ESOS – The Challenges Last Time

We are now in Phase 2 of ESOS and, although the deadline of 5th December 2019 may seem a long way off, you should now be thinking about the compliance process. But how can you learn from the challenges last time?


ESOS – The Challenges Last Time

As a Lead ESOS Assessor, I was very busy during the first round of ESOS (the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme legislation). Some of my clients started nice & early, but many came to me very late so I had to work extra hard to get everything done for them in time.

Indeed, many companies only started to look at ESOS a couple of months before the deadline, so there was a huge rush and a lot of frayed nerves.

Apart from the lack of assessors & short timescales, I noticed trends from ESOS Phase 1. I’m sharing these now, so that hopefully Phase 2 can run more smoothly for you.

These are the sorts of challenges I saw:

Company structure – this could be a problem, particularly for groups with complicated ownership structures. Find all the companies on the qualification date 31st Dec 2018: the company registration numbers, all the sites, who is the Board member to sign off. Although ESOS requires large undertakings to participate, small companies within a group may also need to be included – these can fall off the radar.

Audits or ISO 50001 – some companies wanted to put in an Energy Management System (EnMS) to ISO 50001, but just didn’t have time. An EnMS needs time to run before certification, plus there are limited certification bodies for this standard.

Good quality data – finding the information was quite tricky & co-ordinating the data collection processes needs attention. Additionally, data should be verified to ensure it is accurate. It’s not enough to simply provide a total figure – need more detail to allow consumption patterns to be understood & anomalies explained. The more granular the data, the more useful it is for the Assessor.

Transport data – many of my ESOS clients were Energy Managers; they could find energy consumption data OK, but the transport data was more tricky. The expenses system may hold business mileage, but other issues like fuel cards & hire car records were a challenge. Either way, getting colleagues to retrieve & present the data in time required negotiation!

Sample of sites – it is not necessary to audit every single site, especially if there are similarities. Sampling is allowed, however this means that you may miss anomalies or nuances.

Director signing off – getting the board level director to sign off often slowed the whole ESOS project down or even stalled it. Getting time in the diary of a busy director was a challenge, for them to review the assessment, understand the findings & sign off to confirm compliance. They also need to understand their responsibilities.

Time challenges for late starters – many companies didn’t get started soon enough & there was a lot of angst as the deadline approached. Starting Phase 2 nice & early, planning the project, doing the energy audits & getting everyone on-board, will help next time.

So do think about these issues to help ensure your ESOS Phase 2 projects go smoothly. Even better speak to me first!

Come and hear more about ESOS at the edieLive 2018 session I am chairing on Wed 23rd May at 9.45am: Compliance and standards: unlocking new energy opportunities


Anya Ledwith at edie Live

Anya Ledwith will appear on the Energy Efficiency theatre at edie Live to discuss everything you need to know about key compliance and standards to take your energy management strategy onto the next level.

Running between 22 – 23 May 2018, edie Live plans to show delegates how they can achieve their Mission Possible. Through the lens of energy, resources, the built environment, mobility and business leadership an array of expert speakers will be on hand to inspire delegates to achieve a sustainable future. For more information click here.

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