Four
reasons for St. Louis area businesses to become energy efficient.
By Mike Alesandrini
Historically, pundits have extolled the cost savings virtues
of energy efficiency and conservation programs on an institutional
basis: i.e. retrofit lighting fixtures and bulbs and your company
will realize a 30 percent annual reduction in lighting cost
with about a two-year payback (hypothetical). Though seemingly
compelling, the collective business community has responded
only modestly in terms of implementation of such programs.
While cost savings of that magnitude continue to head the pack
of reasons to become more energy conscious, there are a number
of other reasons specific to the St. Louis region that may compel
business owners to reconsider such programs. Those reasons include:
• Operational challenges associated with utility deregulation
• Increasing burden of environmental regulation—direct and indirect
costs
• Opportunity to increase worker productivity and job satisfaction
Utility Deregulation
Illinois
has already approved a utility deregulation initiative that
will become effective over the next two years, statewide. The
General Assembly is still contemplating the possibility of deregulation
in Missouri. The term “deregulation” refers to the “unbundling”
of utility services in such a fashion that consumers will have
greater choice, and responsibility, for managing utility use.
As an example, with “deregulation” of the telephone industry,
consumers are faced with making choices based on use patterns
(i.e. local/long distance, peak/off-peak service tendencies).
Understanding of individual use patterns affects the service
provider choices made. Similar choices will be necessitated
if and/or when utility “deregulation” becomes a reality for
area businesses.
Environmental regulation
By now, most St. Louisans are familiar with the new automobile
emissions testing program (required on both sides of the Mississippi)
as well as the new cleaner burning gasoline program at filling
stations in Missouri. These programs were necessitated because
of the Clean Air Act, a Congressional mandate to achieve EPA
prescribed air quality standards. What many St. Louisans might
not be familiar with is upcoming regulation that requires utility
companies and some large industrial operations to further cut
back on pollution related to the generation of electricity.
It is important that, as a region, we meet the pollution guidelines
prescribed by the EPA in order that we not become subject to
more stringent requirements. Such regulation would tend to constrain
growth in the region and increase the cost of doing business
here. Energy conservation and efficiency programs contribute
to the region’s ability to meet those EPA regulations.
Productivity and Job Satisfaction
Management of lighting and air conditioning systems in a workplace
can prove to be the simplest and most effective of energy efficiency
strategies. Such manipulations can also be of great value in
improving the work environment for employees by making them
more comfortable and productive. At a time when quality labor
is difficult to attract and retain, energy efficient-related
workplace management, in addition to the inherent cost benefits,
does offer an employer some degree of competitive advantage.
“There is good value in conducting a simple energy audit at
your facility,” notes John Hoag, principal of Hoag Associates—Architecture
and Planning. “This low-cost measure and subsequent lighting
retrofit, as a practical first step, can give you a basic understanding
of your energy situation, while positively affecting your energy
costs and improving the quality of your work environment—possibly
even improving the performance of your air conditioning system
by reducing the heat output from your lights.”
Energy management is becoming increasingly difficult to ignore.
The St. Louis regional business community is impacted—directly
by energy costs and indirectly by operational issues related
to utility deregulation, environmental regulation and maintenance
of a finite labor pool. There is economic advantage to businesses,
both individually and collectively, to actively engage in energy
management programs. For more information, contact Mike Alesandrini,
director, Environmental Affairs at the St. Louis RCGA, 314/
444-1144 or e-mail drini@stlrcga.org.
