usage in your business over time. A benchmark allows you track your own performance over time and may allow you to compare your business against others in the industry.

Once you have gathered data on how much energy is consumed and what it costs, you can calculate your energy benchmark,

including the kWh per customer, per sleeper, per cover or per square metre, for example. This allows you to estimate how much energy your business consumes relative to business activity and makes your data meaningful in terms of business performance.

The amount of energy used in your business right now is your first benchmark and from this, you can track your progress internally

as you move forward on your climate journey. Remember to convert all fuel sources to kWh using the conversion factors provided.

1 Convert all energy sources to kWh.

2 Calculate total annual energy consumption in kWh.

3 Select benchmark business activity.

4 Generate energy benchmark.

Commit to energy monitoring

NATIONAL ENERGY BENCHMARK EXAMPLES

A restaurant with 15,000 covers per annum has a total energy consumption of 135,000 kWh at a cost of €36,000. This includes the total cost of electricity, gas, and oil.

ENERGY CONSUMPTION BENCHMARK = 135,000 kWh /15,000 = 9 kWh PER COVER

ENERGY COST BENCHMARK = €36,000/15,000 = €2.4 PER COVER

The most recent national energy benchmark for Irish hotel accommodation is: 355 kWh / m² / ANNUM (EPA, GHP 2014)

The most recent national energy benchmark for restaurants is: 8 kWh /cover (EPA, 2020)

C. COMMIT TO ENERGY MONITORING

Monitoring energy use from month to month is an important part of energy management so you can track data in real time (and not just at the end of the year). These tips will help you calculate your energy consumption benchmark and your energy cost benchmark.

1 Create a spreadsheet to log the energy units and cost per month. Once you have the spreadsheet set up, update it when a bill arrives or each time you read your meter. Check out this sample spreadsheet (for illustration purposes only):

Monthly units (from bills)

Conversion factor* Monthly units kWh (monthly units by conversion factor)

Electricity kWh 1 Mains gas kWh 1 Tank of bottled gas Litres 7 Oil Litres 10.3

Other fuels

2 Read your electricity or gas meter on a monthly basis and submit these readings to your energy supplier so that bills are not estimated. Think about installing sub-meters in highuse departments or on high-use equipment, allowing you to manage your key energy users.

Monthly cost Ex VAT (from bills)

Average unit Price €/kWh (Monthly cost divided by annual kWh)

*multiply bill units by this factor to get kWh. This allows you to express all fuel types in a single common measurement i.e. kWh.

STEP 02 Identify large energy-using equipment

By identifying your business' largest energy users (for example, dishwashers, washing machines, heat pump) you’ll understand how, when, and why your business consumes energy.

This is an essential step if your business is to reduce its energy consumption. Once you know the big users, you can take measures to manage them better. Here’s how to determine energy used by equipment in your business:

HOW ESTIMATION WORKS

1 Check the manufacturer’s energy rating of the appliance. This is the estimated consumption of electricity that the appliance will use in an hour measured in kilowatt-hours:

1 Estimate energy consumed based on energy rating and hours of use.

2 Install a meter and measure actual consumption.

ENERGY RATING OF EQUIPMENT (kW) NUMBER OF HOURS USED X

2 Estimate the number of hours the appliance is working in a day and then scale that up for a year.

3 Estimate the annual electricity consumption for this appliance by multiplying the rating:

4 Once you know the average cost for a kWh of electricity, you can also estimate the annual electricity cost for this appliance:

kW NUMBER OF HOURS USED PER ANNUM X

= CONSUMPTION IN KILOWATT-HOURS kWh / ANNUM

ANNUAL ELECTRICITY COSTS

= CONSUMPTION IN KILOWATT-HOURS (kWh) = ANNUAL CONSUMPTION (kWh) X ESTIMATED AVERAGE UNIT COST (AUC) OF ELECTRICITY

EXAMPLE

METER MEASUREMENTS

Meters provide you with actual consumption data for a set period, making it an accurate way to determine electricity consumption of major users:  for appliances with a plug, simply use a plug-in meter  for other appliances, have an electrician fit an electrical meter.

