Creating A Culture Of Energy Efficiency

Written by Joe Wright

A managing consultant who is an expert in energy management and reduction strategies. His experience ranges from project managment, facilities management, construction and energy consultancy so he's uniquely qualified to advise on energy reduction and compliance for a wide range of building types and sectors

If your business is subject to compliance schemes like ESOS or SECR, you’re not alone. A lot of the companies I work with are in the same boat.

But here’s the thing: if you want to go beyond just meeting those requirements and actually achieve long term improvements, it’s not about ticking compliance boxes. It’s about shifting your company culture towards energy efficiency.

Energy Efficiency Is More Than Just Equipment

This isn’t just about switching off lights or upgrading to more efficient kit (though both help). It’s about embedding energy awareness into every part of your organisation. When energy becomes part of your company’s DNA, something that’s factored into every decision and process, efficiency follows naturally.

The result? You’re not scrambling to hit compliance deadlines. Instead, you’re meeting them as part of day to day operations. It becomes business as usual and your cost savings and sustainability performance reflect that.

So, how do you build that kind of culture?

It All Starts With Awareness

You can’t expect people to support a goal they don’t understand. If your teams from facilities to finance don’t know how energy works in your organisation or what drives your usage, how can they help reduce it?

You don’t need everyone to be an energy engineer. But you do need everyone to be energy aware. That means training people in a way that connects the dots between their roles and the business’s energy use.

When staff realise their day to day actions affect your energy bills, carbon footprint, and even compliance status, that’s when you see real change. Energy stops being “someone else’s job” and becomes something everyone is responsible for.

Leadership Must Set the Tone

If leadership isn’t visibly backing your energy goals, the rest of the business won’t either.

This goes beyond setting net zero targets or handing off compliance to a single team. It means reviewing energy data, asking the right questions, and taking energy performance as seriously as you take finance, health & safety, or operational results.

When the leadership team is engaged, the rest of the business follows.

Communication Is Crucial

Truth be told energy data may not always be exciting for you. But it can be if you tell the right story. Show trends. Highlight where waste is occurring. Celebrate wins.

If a department cuts its energy usage by 10%, shout about it. Recognise the effort. Because recognition drives motivation, and motivation fuels momentum.

Ask yourself: do your teams know what ESOS or SECR even mean? Or is compliance something handled quietly in the background by one or two people?

If the answer is the latter, it’s time for a change.

Systems Make the Culture Stick

Culture change doesn’t stick without the right tools. You need to track your energy data accurately and often. Whether it’s dashboards, sub meters, or monthly reports, give your teams visibility. Let them see the impact of their actions in as near real time as possible.

That immediate feedback helps new habits take hold.

Make Energy a Part of the Business, Not a Bolt On

This is where many companies fall short. Energy efficiency should be built into your processes, not tacked on as an afterthought.

Your procurement policies should factor in energy use and lifecycle cost.
Your maintenance schedules should prioritise energy performance.
Your onboarding and training should cover how the business manages energy.

When energy is baked into how you operate, staying compliant and reducing costs becomes second nature.

The Payoff? Massive

Creating a culture of energy efficiency takes time. But the return is massive:

Lower operating costs
Easier compliance
A more sustainable, forward thinking brand
And a team that’s engaged and aligned with your long-term energy goals

That’s when energy management stops being a project—and becomes part of your identity.

Want help creating this kind of culture in your business? Let’s talk. Because when energy becomes everyone’s responsibility, success isn’t just possible it’s inevitable.