How to Set Scientific Targets for Saving Energy and Water

Energy and water-saving hold a place of great importance in manufacturing. Many countries have legal requirements to use energy- and water-efficient equipment to reduce resource consumption. Additionally, voluntary environmental compliance programs also regularly inspect the energy and water efficiency of equipment. For example, the Higg Index, amfori Business Environment Programme Initiative (BEPI) and Initiative Clause Sociale (ICS) environmental audit program all include energy- and water-efficient equipment requirements. In addition to these drivers, factories can also benefit from energy reduction programs to save costs. 

Yet, despite these incentives, many factories struggle to set good, scientific targets for their reduction programs. Common questions include: 

• What do we need to consider when setting a target? 
• Which baseline should we use: an absolute or normalized baseline? 
• Should we set targets long-term, e.g., five years, or should we establish them year after year?

In this paper, UL’s experts provide guidance on setting proper baselines and targets and introduce energy- and water-saving measures.

The steps we will look at in more detail include:

• Choosing a traditional year as a baseline and creating a proper base (absolute or normalized)
• Identifying the highest energy- and water-use processes as well as possible administration and engineering control programs for reduction
• Setting energy- and water-saving targets that follow the SMART principle (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, time-bound)