New energy standard to deliver savings on investment projects

The standard embeds consideration of energy from the start of new investment projects minimising energy consumption through their lifecycle. Diageo, one of the first organisations to use the approach on its new flagship brewery at St James’s Gate and is on target to achieve annual energy savings of €2.5 million. It is now rolling out the process to its global operations.

Many other leading companies in Ireland such as Eli Lilly, GSK, Astellas, and Pfizer have also implemented the design process saving tens of millions of euro in energy costs. On foot of the success of this new way of thinking, SEAI and NSAI decided to develop the Energy Efficient Design Management standard to drive large scale business savings.

Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Alex White T.D., commented: "This new standard is the first of its kind anywhere in the world, and it will reinforce Ireland’s position as a global leader in energy efficiency standards. The Government’s prioritisation of energy efficiency, in industry and in the home, is supporting jobs and economic recovery while helping reduce carbon emissions and meet our internationally‐agreed energy efficiency targets.”

Minister of State for Business and Employment, Ged Nash T.D., also in attendance, said: "The Government’s Policy Statement on Growth and Employment in the Green Economy – Delivering Our Green Potential – recognises the role which standards play in driving growth and jobs in the Green Economy. Following on from the achievements of the Energy Management Standard, we expect this new Energy Design Standard to become the basis for a worldwide movement. Excellent work has been done in Ireland and soon this will be shared with operations around the world giving more businesses the potential to save money and energy.”

Speaking at the launch Brian Motherway, Chief Executive, SEAI said: "This is a really exciting development for business competitiveness. SEAI is working closely with the business sector in Ireland whose successful innovations are leading to massive energy savings. This is great for Ireland as we develop expertise in this exciting sector, improve our attractiveness for overseas investment and also share our knowledge around the world."

Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI speaking at the launch today said: "Ireland has an excellent reputation in setting best practice for industry and leading by example. I.S. 399 was developed as a management system standard, taking into account the international energy management standard and enabling businesses to make continuous energy efficiency improvements when commencing new projects.”