Energy management systems for SMEs

For small and medium enterprises (SME) an energy efficient and sustainable production is an increasingly important competitive advantage. To achieve this, a systematic approach to managing energy in order to decrease energy consumption is a distinguished means. Within the the framework programme "Corporate Social Responsibility for SME" funded by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (BMAS) and the European Social Fund (ESF) adelphi supports SMEs in Germany to set up own energy management systems to continually decrease energy costs but also to:

• monitor energy savings,
• refine cost-unit accounting methods,
• achieve better energy procurement conditions,
• optimise existing mangement processes,
• benefit from German tax incentives,
• improve sustainable business and marketing,
• decrease resource dependency.

Within this project adelphi offered training and consulting measures for German SMEs to set up energy management systems ranging from easy-to-implement to sophisticated and ISO 50001 conformity. adelphi’s support consisted of individual and need based coaching on the management cycle (plan, do, check, act). Energy managers were trained and enabled to use adelphi's developed tools effectively and to put measures into practice. Having taken part in the project, enterprises disposed of a proven energy management system and the know how to continue and improve the implemented management system independently.