1. You don't see the bigger picture
Energy management and sustainable development are intrinsically linked. A comprehensive sustainability plan lays the foundation and prioritizes initiatives based on agreed upon goals. Energy management and reduction of energy consumption is a goal set by the sustainability plan. Take the time to set up an investment with measurable, achievable sustainability goals and specific energy management goals.

2. There's no business case
Sustainability and energy management programs usually require a financial investment. In order to prioritize the initiatives, the evaluation procedures of the insurance business cases should be completed during the maturation periods. A business case for energy and sustainability initiatives will help provide a basis for measuring success.

3. Slow and limited distribution
Rapid deployment of the solution provides rapid value, increasing employee engagement and overall program adoption. Widespread adoption of the program in the enterprise increases the likelihood of success. Targets limited to one place can sometimes produce disappointing results, as they do not ensure the benefits of the program worldwide. A wider deployment over the same period of time can produce significantly more positive results.

4. There's no strategy for change management
An energy management and sustainability program is a major internal change that needs to be actively managed. If adoption rates are low, the program will not meet its goals. A change management program mitigates resistance to change, increases awareness, adoption and program ROI. A change management strategy should include a communications plan, including newsletters, launch points, training, and of course, program upgrades.

5. Not having opportunities for cost reduction and distribution
If you have many sites, look for ways to reduce the cost of deploying your program. When possible, use existing data collection infrastructure. Consider manually entering data into a software-as-a-service application if automated data collection is too costly an investment. Consider remote monitoring and data analysis for greater efficiency. View sites and group them into clusters by characteristics such as type of equipment installed, type of construction, energy consumption, resources or size. After deployment, cluster sites also allow you to prioritize efficiency initiatives by cluster type.

Finally, think well and play smart, because as much energy is needed to make things happen, it takes just as much energy to plan what needs to be done.