The meters can also be programmed to measure the cost of electricity used by the appliance. This information can prove valuable when determining major energy users and their costs. Use plug-in meters to check consumption in times when your business is closed, you might be surprised to find

where energy is still being consumed and how much.

For example, if one was to plug in the 3.4 kW rotary toaster (referred to on the previous page) for five hours per day, the meter would read: Electricity consumption = 17 kWh Cost = €2.89 / day

Commit to energy monitoring

STEP 03 Review data, evaluate and prioritise actions

Once you understand where and how energy is consumed in your business, task your Green Team to implement a ‘review, evaluate, revise’ model and set team targets for reduction.

After identifying your main energy users, the primary priority for your business is to introduce procedures

to manage them more efficientlythrough controls and staff training.

In some businesses, the biggest opportunity for savings may relate to replacing a major piece of equipment or introducing a new technology, while in others it may mean staff and visitor awareness. Prioritise the actions

IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN

that lead to the greatest cost and consumption savings.

DEVELOP YOUR IMPROVEMENT ACTION PLAN

Set specific, measurable goals and assign a person/team and deadline to each one. Here is a sample template for an Improvement Action Plan.

TARGET: REDUCE CONSUMPTION OF PURCHASED ELECTRICITY BY 10% WITHIN ONE YEAR

ACTIONS TO ACHIEVE THIS TARGET:

NO: ACTION WHO WILL DO IT? BY WHEN? RESOURCES REQUIRED

Key Resource Check out our Climate Action Roadmap here

Key Resource

For more ideas to engage your team and sustain momentum, check out the How To Tell Your Climate Action Story guide.

ENGAGE YOUR TEAM

The success of your Energy Management Plan depends on the people in your business. Gather your team and make an event of sharing the findings.

If you have been methodical about gathering data during the review stage, you will have great material to share with your team. Invite everyone in your business

to brainstorm solutions for your biggest energy challenges.

CONSIDER YOUR VISION Embedding sustainability into your culture stretches beyond encouraging employees to print less or recycle more. It’s about nurturing a long-term vision, mission and purpose that fosters a work environment

where employees understand the impact of carbon emissions and are empowered to contribute towards change.

For more ideas to help engage your team and sustain momentum, check out the How To Tell your Climate Action Story guide.

THE GLOVERS ALLEY RESTAURANT TEAM, DUBLIN CITY

STEP 04 Implement strategies to reduce energy consumption, carbon emissions and costs

Reducing energy consumption, carbon emissions and costs is accomplished through a range of strategies covering a number of areas across your business:

1 Manage users

2 Train staff

3 Minimise transport impact

4 Switch to renewables

There are three main categories to look at when it comes to managing large energy users:

 equipment

 lighting

 heating and cooling systems

EQUIPMENT

Plan upgrades Compare the cost of running your current equipment with the cost of a newer, more efficient alternative. Buying efficient equipment can seem expensive initially but does save you money in the long term. Over the lifetime of equipment, an estimated 80%

of the total cost is due to its use (see above graph). For example, an energy efficient fridge freezer uses only a third of the energy used by a typical 10-year-old model. Choosing energy efficient appliances will save you money on your energy bills and reduce your greenhouse gas emissions in the long run. Source: SEAI.

CREATE A PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

Regularly scheduled preventative maintenance not only improves efficiency of energy users on site,

but it also cuts repair costs and extends the life of your system.

The money you put into preventative maintenance tasks is

PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE SCHEDULE

returned in annual energy savings and lower costs, plus these measures are vital from a safety perspective. Here is a list of some items to include in your schedule:

Ensure air conditioning systems are maintained regularly, including replacement of air filters.

Check refrigerant level on all refrigeration systems and adjust if necessary (too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient, thus increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment).

Tighten all electrical connections, measure voltage and current on motors and fans.

Ensure your boiler is serviced annually.

Replace spent light fittings and clean luminaires.

