Category: Articles

 

Founded in 1986 by Bill Gysin, Elcomponent began as a specialist provider of portable data loggers for energy usage—an innovative tool at the time for monitoring consumption in industrial and commercial settings. With a clear mission to “make sense of energy,” the company steadily expanded its offerings across the late 20th century.

1990s: Pioneering Sub-Metering & aM&T Systems

In response to growing demand for detailed energy tracking, Elcomponent extended its portfolio to deliver full sub-metering systems, championing automatic metering and targeting (aM&T) packages. These early adopters of TCP/IPaddressable meters—capable of integrating directly into PC networks—positioned Elcomponent as one of the few UK onestopshops offering meters, installation, software, commissioning, training, and support.

2000s–2010s: Becoming the Market-Leading Metering Specialist

Through the 2000s and 2010s, Elcomponent solidified its reputation as the UK’s goto specialist for costeffective metering solutions, portable loggers, and energy management platforms. Its SPC portable datalogger series, offering marketleading memory and versatility, underscores its ongoing innovation and leadership in mobile monitoring

2020s: Cloud, Air Quality & NetZero Support

Today, under Managing Director Tim Hooper, supported by a specialist team of around 15, Elcomponent continues to innovate. Key developments include:

MW2 Cloud EnergyManagement Platform: Migrating data collection and analytics to a centralised cloud platform, enabling real-time insights, automation, and scalable reporting

LoRaWAN Metering: Introducing smart, wireless solutions for sub-metering across multiple sites without complex wiring

The Engineering Heritage

Throughout its evolution, Elcomponent has emphasised deep metering expertise: understanding meter configurations, data integrity, installation best practice—and monitoring lifetime performance. This foundation underpins its reputation for designing precise, reliable energy systems.

Why Elcomponent's History Matters Today

Proven Track Record: Nearly 40 years of continuous innovation means clients work with a partner who understands both legacy and cuttingedge energy technology.

Integrated Expertise: From field surveying and hardware build to cloud deployment and analytics, Elcomponent offers a complete lifecycle service.

Agile & ClientFocused: A midsized, privatelyheld team—based in Bishop’s Stortford—enables flexible, attentive customer support.

Looking Ahead

Elcomponent’s trajectory—from portable loggers to cloud-based platforms, from sub-metering to air-quality integration—demonstrates a business evolving in step with technological and regulatory demands. As UK organisations pursue netzero targets and advanced energy management, Elcomponent’s depth of knowledge, innovation history, and full-spectrum service make it a trusted partner for those ready to make energy a strategic asset.

A Changing Landscape 

Over the past few decades, the energy profile of UK businesses has shifted dramatically. While overall energy consumption has trended down in some sectors, the rapid infusion of computerised technology has both stabilised and reshaped demand. 

The Office for National Statistics reports that between 2005 and 2020, industrial and commercial energy use dropped by 28%, outpacing reductions seen in homes (22%). This decline reflects improved efficiency and a structural shift away from heavy industry. However, energy usage has remained buoyant in service-oriented and tech-intensive sectors. 

According to Uswitch, UK business electricity consumption fell by 7.3% between 2014 and 2023 Uswitch—a noticeable improvement, yet still coupled with rising costs. Commercial electricity in Q1 2025 was 21.0 TWh, down 1.4% from a year earlier GOV.UK Assets+1GOV.UK Assets+1. 

The Digital Effect 

The uptake of computers, data centres, and connected devices has introduced a dynamic counterforce to efficiency gains. Around 34% of UK businesses now cite digitalisation and tech adoption as the primary driver of increased energy usage in 2025. 

Globally, the ICT (information and communications technology) sector accounts for 4–6% of total electricity, where devices—laptops, smartphones—consume more energy than networks and data centres combined Research Briefings+1London Datastore+1. While efficiency per unit has improved, overall demand remains flat or rising due to sustained tech adoption. 

A Look at the Numbers 

• Commercial sector share: In 2021, business and commercial users accounted for 29% of UK electricity consumption, compared to household (38%) and transport (2%) Research BriefingsSpacewell | A Nemetschek Company. 

• Total generation & consumption: In Q1 2025, UK electricity demand—including commercial—totalled 75.1 TWh, with 21.0 TWh used specifically in commercial/public sectors GOV.UK Assets. 

