Establishing the baseline.
WHY MEASUREMENT COMES FIRST
Improvement cannot be demonstrated or prioritised without it.
WHAT TO MEASURE
Energy consumed, by source Fuel consumed Water used Waste produced, by type Materials consumed Transport and distance travelled
WHERE THE DATA COMES FROM
Utility bills Fuel purchase records Meter readings Waste collection records Purchase records
WHY BILLS AND RECORDS FIRST
They already exist and they require no new systems.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
Consumption over a full year.
WHY A FULL YEAR
Seasonal variation makes shorter periods misleading.
WHAT TO EXPRESS IT AS
Total, and per unit of output.
WHY PER UNIT
Total consumption rises with activity; per-unit consumption shows whether efficiency is improving.
WHAT UNIT TO USE
Whatever measures your output: per item, per customer, per tonne, per square metre.
WHAT TO IDENTIFY
Where consumption concentrates.
WHY
Effort is wasted on small items while the large ones continue.
WHAT USUALLY DOMINATES
Energy for heating, cooling or processing Fuel for transport Water in production Waste from packaging and process
WHAT TO ESTABLISH
The few things that account for most of the impact.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT MEASUREMENT GAPS
Estimate, and state that it is an estimate.
WHY
Waiting for perfect data prevents any action.
WHAT TO RECORD
The basis of every figure.
WHY
It allows comparison over time and it withstands scrutiny.
