CASE STUDIES & ARTICLES
Please click on the links to download any of the following:
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Doing it for themselves, EiBI case-study article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, July/Agust 2019
From first workshop to certification in record time. A Netherlands based materials handling specialist is using ISO 50001 to meet increasing customer expectations.
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Think of energy as a service, Energy Institute EiBI CPD article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, June 2019
Back in the late 1980s Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute in the US first used the term ‘negawatt’. The story goes that he spotted a misprint in a utilities report and coined the term to describe the unit of power saved through energy conservation and energy efficiency activities (saved MWs). His premise was that this one concept could drive the change required to reduce our dependence on consuming excessive amounts of energy within our society.
To understand the concept of energy as a service often a change in mind-set is required. It doesn’t have to be complicated. This CPD article aims to explain the concept as well as giving an overview of how approaches are applied in practice. Learning objectives include the following: • understand the drivers for energy as a service; • explain total service life cost and value; • identify ways to partner with specialist service providers; and • review key aspects to consider when setting up an energy services contract.
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Tools and techniques to deliver behaviour change, Energy Institute EiBI CPD article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, November/December 2018
We need to look beyond technology, facilities, systems, processes, equipment etc, in terms of better energy performance. People are the ultimate consumers of energy; people will ultimately deliver the better buildings and sustainability improvements aligned to business needs. The secret is often being able to balance and integrate our technical and people solutions, with good strategic management controls alongside.
This CPD module focuses on the tactical and practical tools and techniques that enable people solutions to deliver change at scale. Learning objectives include: • identify who we need to target to raise awareness; • explain why people buy into the process on a personal level; • consider what tools and techniques can help make it quicker and easier to do; • plan how to develop the opportunity for local responsibility/ ownership and continual improvement.
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ESTA VIEWPOINT article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, July/August 2018
The challenge of change. James Brittain reasons how approaches through people are often the quickest, most cost-effective way of delivering compliance and energy performance improvement at scale.
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ISO 50001 though people, Discovery Mill VANDERLANDE casestudy
Workshop 1 to certification in 6 months, in record time
Vanderlande in Veghel, UK & Beewen are now certificated to the ISO 50001 standard for energy management following a four day audit by TUV in December 2017.
The external audit followed an intense six months full of activities. Collaboration between the different locations was stimulated by organising workshops in which team members from each location connected and developed and shared their skills and experience. The workshops were facilitated by The Discovery Mill with the aim to really get the team motivated and engaged to overcome the challenges involved.
- Gert Bossink, Chief Operations Officer for Vanderlande commented, “This is a fantastic achievement and demonstrates how a collaborative and focused approach can bring our teams together from different countries and at all levels in our business to gain this certification so quickly. I am impressed with the team’s commitment to energy management and their enthusiasm in meeting the aims of our policy.”
- “It has been a pleasant surprise to audit a company who is not doing it only because it is needed but also because they are into the subject!” Quote from the external auditor
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Selling energy savings, Retail article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, October 2017
Explains how a mix of technology and behaviour change led to greater energy efficiency at the retail outlets of Heathrow’s Terminal 2.
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Published in Energy World Magazine, June 2017
Using psychology and behaviour change science to cause a fall in energy consumption is no easy task but, if done correctly, it can deliver significant results. This article talks through the theory and outlines a new initiative.
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Energy Management though people, Discovery Mill Heathrow case-study
Lessons from 10 years’ working with Heathrow Airport, 2007-2016
This case-study highlights and presents lessons from work with Heathrow over the last 10 years.
Case-study Part 1: Airport Operations (2007 to 2010)to save energy, reduce CO2 emissions and cut costs at scale.
- “This approach set us up to achieve more than 30% reduction in energy costs in our terminal building over a four year period”, Alun Ottley, as T1 Maintenance Facilities Manager
Heathrow Terminal 2 Retail Fit-out & Operations (2012 to 2016) to bring together 186 separate new retail spaces and 46 retailers, within Terminal 2, to be an examplar in sustainability practice – Winner 2014, Environment & Awards Awards.
- “The Discovery Mill is an excellent company which is really good at turning a requirement into a practical and deliverable solution – that is one of their key strengths. They work with all our retailers on how to meet our energy and sustainability requirements. They do a great job.” Martin Rayner, as Head of Commercial Delivery
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Behaviour change for low cost energy savings, Energy Institute CPD article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Energy in Buildings and Industry Magazine, June 2016
More organisations are appreciating that behaviour change can be one of the quickest and lowest-cost ways of delivering energy savings and environmental performance improvement at scale. However, many organisations still struggle with their change programmes and become disillusioned as energy savings don’t result or because they quickly fall away over time.
Learning objectives include: • explain why behaviour change is important; • identify common behaviours, concerns and probable consequences; • plan for the catalyst for change; and • consider techniques to deliver energy performance improvements.
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The new age of energy leadership, Croner article by James Brittain, Discovery Mill
Published in Environment Magazine, Winter 2015 edition
We know people don’t often like change. What we have discovered is that this depends on whether change is being done to people or whether they are leading up change themselves.
In this article, we introduce a very basic energy leadership model that we use to help make changes easier to deal with when driving energy savings and performance improvements within facilities and property estates. We generally position it as an optional tool for energy and environmental managers and champions to use based on two key questions:
>> What type of energy leader are you? Where do you need to be or want to be in the future?
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Published by Environment Magazine, Summer 2015 edition
>> Do you know how good your existing lighting performance is?
>> How much more potential do you have to improve it?
This article explains what is meant by lighting health-checks to help organisations, property and facilities professionals and other everyday energy and sustainability everyday champions to answer some key questions.
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Energising behaviour change through people, Discovery Mill case-study
Connecting up Amey’s energy champions, 2012-2015
By spending 20 minutes ‘everyday’ anyone can champion energy and sustainability, make a difference and discovery the benefits for themselves.
- “We are very excited about the energy saving app the Discovery Mill has created for us. We launched it to staff across 400 buildings. Amey has already won awards for our work and this takes us to another level.” Paul Byatt, as Home Office Account Director, Amey
Example approaches include: Focusing on the catalyst, using everyday champions, industry accredited training, ISO 50001, 100 day challenges, energy performance partnerships.
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ESOS & Energy audits through people, Discovery Mill case-study
Identifying a university’s energy opportunities through people
ESOS is UK legislation that requires all large enterprises to audit their energy performance and identify energy opportunities every four years – this applies to all businesses and not-for-profit organisations with 250+ employees (or) €50m+ turnover and a €43m+ balance sheet.
- 300 opportunities identified to save energy for the university: “Working with the Discovery Mill and James has enabled us to deliver a fantastic programme of ‘Big green’ events”. John O’Brien, Managing Director, LCMB
Example approaches include supporting energy audits to BS EN 162471, energy treasure hunts, big green events and energy sweeps.
Work with LCBM, Birmingham Airport and their team of energy champions, through training and energy treasure hunts, won Highly Commended at the Energy Awards 2015.
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