In episode 142 of the Asset Champion podcast, host Mike Petrusky speaks with Olivia Drummond, Marketing Operations Manager at Cascade Energy. Drummond works on providing effective decarbonization solutions with an emphasis on energy efficiency and electrification. She and Petrusky cover how operational and maintenance strategies can help reduce energy, cut costs, and contribute to corporate sustainability goals. Drummond shares that facility managers don’t have to find solutions alone. Instead, they should seek to engage with the partners and resources already available to help them succeed.
Agenda
- Approaches to sustainability and decarbonization
- Challenges and trends in facilities and asset management
- Role of data in achieving sustainability goals
- Importance of collaboration in achieving organizational goals
What you need to know: Facility and maintenance takeaways
Takeaway 1: Facility managers can combine their problem-solving skills with external expertise to meet sustainability goals
Facility managers, excellent problem-solvers on their own, should seek external help when facing complex issues like sustainability and decarbonization. It’s important to delegate parts of these large-scale challenges to those equipped with the necessary skill sets.
“You don’t have to do this work alone,” explains Drummond. “There are folks out here who want to see you succeed and are ready to step in and help solve those challenges.”
Her advice: “Find those partners, find the people who are excited to dig into your data and give you the solutions that you can work with and that your executives will applaud.”
Takeaway 2: Data management is a major challenge in achieving carbon reduction goals
Collecting, managing, and interpreting data can be significant challenges in the journey towards decarbonization. Understanding current energy usage and emissions levels is essential for setting realistic reduction goals. But many businesses struggle to gather and analyze this data effectively.
“Before you work on a roadmap to meet your goals, you have to determine what your baseline is and how to attack it. But so many businesses struggle to get their data,” says Drummond. In fact, she says, “54% of global corporations are lacking data availability and then 41% of that are struggling to collect and aggregate that data.”
That lack of data is not only a problem but also leads to budgetary issues. She suggests that providing clear data can help organizations obtain a better understanding of their energy usage and emissions, which would, in turn, lead to more informed budget decisions and better sustainability strategies.
Takeaway 3: Sustainability efforts should focus on efficiency before decarbonization
Organizations should prioritize efficiency before pursuing decarbonization. By focusing on optimizing their current operations, businesses can reduce both their costs and their carbon footprints, making renewable technologies and sustainability measures more affordable in the long run.
“If you can get there, you’re saving money on your energy bill. You’re paying less money and then you can use that capital to invest in renewables, to invest in new technology.”
Drummond also emphasizes the importance of questioning existing assumptions about energy usage and operational set points. She says that questioning these long-held assumptions and using data to justify changes can lead to significant improvements in both energy efficiency and carbon emissions.
Asset management insights
- Facility managers play a key role in achieving sustainability and decarbonization goals, but they often lack the necessary data and expertise.
- Many businesses struggle to collect, aggregate, and secure their data, which is essential for making informed decisions and meeting sustainability targets.
- Organizations often set high-level sustainability targets, but these can be challenging to achieve without a clear roadmap and actionable steps.
- The use of technology, such as AI, can aid in analyzing data and developing effective strategies.
- It’s important for facility managers to seek help and collaborate with others to meet their goals.
Do a deep dive into more asset management insights by exploring all Asset Champion Podcast episodes
