2.2 Build the business case

A decision to implement an energy management system will only be made if top management is convinced that it has the benefit of improving the energy situation.

By completing the business case the actual status of energy use is established, providing the starting point for the development of an energy management policy. Necessary information for the business case are:

• The total amount of energy consumed, divided into fuels and electricity
• Energy prices
• Production data for the purpose of knowing growth or reduction rates in the future
• If relevant benchmarks are available for the organizations sector they can provide evidence that improvement is

The  business case should include an estimation of the potential energy efficiency improvement and energy savings and corresponding increase in operational profitability. It should also include an estimate of implementation costs in terms of human, financial and technical resources.