Top Tip

Create a checklist with a long-range plan of forecasted maintenance work. This ensures that each task is scheduled and completed.

Commit to energy monitoring

LIGHTING

Lighting can account for a considerable amount of your electricity usage. Here are our top cost-saving recommendations:

LIGHTING SAVING SWAPS

WHAT TO DO WHY DO IT

Replace halogen and CFL bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs

Install motion and light sensors

Key Insight

LEDs provide good colour temperature, colour rendering, longer lifetime, and increased efficiency. The payback on LED lighting is generally less than a year for regularly used lighting.

While LED lights are more expensive to buy initially, they work out less expensive in the long run as they use less electricity and last for five years or more. Fittings don’t have to be replaced as frequently, and you can make savings of up to 75%.

Motion sensors in little-used areas e.g., hallways, bathrooms, can reduce lighting requirements in these areas by as much as 50%.

EQUIVALENT LIGHT LEVELS

All of these lamps emit the same amount of light, but LED uses 80% less electricity than the incandescent lamp.

BOOST YOUR COST SAVINGS

Toilets Halogen spot 50 40 16 7 €0.13 €1,514 Bar Halogen candle 30 20 16 7 €0.13 €454 Lobby Halogen spot 100 10 24 7 €0.13 €1,136 Corridors CFL 16 26 24 7 €0.13 €472 TOTAL 96 €3,577 ANNUALLY REPLACEMENT

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: ENERGY SAVINGS AT SSP GROUP

In 2021, SSP Group replaced a range of lighting fixtures including florescent, halogen and metal halide lighting with LED lighting in several of the food service units at Dublin Airport. This reduced electricity consumption by 120,000 kWh with annual savings of €30,000.

Cost of Installation: €50,000 (approx.) Reduced Costs Year 1: €30,000 Payback Time: less than 2 years* Carbon Reduction: 65 tonnes CO2e/annum estimated

Commit to energy monitoring

HEATING & COOLING SYSTEMS

Heating and cooling account for the largest energy cost in most hospitality businesses. Here are some key actions to consider:

REDUCE HEATING CONSUMPTIONS AND COSTS

WHAT TO DO

Understand how your heating system works

Regularly service your boiler

Install thermostats

Consider the position of thermostats carefully

Install technology controls for HVAC (heating, ventilation, and air conditioning) systems

Upgrade the insulation throughout your building

Turn off air conditioning and heating systems in unoccupied spaces

Designate member/s of staff to manage heating and cooling controls

Check refrigerant level on all refrigeration systems and adjust if necessary

Ensure refrigeration systems are set at recommended temperatures

Use a pool cover

WHY DO IT

Allows you to take full advantage of built-in energy efficiency functions, including the correct setting of timers and sufficient, but not excessive, settings for temperature.

This can reduce consumption by 5% per year.

Thermostats control temperature. Modern heating systems (including wireless) allow a great degree of heating control e.g., via zones or even room-by-room.

Avoid draughty areas. These can lead to thermostat readings that make your heating system work hard to heat a space that is already warm enough.

Improved controls help optimise energy use.

This ensures less heating is lost and more is retained within your building.

If the room/office is not in use, there is no need for air conditioning or heating. Avoid senseless waste.

Avoids well-meaning staff members tampering with heating controls.

Too much or too little refrigerant will make your system less efficient, thus increasing energy costs and reducing the life of the equipment.

Keeping fridges and freezers at the optimum temperature ensures the quality of stock is optimised and that energy efficiency is optimised. Optimum temperatures for fridges are generally around 4oc and -18oc for freezers. Staff should be aware of the optimum temperature for your refrigeration systems.

By slowing down the rate of evaporation, a pool cover keeps your pool naturally warmer, and your heater has less work to do.

STRATEGY 2: TRAIN STAFF TO MINIMISE ENERGY USE

Energy consumption can be reduced by 10% by raising staff awareness and providing training on energy management.