• Cost pressure: UK industrial tariffs, nearly 26 p/kWh in 2023, far exceed the IEA average (17.7 p)—and are over 4× higher than in the US (6.5 p/kWh) The Times. 

What It Means for Businesses 

1. Efficiency gains are real, but don’t outweigh rising appliance and digital loads. 

1. Energy intensity (energy per unit of economic output) has improved, but growing reliance on tech keeps demand steady The Times. 

1. High energy prices—especially for electricity—are squeezing businesses and pushing energy-intensive industries to restructure or move abroad . 

Strategies Moving Forward 

• Smart monitoring: Tracking device-level use helps spot digital loads—servers, point-of-sale systems, and HVAC—to target inefficiency. 

• Demand response: Managing peak-period use of digital systems can significantly reduce cost exposure. 

• Renewables & storage: On-site solar or battery systems help offset electricity cost and reduce carbon footprint. 

• Tech upgrades: Energy-efficient servers, LEDs, smart controls, and IT optimisations cut both energy use and emissions. 

Conclusion 

Over recent decades, UK commercial energy use has benefitted from efficiency improvements and structural economic shifts. Yet, the growing presence of computerised systems means that technology now drives a substantial portion of consumption. While total usage has fallen in some areas, energy resilience, smart monitoring, and digital-first efficiency strategies are becoming essential. For businesses, understanding and managing the interplay between energy and technology is key to reducing costs, staying competitive, and meeting sustainability goals. 

 

As one of the UK’s most established energy management firms, Elcomponent specialises in designing and installing centralised energy management systems across single buildings and multi-site estates. With operational costs soaring and net-zero targets looming, businesses must urgently tackle wasted energy and carbon emissions. The right systems of monitoring and strategy make all the difference.

The Scale of Energy Waste in UK Commercial Buildings

• In 2022, UK businesses lost an estimated £33.9 billion to wasted energy—much of it avoidable through better monitoring and control systems
• Up to 30% of energy used in commercial buildings is thought to be wasted through inefficiencies, equipment idling, and poor scheduling
• Small actionable changes—such as optimising schedule timing or preventing standby loads—can reduce energy bills by 2–10% annually
• More comprehensive energy management strategies can yield up to 20% savings on energy costs.

Environmental Benefits: Lower CO₂ Through Better Energy Management

Every percentage cut in energy use helps reduce carbon emissions. By closing the gap on wasted energy and optimising systems, businesses can contribute meaningfully to climate targets—especially as the UK works towards net-zero by 2050.

ISO 50001–compliant approaches help organisations structure continual improvement, with early case studies showing double-digit percent carbon reductions once certified.

Why Businesses Should Embrace Robust Energy Strategy

1. Cost-efficiency meets profitability: For every £1 wasted on energy, a business typically needs to earn £5–£10 in sales to maintain profit. A statistic that is often overlooked when measuring the true inpact of energy wastage. Cutting waste directly strengthens the bottom line

2. Future-proof compliance: A Building Energy Management System (BEMS) helps satisfy sustainability reporting, ESG metrics, and certification standards like BREEAM or ISO 50001

3. Stakeholder expectancy: Demonstrating energy-conscious governance enhances business reputation, appealing to clients, investors, and customers alike.

4. Operational insight: Systems show exactly where energy is consumed—from lights left on to systems running unused—unlocking actionable intelligence to close inefficiencies

In today’s energy-conscious and cost-sensitive climate, complacency is not an option. Businesses must understand where their energy is going—and take control. With Elcomponent’s tailored, technology-enabled energy management systems, organisations can find unnecessary expenditure but also contribute meaningfully to reducing the UK’s carbon output—while enhancing operational resilience and corporate reputation.

 

As energy costs continue to rise and carbon reduction targets loom, organisations with multiple buildings are under growing pressure to get a handle on their energy use. But achieving meaningful control and cost savings across a sprawling estate requires more than smart meters and good intentions. It demands a centralised, intelligent infrastructure—something that Elcomponent, one of the UK’s most experienced energy management providers, has been delivering for decades.

At the heart of this approach is the Energy Management System, or EMS. It’s a solution that turns energy data into actionable insight—helping businesses understand exactly how, when and where energy is being used, and more importantly, where it’s being wasted.

