So this is it, 2012 is ‘the big year’ where real energy reduction success will be revealed in the CRC League Tables and energy price rises bite further into profit margins. There’s no better time to drive that initiative forward and make those reductions.

To get you started here are two tips to consider.

1. Create a clear strategy that others can follow:

As with any ‘journey’, a sustainability strategy must be well planned, thought out and easy to explain. After all you don’t want programmes to conflict, duplicate or baffle the audience.  The GAIA Path is one such simple methodology to help decide what to do and when. It works on the premise that actions need to be placed in the right order and scheduled at the right time to maximise impact. For example employee engagement sits in the ‘Manage’ step at the front with carbon trading at the end in the ‘Offset’ step.  Learn more about it here:  GAIA Path.

2: Recognise your role is to influence others:

Once you’re clear on what your plans are you need to engage others.  An Energy Managers success greatly depends upon their ability to influence others from the Chief Executive to the Cleaner. To do this we advocate starting with a compelling message. It has to be more than just ’saving money’ or ‘reducing carbon’ which will have little appeal and make everyone feel guilty. Consider something aspirational like a commitment to ISO 14001 or a Green Policy commitment to your customers.

To understand how to do this and obtain 19 more ideas on how to enable a sustainable culture in your business, request a Free copy of our Sustainability Handbook Click here to request booklet.

Good Luck!

Haydn

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Last week I was thrilled to be asked to speak at the Launch Event of the Environmental Association of Universities and Colleges (EAUC) Embedding Positive Behaviours event hosted by Leicester University.

My workshop unearthed a diverse range of  engagement challenges towards driving an environmentally sustainable culture. In the session we focused understanding WIIFM, Connectors Theory and Myth Busting techniques.

My plenary talk on ‘Behaviour Change using a 3 Step Model’ can now be viewed via the link  below.

University Behaviour Change event -click to open slides

For help or guidance behaviour change or energy management feel free to call GAIA on 0800 433 4040.

Haydn GAIA

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BSI 4th Annual Energy Management Conference.

Wow what turn out to our Behaviour Change session at the BSI 4th Annual Energy Management Conference in London.

Running a facilitated workshop with such a large audience was great fun and I hope attendees went away with some great ideas on how to embed sustainable change in their organisation.

As promised,  here are the presentation slides for you to ‘read and recall actions’.  Feel free to call GAIA for behaviour change guidance on 0800 433 4040.

BSI Click here to read

Haydn GAIA

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GAIA is pleased to announce the publication of our Sustainability Handbook.

The handbook contains 20 ideas of what you can do to make the change towards sustainability in your organisation. It DOES NOT contain patronising advice to avoid “overfilling the kettle”. In fact, some tips may appear to fly in the face of conventional wisdom but they represent our experience of successfully implementing these programmes since 2007.

To obtain your copy email enquiry@gaiaactive.com with your contact details. The booklet is free.

GAIA Comms

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Thank you to the very many of you who turned out for my talk on Why is Energy Efficiency is so hard to sell?, where I outlined my 5 Top tips to getting energy efficiency projects underway.  My talk, at the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) event, was part of a day long conference titled Are my energy efficiency measures delivering savings?

As promised, here are the presentation slides for you to read at your leisure. Feel free to call GAIA for guidance on 0800 433 4040.

For Slides Click here: Why is energy efficiency so hard to sell?

Haydn GAIA

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Thank you to all of you who turned out for the Energy Event seminar on Empowering staff to achieve sustainable energy savings, given by Louisa Nadolny of Blaby District Council.

Louisa talked about the award-winning carbon-reduction achievements at Blaby, and kindly acknowledged the contribution provided by GAIA during the past year. As promised,  here are the presentation slides for you to read at your leisure.

GAIA presentation for NEC 14th Sept 2011 Final

Teresa Morton, GAIA Sept

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Once again thank you to the very many of you who turned out for my talk on Energy Efficiency and getting buy-in, where I talked about the work I do with both Travis Perkins and other clients.

As promised,  here are the presentation slides for you to read at your leisure.  Feel free to call GAIA for guidance on 0800 433 4040.

Click here: Energy Event 2011

Haydn September 2011

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Once again it was good to be back at Green Mondays at Boots Nottingham to discuss on the speakers panel the steps needed to get CFO (Chief Financial Offer) approval for energy efficiency investments.

Having a personal background from the HR sector, my focus was on how to engage the CFO and get them on board. CFOs are not necessarily resistant to investments they just need to be confident in the decisions you’re proposing and happy to back them. If you can get them engaged the workload to get backing will be easier and you will get a valuable advocate.

In my ten minute slot I gave 5 tips on how to engage the CFO.

1) Explain the Big Picture: Everyone likes a story and wants to get involved in something exciting. The CRC has made energy efficiency interesting/topical/exciting so tell your CFO about it and get them engaged early on.

2) Ask for Help: You may just want the CFO to sign off the purchase but you also may need them to get it passed by other stakeholders. Instead of asking them just to sign off the purchase ask them to ‘help you’ get it passed as you value their advice and support. This makes them feel important and part of the process.

3) Don’t over prepare: How many times have you prepared the detail costs and ROI analysis work only to be asked for more info from the CFO? Best take the minimum you need and ask them to tell you how they would like it shown to get it passed. If you’re going to do the analysis twice anyway, why not make the first effort small.

4) Minimise Science: Often to decide investments I may use a MAC Curve or similar method, but by taking this to a CFO I’m inviting questions on my decision which may distract attention from getting funding from the investment choice I have made.  So don’t take too much stuff material that can over complicate.

5) Close the deal: – As well as signing off on the investment getting the CFO as an advocate to investment is a huge benefit. Before you close your discussions with the CFO get them to agree to take an action on your behalf, such as speak to the investment committee in advance of your submission or agree to meet again with the final costing model. Once they’re tied into your plans they will feel more compelled to support you and less likely to resist.

Haydn – GAIA

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Many thanks to all those organisations who attended the TUC South West Conference on Green Workspaces at the@Bristol Centre in Bristol on Friday 19 November.

The plenary speeches from Jonathon Porritt and Frances O’Grady were very enlightening and the workshops engaging with many enthusiastic attendees; so I hope you all went away with ideas on how to achieve ‘environmental change’ within your organisation.

As promised I have uploaded the presentation for you to revisit again.

TUC Green Workspaces/Champions for Change Conference – click here to download

Haydn  – GAIA 2010

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Energy Awareness campaigns are commonplace focusing on the communication of messages to educate staff about the implications of their actions. They can be effective if staff are ill informed about what items use but poor in terms of sustainability and staff empowerment. With so many forms of education available from websites and Government messages education is now less effective. Many of us know that the kettle uses more energy when filled up – the challenge is to make sure staff don’t do it.

Behaviour Change is all about staff empowerment encouraging staff to become engaged in saving energy for a common goal.  Behaviour change is about making what is new now normal, and what is unique now a standard practice.

For example every day many of us jump into a car and drive. We don’t think about putting a seat belt on we just do it. It’s now a natural habit. Once energy saving and how staff work becomes a natural habit it is significantly more sustainable than an awareness programme alone.

Chris GAIA

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