To help businesses better understand their energy use in a regional and national context, Business Energy Action today announced the launch of its Energy Assessment Tool. The Energy Assessment Tool helps participants in the Business Energy Action challenge see how their energy usage and reduction compare to their peers in the challenge, as well as to national averages.
‘The tool is a powerful way for companies to assess their energy use,’said Andrea Cohen, Executive Director of Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility. ‘We created this in hopes that it will help not only BEA participants, but Vermont companies in general. It’s an easy way to determine how we’re doing on energy efficiency and then create a path toward even lower consumption rates.’
Using the assessment tool, Business Energy Action can see:
- If all participants meet the 5% reduction goal, we’re on track to save over $88,000 for our member businesses, an average of just under $1,800 per participant in year one;
- That our participants have significantly lower energy consumption than national averages, when comparing data by industry;
- That over three years, we’ll potentially save Vermont companies more than a quarter of a million dollars (which doesn’t include the addition of new members in the future.)
‘I congratulate Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility and Business Energy Action for developing this tool. The most important kilowatt is the one that we don’t use, and the Business Energy Action challenge will help all Vermont businesses to conserve energy, ‘said Senator Patrick Leahy, who was instrumental in securing funding for Business Energy Action.
Senator Sanders commented, ‘Everybody wins when we help businesses reduce their energy use. Businesses save money, we reduce harmful greenhouse gas pollution, and we create jobs. I’m proud to support the Energy Assessment Tool, and I’m excited to see Vermont businesses continue leading the nation in energy efficiency practices.’ Senator Sanders was also a key player in securing funding for the project.
Burlington, VT, July 31, 2013’ VBSR
Founded in 1990, Vermont Businesses for Social Responsibility (VBSR) is a non-profit, statewide business trade organization with a mission to advance business ethics that value multiple bottom lines: economic, social, and environmental. VBSR members employ more than 13% of Vermont’s workforce and generate more than 4 billion dollars in revenue annually. We strive to help members set a high standard for protecting the natural, human and economic environments of the state's residents, while remaining profitable. We advance VBSR's mission through education, public influence and workplace quality. www.vbsr.org.