But what does an EMS actually involve? And how can it be effectively rolled out across multiple sites using the latest low-power, long-range communication technology like LoRaWAN? Here's how it works—and why it matters.

Understanding What an EMS Really Does

At its core, an Energy Management System is a combination of hardware, software and strategy. It’s designed to monitor and record energy consumption in real time, turning that information into insights that help reduce waste, cut carbon, and save money.

With a well-implemented EMS, businesses can visualise energy usage across every circuit, zone or site in their estate. Spikes in consumption can be flagged automatically. Heating and cooling systems can be optimised. Underperforming equipment can be identified and corrected. And all of it can be tracked through a central platform, helping organisations meet reporting obligations and sustainability goals with confidence.

The key to this is reliable, detailed data—and this is where LoRaWAN steps in.

Why LoRaWAN is a Game-Changer

LoRaWAN stands for Long Range Wide Area Network. It’s a wireless communication protocol that’s perfectly suited for transmitting small amounts of data—like energy readings—across long distances and through complex environments. Unlike Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, LoRaWAN devices can remain in place for years without needing a battery change or wired connection, making them ideal for energy monitoring.

This low-maintenance, high-coverage setup allows sensors to be installed throughout commercial buildings—whether they’re on a single site or spread across a national portfolio. They transmit data to a small number of strategically placed gateways, which then send it securely to a central platform for analysis.

For businesses operating across multiple premises—retail chains, logistics depots, healthcare estates, education campuses—LoRaWAN offers a scalable, non-intrusive way to connect every location into one unified monitoring system.

The Installation Process: Turning Buildings into Data-Driven Assets

At Elcomponent, the process of rolling out an EMS across a multi-site business begins with consultation. Every site is assessed individually to understand how energy is being used—and where the blind spots are. The team identifies metering points for electricity, gas, water and other utilities, and recommends the most effective layout for sensors and gateways.

Installation follows quickly, often with minimal disruption. Battery-powered sensors are placed at key points to track real-time usage—at the main incomer, individual distribution boards, lighting circuits, plant equipment or production lines. LoRaWAN gateways are installed discreetly to capture the data, usually connecting back to the cloud via broadband or 4G.

Once the network is live, data from every building is streamed into a secure, web-based dashboard. Facilities teams and energy managers can log in from anywhere to see detailed consumption patterns, detect anomalies, generate reports and compare performance between sites.

But the real value comes after installation.

Elcomponent provides training, support and strategic guidance to help organisations interpret and act on their data. It’s not just about having the numbers—it’s about knowing what to do with them.

From Data to Action: The Impact of Centralised Monitoring

The benefits of this type of system are significant. Businesses can expect to:

• Cut energy bills by up to 20% by identifying waste and inefficiency
• Reduce carbon emissions by lowering unnecessary consumption
• Avoid peak tariff charges by reshaping demand profiles
• Strengthen ESG reporting with accurate, real-time data
• Identify equipment faults before they become costly breakdowns

In short, a well-deployed EMS transforms energy from a cost centre into a source of operational insight.

The Future is Connected—and Measurable

In an era where sustainability, compliance and cost-efficiency are more important than ever, businesses can’t afford to guess at their energy use. They need data. They need visibility. And they need infrastructure that can grow with them.

By combining decades of expertise with cutting-edge LoRaWAN technology, Elcomponent delivers a solution that not only connects buildings—but empowers the people running them. Whether you’re managing five sites or fifty, it’s time to get serious about energy. Because what gets measured, gets managed—and what gets managed, gets saved.

To find out how Elcomponent can connect your sites and deliver real energy insight, get in touch for a consultation.

 

Before any sensors are installed, data captured, or dashboards launched, there’s a vital first step in the journey to energy efficiency: the site survey.
For businesses looking to reduce energy consumption, meet regulatory requirements, and achieve long-term carbon goals, a properly scoped and professionally executed energy management site survey is essential. At Elcomponent, this process forms the foundation of every energy management system (EMS) we design and install—whether for a single building or a multi-site operation.

Here’s what it involves, and why it matters.

Understanding the Purpose of the Site Survey

The site survey is more than just a walkaround. It’s a structured, data-led assessment that allows Elcomponent’s engineers to fully understand your energy infrastructure, building layout, operational routines, and energy usage patterns.

