Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS)

New energy auditing legislation launched by UK Government
The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) has now been launched by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC). This new legislation will require large businesses to undertake routine energy audits of their organisational energy usage.
Will this affect your organisation?
DECC has now confirmed that an organisation will be in the scope of ESOS if it qualifies as a ‘large undertaking’ and meets the following criteria:
     1) You have more than 250 employees in the UK; or
     2) You have fewer than 250 employees, but have:
          - an annual turnover exceeding €50m; and
          - a balance sheet exceeding €43m; or
     3) You are part of a corporate group containing a ‘large undertaking’.
How will your organisation need to comply with this new legislation?
Work with a Lead Assessor: Participants in ESOS must have a Lead Assessor to undertake various roles in relation to their ESOS Assessment.
Audit Areas of Significant Energy Consumption: ESOS audits will focus on participants’ areas of significant energy consumption to ensure that energy audits are proportionate, cost-effective and identify the most significant and cost-effective energy saving opportunities. Areas of significant energy consumption must constitute at least 90% of the total energy consumption.
 
ESOS audits must be carried out by, or overseen/approved by, qualified lead assessors (members of professional registers which are approved by the Environment Agency).
Achieve Compliance through Alternative Routes: The areas of significant energy consumption as shown above may already be covered by existing, compliant auditing activities or a certification(s) such as ISO 50001 certification, Display Energy Certificates  (DECs) and Green Deal Assessments (GDAs). Compliance to the scheme may be achieved via a single compliance route or a combination of routes.
For the first stage of the scheme, participants must have complied and notified the Environment Agency by the 5th December 2015.
Next Steps
If you think your organisation may meet the qualification criteria for this scheme, please contact me to arrange an 'Obligation Free' meeting to discuss how we can support you in understanding the implications of this legislation and in developing a strategy that best supports you in meeting and benefiting from the requirements of this scheme. We have developed an automated process for auditing and evaluation which will allow us to achieve ESOS compliance for your business at a fraction of the advertised cost of around £15000.00 so please contact us for further information.