CONVINCING DECISION MAKERS Convincing decision makers is in practice a summary of utilizing all other tools in the toolbox. The main message is that convincing decision makers needs really strong arguments and facts. Focusing on various issues, like energy saving potential, good and bad practices, local and national policies, the project addressed dilemmas of the three target groups: authorities, investors and users. The tool helps assess factors behind success and failure in convincing decision makers to fund energy investments, and to provide good practices.
CLEAR OBJECTIVES ARE KEY TO BETTER RENOVATION PROJECTS Author: Louise Ellegaard Fich, Gate 21, Denmark
An objective hierarchy is a valuable tool for building managers
Do you experience unclear or conflicting objectives from decision makers? This can complicate renovation projects and counteract a successful holistic renovation. It is not enough for decision makers to provide an overall purpose; they must define clear objectives and break down objectives into sub-objectives. For example an overall purpose ‘to save cost for energy on your budget’ can be achieved in many different ways: produce sustainable energy, convert to a cheaper fuel, increase energy efficiency, reduce square meters of building stock, be flexible in your use or save money by buying when energy is cheap and so on. In Multi Service Contracting (MSC), a holistic approach to renovation projects, a key element is to get decision makers to decide and prioritise clear objectives and sub-objectives. Since MSC includes several parameters such as energy, indoor climate, and maintenance into one project, it is important to ensure that no conflict exists among objectives. For example, reaching a certain payback time with energy savings and obtaining a better indoor climate can create a conflict, if the latter objective can be achieved only by increasing energy use.
Defining clear objectives and sub-objectives and prioritise among them will help building managers. Building mangers can illustrate conflicting or unclear objectives to decision makers in an objective hierarchy. In an objective hierarchy the main purpose must be put at the top, and then all objectives should be included and broken down into subobjectives. Whenever conflicting or unclear objectives occur, they must be highlighted, and decision makers must prioritise and redefine. If carrying out separate projects for each parameter, energy, indoor climate, maintenance etc., building managers would also benefit from this approach to ensure that the separate projects carried out do not conflict and sub-optimise. Further, having clear objectives and prioritisation from the start make it easier for building managers to follow up on whether objectives have been reached e.g. by defining performance goals for each subobjective. Of course, building managers should revisit purpose and objectives throughout a renovation project and get the approval of decision makers to adjust if necessary. If you want to know more about this approach find the MSC toolbox on: effect4buildings.se
Example of conflicting objectives in an objective hierarchy: if more energy must be used to improve indoor climate, one must prioritise between objectives and redefine them.
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