The goal? To design a system that gives you the most accurate, reliable, and useful data—so you can monitor, manage and optimise energy use with confidence.

What Does an Energy Management Site Survey Involve?

1. Mapping the Electrical Infrastructure
The first step is gaining a clear picture of how energy flows through your site. This means identifying:
• Incoming supply points and utility meters
• Main distribution boards (MDBs) and sub-distribution boards
• Key circuits, zones, or systems with significant energy draw
• Control panels and existing BMS (Building Management System) interfaces, if applicable

Elcomponent’s engineers will trace how your electricity, gas and (where relevant) water are distributed throughout the building(s), identifying the best points for sub-metering and real-time monitoring.

This mapping process is crucial—it ensures sensors are positioned where they will provide meaningful, actionable insights, not just redundant data.

2. Identifying High-Load and Critical Equipment
Next, we identify the systems and equipment that use the most energy—whether it’s a production line, HVAC system, commercial refrigeration unit, or lighting network.

Understanding where your biggest energy costs come from helps prioritise monitoring points. For example, if a large warehouse’s lighting makes up a disproportionate part of its energy bill, we’ll recommend installing sensors that track lighting zones and time-of-use patterns.

We also account for operational timing, noting whether your site runs 24/7, operates on shifts, or has irregular working hours that may affect energy demand.

3. Reviewing Site Layout and Physical Constraints
Unlike office installations, factories and industrial sites come with challenges: steel structures, machinery vibrations, high ceilings, remote areas, or sensitive environments. During the site survey, Elcomponent identifies these physical constraints and uses them to determine:

• The number and location of LoRaWAN gateways required for full coverage
• Where sensors can be mounted safely and accessibly
• Cabling routes or points of power supply (for any hardwired components)
• Wi-Fi, 4G, or ethernet availability for data transmission

In short, we assess how to install the EMS with minimal disruption to operations, while ensuring maximum performance and longevity.

4. Assessing Existing Metering and Systems
If your site already has some level of metering, we won’t duplicate it—we’ll assess how to integrate or upgrade what’s already in place.

That might mean:
• Incorporating existing meters into a new central dashboard
• Replacing outdated or incompatible sensors
• Adding pulse output devices or CT clamps to extract data from analogue meters
• Linking with your existing BMS for a seamless user experience

We also evaluate the best method for data retrieval and platform access—whether that’s cloud-based reporting, direct data push, or API integration into your own systems.

5. Establishing Reporting and Insight Goals
Not all clients want the same thing from an EMS. Some need high-level performance dashboards for board reports. Others want real-time alerts to drive operational changes. During the site survey, Elcomponent’s team works with your energy, estates or facilities teams to understand your:

• Compliance requirements (e.g. SECR, ESOS)
• ESG or CSR goals
• Budget parameters
• Preferences for reporting detail, frequency and delivery

This ensures the system we install isn’t just technically sound—it’s genuinely useful for your business.

What Happens Next?
Once the survey is complete, Elcomponent provides:

• A detailed technical proposal outlining the EMS design
• A sensor and gateway specification
• A roll-out plan and timeline for installation
• Optional services such as commissioning, training, and ongoing support

Because the survey is rooted in practical understanding—tailored to your site, your operations, and your goals—it leads to an EMS that’s accurate, scalable, and cost-effective from day one.

Why Elcomponent?

With over 40 years in the energy management sector, Elcomponent understands how to design infrastructure that performs. Our surveys are carried out by expert engineers—not just sales consultants—ensuring every system we install is technically viable, compliant with industry standards, and aligned with your business objectives.

From factories and logistics centres to offices and education campuses, we’ve helped hundreds of UK organisations gain clarity on energy use, take control of their data, and make measurable progress toward their carbon goals.
Ready to get started? Book a site survey with Elcomponent and take the first step towards smarter energy management.

In the transition to a low-carbon economy, commercial real estate—and especially large office buildings—is under intense pressure to modernise. Office buildings remain one of the most energy-consuming property types in the UK, accounting for a significant proportion of non-domestic carbon emissions. And with rising energy prices and net-zero targets on the horizon, landlords, asset managers, and corporate occupiers are all being called to act.
The good news? With the right infrastructure, large office buildings have a powerful opportunity to reduce energy waste, cut carbon emissions, and future-proof their operations. The foundation of that strategy is a professionally installed Energy Management System (EMS).