Assign responsibility to specific staff members. In a hotel, a night porter could be assigned responsibility to turn off lights, kitchen staff should

ACTIONABLE ADVICE

WHAT TO DO WHY DO IT

Start a Switch-off campaign and provide training

Make On/Off Checklists for all equipment

Place On/Off Stickers on equipment

Train staff members on use of heating systems and thermostat

Only run washing machines for laundry, dishes, and glasses when full

be responsible for turning off grills, while leisure centre staff can be responsible for ensuring pumps are turned off at night.

Raise staff awareness of their responsibility to switch off equipment when not in use (e.g., ovens, fans, air conditioning systems, lighting).

Establish if you can use major equipment a little less e.g., could your main oven be switched on one hour later every day?

Stickers that convert consumption into euros will help team members be proactive about switching off.

This is not always intuitive, and the equipment and systems will only be as good as the people who operate them.

You can minimise energy used by dishwashers and laundry machines by ensuring machines are only operated when full.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: ENERGY MANAGEMENT WALKS

Concierge staff in the Killarney Park Hotel walk the building each evening and use a checklist to ensure all relevant equipment is off. Try introducing ‘energy management walks’ into your business and monitor progress.

STRATEGY 3: MINIMISE TRANSPORTATION EMISSIONS

Depending on your business, transportation fuel costs are worth considering. With the rising costs of fuel, and the fact that this is a significant carbon contributor, efficient transportation is essential. Think about your staff and your customers… here are some ideas.

1 SUPPORT STAFF TO ADOPT MORE SUSTAINABLE COMMUTES  purchase electric vehicles for on-site transport

 train staff in eco driving  install bike-racks for staff  maintain a remote work and or flexible work policy  utilise remote meeting capabilities where possible

offer the Bike to Work Incentive Scheme to your staff  offer the Taxsaver Scheme to those who commute via public transport

2 SUPPORT CUSTOMERS TO ADOPT SUSTAINABLE COMMUTES  provide charging points for electric vehicles

provide details for customers on how to reach your location via public transportation

install bike racks  offer visitor bikes for local transport and sightseeing

Key Insight

Electric cars are more affordable to run with a 74% reduction in annual energy costs:

Source: SEAI 2021

STRATEGY 4: SWITCH TO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES

Generating your own renewable energy may be an attractive and realistic option. Renewable energy offers many business benefits:  reduces your carbon footprint

 reduces costs over the long term  does not incur carbon tax  minimises exposure to price increases

RENEWABLE ENERGY OPTIONS

Solar PV panels

Solar thermal technology

Heat pumps

Biomass (boiler)

Let’s discuss four renewable energy options solar PV panels, solar thermal technology, heat pumps and biomass fuel.

Transforms energy from the sun into electricity 3 to 4 years

Transforms energy from the sun into hot water 2 to 4 years

Extracts naturally occurring heat and upgrades it to a temperature at which it can be used for space heating or cooling and heating water 5 to 8 years

Burns wood or plant matter to generate heat 3 to 5 years

*This will vary depending on system and premises

Commit to energy monitoring

SOLAR PV ENERGY

While Solar PV (panels that produce electricity) has a high initial investment cost, it offers the opportunity to generate your own green electricity onsite.

Some offers from PV suppliers include rooftop leasing. This is a

good option for situations where you do not want to use your own capital upfront. Here’s how it works:

 panels are installed free of charge

 daytime electricity is sold to you “as a service” at a

guaranteed price for a set period such as 15 years.

 after that time, the panels become your property.

 electricity you don’t use can be stored in a battery or, more commonly, sold to the national grid.

Top Tip

Once the Solar PV system has been paid for, in part, you get free electricity. Solar PV systems are guaranteed by suppliers to last for up to 30 years.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: LEAHY’S OPEN FARM (VISITOR CENTRE)

Saving Costs and Reducing Carbon with Solar PV Leahy’s Open Farm installed a 62 kW Solar PV system in 2020. By 2021, the system was generating 53,000 kWh of electricity, the equivalent of 28% of the business’ electricity demand.

