You can easily register online for the free "Energy Book/E-Tool." (Photo: © Saar-Lor-Lux Environmental Center)
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1 October 2023
The free "Energy Book/E-Tool" helps tradespeople record and evaluate energy consumption data in their operations – from the office to the workshop to the vehicle fleet – with little effort.
Electricity, heat, fuels – everything is getting more expensive. But what's the situation in your own business? What share exactly do heating costs account for, how much do you spend on fuel each month when a liter of diesel costs over two euros, and where can you save?
More than ever, craft businesses must address the energy transition within their own operations . They need to reduce their energy costs and become less dependent on fossil fuels like oil and gas.
This is where the "SME Initiative for Energy Transition and Climate Protection" (MIE) comes in. The central instruments of this initiative are the "Energy Book ," jointly developed by seven environmental centers of the skilled trades, and the guide to energy efficiency in the skilled trades. Marcel Quinten from the Saar-Lor-Lux Environmental Center of the Saarland Chamber of Skilled Crafts helped develop both instruments and explains how they work.
Read more about energy efficiency in craft businesses here.
Operations management
Operations management
Craft policy
To reduce energy costs, you first need an overview of where the main consumers are located in the company. "The basic prerequisite for this is an energy balance. This should record and visualize consumption as well as the associated costs," says Marcel Quinten.
With the "Energy Book/E-Tool," craft businesses can create such an energy balance free of charge . "The Energy Book enables craft businesses to generate individual analyses of consumption and CO₂ emissions, as well as to present key figures for comparison. This information can be tracked and compared over several years," explains Quinten.
The company decides for itself how detailed the analysis tool is used. "Even with just a few details, you can create an energy profile, see where the problems lie, and plan energy efficiency measures effectively."
Initially, the "energy book" was a binder, then an Excel spreadsheet, and since 2021 a web-based e-tool has been available. Here, the data is recorded using a step-by-step process.
In addition, there are various add-on modules such as a PV calculator , a calculator for electricity and energy tax refunds , a business development plan , and a tool for calculating the additional costs resulting from CO₂ pricing . Starting this summer, businesses will also be able to map their complete CO₂ footprint using these tools.
MIE is also responsible for the portal energieeffizienz-handwerk.de . This internet platform provides information on typical energy consumers, potential savings, and offers suggestions for improving operational energy efficiency.
Access via the "Trades" section allows direct entry into seven particularly energy-intensive trades within the skilled crafts sector. In addition, cross-cutting topics such as lighting, compressed air, and building envelopes have been prepared.
The portal also features energy efficiency profiles that highlight the most significant energy consumers in a given trade and outline efficiency measures. In addition, it offers webinars and short films on energy-efficient craft businesses. Model companies from a wide range of trades demonstrate how they have implemented efficiency measures.
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