Why Offices Need a Smarter Approach to Energy

Office buildings often operate for long hours, across multiple floors, with a wide range of uses—meeting rooms, open-plan workspaces, kitchens, lifts, IT hubs, and climate control systems all pulling from the grid. Much of this energy use is invisible or unmanaged, especially in older or multi-tenanted buildings.
Without proper monitoring, it’s difficult to know where energy is being wasted. Heating and cooling may run during unoccupied hours. Lights may remain on overnight. Air handling units might overcompensate due to poor zoning. And in a post-pandemic world, where occupancy patterns are far less predictable, this inefficiency has only worsened.

An Efficiency Management System helps change that—by making energy use transparent, controllable, and optimisable.

What Is an Energy Management System?

An EMS is a network of hardware and software that monitors energy use in real time across your building. It gathers data from electricity, gas, and water systems, and breaks it down by zone, circuit, or equipment type. The goal is to turn raw usage into actionable insight.

This system allows building managers to:
• Identify patterns of waste or inefficiency
• Set alarms for abnormal consumption
• Benchmark performance across floors or tenants
• Automate reporting for compliance or ESG reporting
• Make informed decisions about building upgrades, controls, and behaviours

A modern EMS not only tells you how much energy you’re using—it shows you where, when, and why.

Installing an EMS in a Large Office Building

Every Elcomponent EMS installation begins with a detailed site survey. This survey identifies key points in the electrical infrastructure, such as the main incomer, distribution boards, and priority circuits. It also highlights usage zones—such as HVAC, lighting, server rooms, or tenant areas—that may benefit from sub-metering or targeted monitoring.

Using LoRaWAN technology, sensors can be installed throughout the building without the need for extensive rewiring. These sensors monitor everything from lighting and temperature to occupancy and equipment status. The data is transmitted wirelessly to a central gateway, which pushes it to a secure, cloud-based platform.

The beauty of LoRaWAN is that it works exceptionally well in large, complex buildings, even those with steel frames, concrete floors, or network blind spots. Once the system is live, energy managers can access real-time dashboards from anywhere, compare zones or time periods, and receive alerts that enable swift corrective action.

Multi-Tenant Monitoring and Service Charge Visibility

One of the biggest advantages of a modern EMS in commercial offices is its ability to support multi-occupancy buildings. With sub-metering in place, landlords can allocate energy use accurately to tenants—reducing disputes over service charges and supporting fairer, more transparent billing.
Tenants themselves benefit, too. With access to their own usage data, they’re better able to manage their internal consumption, improve their own sustainability credentials, and even use the data for ISO 14001 or BREEAM certification support.

In short, a building with a good EMS becomes a smarter, more attractive place to work.

Meeting Regulatory and Carbon Reduction Requirements
In the UK, office buildings fall under a range of carbon-related obligations. These include:

• Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) – requiring annual energy reporting for large organisations
• Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) – mandating periodic energy audits and efficiency recommendations
• Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) – setting legal limits on how inefficient a rented commercial building can be
• Net Zero Carbon Frameworks – adopted voluntarily or through corporate ESG policies, aligning with the UK’s 2050 targets

These frameworks are tightening. From 2027, it’s expected that non-domestic buildings will need to meet an EPC rating of ‘C’ or higher to be let. By 2030, that’s likely to rise to a minimum of ‘B’.

Installing an EMS is one of the most direct and measurable steps a landlord or occupier can take to not only meet these standards, but to proactively improve the building’s performance.

Financial and Operational Benefits

Beyond regulation and carbon, an EMS offers compelling commercial benefits. Office buildings with real-time energy monitoring consistently report:

• 10–20% reductions in energy bills through behavioural changes and optimisation
• Fewer maintenance issues, as system failures can often be pre-empted by usage anomalies
• Improved asset value, as smart, efficient buildings perform better in the market
• Happier tenants, thanks to better comfort levels and more accountable service charges

Whether you manage a single commercial office or a portfolio of multi-let spaces, these benefits accumulate fast.

Elcomponent: Trusted EMS Partner for the Commercial Sector

At Elcomponent, we’ve been delivering metering and monitoring solutions for over 40 years. Our approach is practical, scalable, and tailored to the needs of each building. We specialise in rolling out LoRaWAN-based EMS systems that integrate with existing infrastructure and provide a clear, cost-effective path to better energy performance.

