Supplying Energy Efficiency

Energy efficiency is the order of the day in companies as well. The Sustainable Business Initiative (WIN) is now offering subsidised support for implementation.

The EU has already taken up the issue. By 2020 a fifth less energy is to be consumed and CO2 emissions reduced by the same amount. Companies will have to grapple intensively with energy efficiency in the future due to such environmental technology regulations, the scarcity of fossil fuels and rising energy costs. They can obtain support for this from the Sustainable Business Initiative (WIN, www.win.steiermark.at), which is sponsored by the Styrian government, the Styrian Chamber of Commerce and the Styrian Business Promotion Agency (SFG).

As a platform with an extensive pool of consultants, WIN helps enterprises to implement a sustainable business management strategy and thereby to cut costs using innovation to lower energy consumption, water use and the loss of resources. This is carried out with the so-called eco-check. In the scope of this WIN programme trained consultants identify environmental issues relevant for the respective enterprise and then draw up a concrete strategy.

The “WINenergy” implementation programme developed by ECO WORLD STYRIA is to promote energy efficiency through awarenessraising and activating the decision makers regarding energy in the companies. The companies are not only provided with financial support for the analysis faulty energy use.

Funding for the supporting council of experts is also newly available for the implementation of improvement measures. Affordable education and further training are offered for decision-makers as well. Dealing with energy efficiently is generally anything but costly.

“An enormous impact can be achieved even with small measures,” says engineer Christian Angerbauer of the environmental consulting and research enterprise STENUM. “When a company replaces fluorescent lamps with a modern electronic control unit, 50 % of the energy can be reduced. This is equivalent to approximately 750 kg of CO2,” Angerbauer estimate.

With the new WIN offers, then, all signs point to green for the EU’s 2020 target.

source: ECO WORLD MAGAZINE, issue November 2008, page 11