Cost of Installation: €54,000

Reduced Costs 2021: €13,000 Payback Time: 4.15 years* Carbon Reduction: 17 tonnes CO2e/annum

*Factoring in the SEAI Better Energy Communities Grant. Source: Savourfood.ie

SOLAR THERMAL ENERGY

Solar thermal collectors, also known as hot water collectors, are popular in Ireland. The amount of water supplied depends on the system size and building hot water demand.

Typical well-installed systems provide up to 60% of hot water demand over 12 months. Solar thermal collectors can also meet some portion of space heating demand, although typically this is very small.

HEAT PUMPS

Heat pumps may be air, ground, or water sourced. Air-to-water pumps account for 95% of retrofitted pumps in Ireland and are ideal for Ireland's moderate, moist climate.

Heat pumps can use electricity to operate with efficiencies of 250%

to 400%, so up to four units of heat are delivered for every unit of electricity used. Properly designed and installed heat pumps bring about many benefits:

 cheaper than oil or gas

 lower emissions than fossil fuel or electric heating

 relatively lower maintenance requirements e.g., compared to biomass boilers

 freedom from delivery charges

Source: SEAI

AIR SOURCE HEAT PUMP

Commit

BIOMASS FUEL

Biomass fuel refers to logs, pellets, or wood chips. Biofuels provide the largest form of renewable heating throughout Europe, often coming from sustainable forests, where every tree is replaced after it has been removed.

A biomass boiler works like a gas boiler, where the water is distributed around your premises to provide hot water and heat via radiators.

Jargon Buster

HEAT RECOVERY EXPLAINED

A heat recovery system takes extracted air from different sources and uses it to generate hot water for direct use or to supplement heating systems.

If your business generates and gets rid of heat (e.g., extractor from kitchens, laundry exhaust, ventilation from swimming pool or gym) there is the opportunity to recover that heat.

Installation of heat recovery ventilation (HRV) systems typically has a payback period of less than a year. The best thing about them is that they are using energy you have already paid for.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: SAVING COSTS AND REDUCING CARBON FOOTPRINT AT HOTEL

DOOLIN

In 2018, Hotel Doolin decided to switch from oil heating to an air-to-water heating system. There was no capital cost for the heating system as the hotel leased it from the supplier for a contracted length of time with the option to buy it if or when the hotel would like to. The system runs off green electricity, the electricity cost is covered by the supplier, and the electricity consumption is calculated with a submeter.

Reduced Energy Costs: 20% annually Carbon Reduction: Oil had accounted for 18% of the hotel’s overall energy requirement. Following the installation of the air-to-water heating system, just 3% of the hotel’s energy came from oil. This saved the equivalent of 43 tonnes of CO2 per year.

GOUGANE BARRA FOREST PARK, CO. CORK

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: SAVING COSTS AND REDUCING CARBON THROUGH HEAT RECOVERY AT LA TRATTORIA

La Trattoria in Midleton, Cork installed a heat recovery unit to take the hot extracted air from the kitchen and uses it to heat water. This system supplements their oil boiler, which is now only used for space heating. This reduced oil costs by €6,000 in Year 1 according to the EPA Green Business Programme.

Cost of Installation: €6,000 Reduced Costs Year 1: €6,000 Payback Time: 1 year Carbon Reduction: 27 tonnes

Key Resource

For more ideas to engage your team and sustain momentum, check out the How To Tell Your Climate Action Story Guide.

SHARE YOUR ENERGY MANAGEMENT STORY

Your clients, customers and community are aware of climate change and its impacts. Sharing your efforts to conserve energy and reduce energy consumption is a great way to engage with your stakeholders.