From site survey to installation, commissioning to training, we work closely with clients to ensure they get more than just data—they get insight, control, and measurable improvement.

If you're responsible for a large office building and want to reduce costs, improve efficiency and meet future carbon targets, get in touch to arrange your energy efficiency management site survey with Elcomponent.

 

The UK’s commitment to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 has far-reaching implications for every sector of the economy. For industrial and manufacturing businesses—among the most energy-intensive operators in the country—the pressure is especially acute. Not only are energy costs rising, but regulatory obligations are tightening, and public and investor scrutiny of environmental performance is only increasing.

If factories and large industrial premises are to remain competitive, compliant and sustainable, energy usage must become more than a line item on the utility bill—it must become a strategic priority. And that begins with visibility. You can’t manage what you can’t measure.

The Role of Energy Management in Industry

For any business to effectively reduce its energy consumption and carbon output, it first needs accurate, real-time insight into how that energy is being used. That’s where a robust Energy Management System (EMS) comes in. At its core, an EMS allows businesses to monitor and analyse energy usage at every level—across entire sites, individual zones, production lines, and even specific assets. This data enables operational teams to spot inefficiencies, highlight anomalies, and make informed decisions about how to reduce waste, shift demand, and improve energy performance.

In an industrial context, this might involve identifying machinery that runs unnecessarily out of hours, lighting systems that are over-specified for the space, or HVAC systems that are running against occupancy patterns. Crucially, EMS platforms also support compliance reporting and help businesses meet the growing expectations around ESG transparency and carbon disclosure.

Monitoring Multiple Sites with LoRaWAN

For manufacturers operating across multiple sites or complex facilities, managing energy becomes even more challenging. Traditional wired systems can be costly and disruptive to install, especially in large-scale industrial environments with legacy infrastructure. This is where LoRaWAN—Long Range Wide Area Network technology—comes into its own.

LoRaWAN enables wireless, low-power communication between sensors and a central data platform, making it ideal for energy monitoring across expansive or hard-to-access areas. Sensors placed throughout a facility—or even across multiple regional sites—can transmit detailed energy data over long distances to a single gateway, which relays the information securely to the cloud. There’s no need for extensive cabling or constant maintenance; in fact, many LoRaWAN sensors can operate for years on a single battery.

This infrastructure allows businesses to gain full visibility of their energy consumption across a portfolio of sites. Whether it’s a network of warehouses, processing plants, or production lines, energy data can be centralised, compared, and acted upon in one unified system.

The Installation Process
Implementing an energy management system in an industrial setting begins with a detailed site survey and energy audit. This helps identify key energy loads, priority areas for monitoring, and opportunities for savings. Elcomponent works with clients to assess existing infrastructure and design a LoRaWAN-based system that is tailored to the site’s layout, operations, and technical requirements.

Once the design is agreed, sensors are installed at strategic points—on distribution boards, lighting systems, HVAC units, and production machinery. LoRaWAN gateways are then positioned to capture data from across the site and transmit it securely to the cloud. The data is visualised through an intuitive, web-based platform where facilities teams, engineers, and sustainability managers can monitor performance, receive alerts, and generate reports.

Importantly, this process is designed to be non-disruptive. Most sensors can be installed without downtime, and the system can be expanded over time to include more sites, assets, or reporting functions.

Why It Matters: Compliance, Carbon and Cost

The benefits of a robust EMS go far beyond regulatory compliance—though that in itself is critical. Under the UK’s Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) regulations, large organisations must report their energy use and emissions annually. The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) requires energy audits every four years. Businesses that fail to comply risk fines and reputational damage.

But these frameworks are just the beginning. As we move closer to the UK’s 2050 deadline, we can expect legislation to become more stringent. Minimum energy efficiency standards for buildings, emissions caps for specific sectors, and mandatory energy reduction targets are all on the table.

For industrial businesses, installing an EMS is a way to get ahead of these changes. It enables proactive management, rather than reactive firefighting. It builds a track record of performance that can support future funding, investment, and stakeholder engagement.

Financially, the case is just as strong. Data from the Carbon Trust and other industry bodies suggests that energy savings of 10–25% are achievable through targeted monitoring and improvement. That’s not just a win for the planet—it’s a material saving on operating costs, particularly in energy-intensive sectors where even small reductions can translate into large financial gains.

