During the summer of 2008, ProjectZero has in cooperation with the Sønderborg trading co-operative started a campaign in order to carry out energy audits in both big and small shops and businesses. The project has been named “Energy audits in Sønderborg municipality’s businesses”.
In connection with these audits, both electricity and heating will be checked. Experience has shown, however, that in most cases the biggest waste of energy lies in the consumption of electricity, due to non energy saving instruments, refrigerators etc.
There are 5 main reasons for carrying out energy audits in as many shops and businesses as possible in the whole Sønderborg area, which means all local towns – Nordborg, Augustenborg, Gråsten, Broager Sønderborg etc.:
1. Great energy savings – especially, we expect that the audits will show many possibilities for reducing electricity consumption
2. For the chosen consultants, carrying out the energy audits will soon be routine work, which they can do both quickly and thoroughly
3. It is being made easy for shop owners to participate in the energy audits, so they can only win
4. Shop owners can avoid “wasting” too much energy (electricity) on lighting, installation of air conditioning systems etc.
5. The process can serve as one of Sønderborg’s role model projects, which easily can be ’exported’ to other towns, both Danish and foreign
Testing the project – five test participants:
At first, only five shops will be chosen for a test. This is necessary in order to be able to make small adjustments to the project before launching it to all shops and businesses. The test will also show us the scale of energy savings we can expect, and we will be able to share some good experience with the shop owners that we invite to join the project later.
It is essential that the five teat participants we chose are willing to go through the energy audit and – most important – that they are also ready to follow the advice that the energy consultant gives them. The consultant function will in this case be carried out by the energy supply company SYD ENERGI. We suggest that the five test participants should be chosen from the following categories:
One small shop/business (below 50 m2)
Two shops/businesses (50-200 m2)
Two shops/businesses (bigger than 200 m2)
After the energy audits have been carried out in these five businesses and we have some good news about big energy savings, the project will be launched to all shop owners in the whole Sønderborg area.