BEN BULBEN MOUNTAIN, CO, SLIGO

Your energy management action checklist

Your energy management action checklist

ENERGY MANAGEMENT ACTION CHECKLIST

OPPORTUNITY COST

Low, Medium or High POTENTIAL FOR CARBON REDUCTIONS Low, Medium or High

STEP 1 Understand how much energy is consumed in your business and how much it costs

Log and analyse the consumption and cost of energy in your business Low Low

Calculate your energy consumption benchmark and your energy cost benchmark Low Low

Commit to regular monthly monitoring Low Low

STEP 2 Identify the large energy-using equipment in your business

Make a log of all energy-using equipment Low Low

Estimate energy consumed based on energy rating and hours of use Low Low

If possible, establish energy consumed accurately by installing meters Low Low

STEP 3 Review, evaluate and prioritise actions

Review and analyse data to identify priority areas for attention Low Low to high

Develop your Energy Improvement Action Plan Low Low to high

STEP 4 Implement strategies to reduce energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and costs

Manage large energy users, plan upgrades and maintenance Low High

Install energy efficient lighting Low High

Manage heating and cooling systems Low to medium Medium

Create a preventative maintenance schedule for equipment Low Low to medium

Train staff to minimise energy consumption Medium Medium

Minimise transport emissions Low Low to medium

Switch to renewable energy sources Low to high High

Review opportunities for heat recovery Medium Medium

Savvy supports and useful resources

Check out these supports and resources to help you on your Climate Action journey:

01

FÁILTE IRELAND’S BUSINESS SUPPORTS HUB

Check out a comprehensive range of Climate Action and business supports and resources for the Irish tourism industry. Find out more

02

SEAI TIPS AND RESOURCES

Get quick tips and downloadable guides and posters for businesses. Read more

03

SEAI ENERGY AUDITS

SEAI’s Support Scheme for Energy Audits (SSEA) offers small and medium enterprises (SMEs) a €2,000 voucher towards the cost of a “high quality energy audit”. Read more

04

SEAI BETTER ENERGY COMMUNITIES (BEC)

Help communities work together to achieve energy goals. Learn about funding for businesses (30% grant for energy efficiency measures such as LED lighting and Solar PV).

Learn more

07

SBCI ENERGY EFFICIENCY LOAN SCHEME

Check out this low-cost scheme designed to support eligible SMEs, investing in the energy efficiency of their enterprises. Learn more

08

SEAI ENERGY ACADEMY

05

SEAI SUPPORT SCHEME FOR RENEWABLE HEAT (SSRH)

The installation grant provides funding of up to 30% of eligible costs for heat pumps, 30% or 15-year tariff payment for biomass, biogas boilers.

Learn more

06

EPA FACT SHEETS FOR HOSPITALITY

Put these savvy energy management tips into practice across your business. Learn more

This free online resource is designed by experts, giving you access to high quality energy training. Read more

09

CLEAN TECHNOLOGY CENTRE

Get guides, factsheets, and resources to help achieve your sustainability goals. Read more

10

BONKERS.IE

Compare prices and get the best possible cost for your energy management plan. Compare now

11 CRU.IE

Find a full list of energy suppliers operating in Ireland. Get list

INSPIRING CASE STUDIES

Learn from Irish and international businesses about their Climate Action journey. Get inspiration and top tips.

Read Case Study

Climate Action guides

Climate Action Guides

Explore our series of guides as part of Fáilte Ireland’s Driving Action on Climate Change in tourism businesses. You can find links to all the others in the series to help you on your climate action journey here.

CLIMATE ACTION ROADMAP

Explore our key tool designed to help you drive and navigate along the Climate Action journey of cost and carbon reduction.

ERRIGAL MOUNTAIN, CO. DONEGAL

HOW TO FIND OUT MORE

Just click on the covers below to access each guide in our series.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Explore our guide for suggestions on how your business can reduce water consumption, resulting in a lower water bill.

WASTE MANAGEMENT

Find out how waste management can reduce your carbon footprint which can directly lead to cost-savings.

CLIMATE ACTION STORY

Learn how to promote your Climate Action initiatives to the consumer.

CARBON OFFSETTING

Read our advice for tourism businesses who wish to complement their reduction strategies by offsetting emissions.

BIODIVERSITY

Find out how enhancing biodiversity in your business or location is a great place to start actioning climate change.

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

Learn how to run a climate-friendly meeting or event that incorporates environmental considerations.

FESTIVALS

Discover more about the importance of festivals for climate action from applying influence and inspiration to engaging with audiences.