A Smarter Path to Net Zero
Reducing industrial carbon emissions is not optional—it’s essential. But it needn’t be disruptive, costly, or complex. With the right tools and expertise, large factories and manufacturers can build scalable systems that give them full control over their energy performance.

By adopting LoRaWAN-enabled energy monitoring, businesses gain the flexibility to monitor multiple locations, respond quickly to problems, and create a meaningful strategy for long-term carbon reduction. More importantly, they gain confidence—confidence that they’re not only meeting today’s requirements, but preparing for tomorrow’s.

Elcomponent is trusted by industrial businesses across the UK to deliver scalable energy management solutions that reduce cost, improve performance, and support carbon compliance. To discuss your site, contact us for a free consultation.

With the UK legally committed to achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the pressure is on for businesses—particularly large organisations—to play a leading role in decarbonisation. Commercial buildings account for roughly 18% of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions, with energy consumption from lighting, heating, ventilation, and equipment being key contributors.
To remain compliant, competitive and environmentally responsible, large businesses across all sectors—from corporate offices to industrial facilities—must begin by addressing the one thing they can’t manage unless they measure: energy.

Why Businesses Must Act Now
Carbon legislation is no longer on the horizon—it’s here. The UK’s Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework and the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) require many businesses to disclose their energy use and carbon intensity. But compliance is just the start.

Energy costs are climbing. Investors are demanding robust ESG strategies. And customers increasingly expect companies to demonstrate environmental stewardship. In this context, energy management is not simply an operational concern—it’s a strategic priority.

Energy Management Systems: The Backbone of Carbon Strategy
An Energy Management System (EMS) is one of the most powerful tools a business can deploy to meet energy and carbon reduction goals. These systems collect real-time data on energy use across buildings, departments, processes and individual assets—turning raw consumption into meaningful insights.

With a well-installed EMS, organisations can:
• Track electricity, gas and water usage across multiple locations
• Identify inefficiencies, such as out-of-hours usage or waste from legacy equipment
• Benchmark performance between sites or zones
• Set reduction targets and automate alerts for anomalies
• Build a data-backed strategy for continuous improvement
EMS platforms not only provide clarity—they empower action. Businesses can adjust operations, change behaviours, and retrofit buildings with confidence that decisions are based on evidence.

Smart Technology: Expanding Beyond the EMS
While an EMS provides the analytical foundation, achieving real energy savings also requires practical interventions. Many large businesses are combining monitoring with smart control systems, IoT sensors, and automation to enhance efficiency at every level:

• HVAC optimisation: Heating and cooling systems account for the lion’s share of energy in commercial buildings. Smart thermostats and occupancy sensors can reduce wastage significantly.
• Lighting controls: LED upgrades, daylight harvesting, and motion-activated controls ensure lighting systems only use what they need.
• Load shifting and demand response: In factories and logistics centres, energy-hungry equipment can be scheduled to avoid peak times, lowering both cost and carbon intensity.
• Sub-metering and zone control: Granular data enables targeted action—especially valuable in large or shared buildings.

Infrastructure Upgrades and Fabric Improvements
In older buildings, much of the carbon footprint comes from poor thermal performance and outdated systems. Large businesses are increasingly investing in:

• Building fabric upgrades: Improved insulation, double or triple glazing, and airtightness measures reduce heating and cooling demand.
• On-site renewables: Installing solar PV or wind turbines helps offset grid demand with clean power.
• Battery storage systems: Energy generated on-site can be stored and used strategically to minimise both cost and carbon impact.
• Heat pumps: Replacing fossil-fuelled boilers with air-source or ground-source heat pumps offers a significant reduction in emissions, particularly for office and retail environments.

Multi-Site Centralisation and LoRaWAN Networks
For businesses operating across multiple locations, centralised energy monitoring is essential. Technologies like LoRaWAN enable secure, long-range wireless data transmission from sites nationwide, bringing together energy data into a single dashboard.

Whether it’s a supermarket chain, a university campus, or a manufacturing group with regional warehouses, this kind of centralised insight enables performance comparisons, streamlined reporting, and coordinated action plans that move the needle at scale.

Culture, Accountability and Behavioural Change
Technology alone doesn’t save energy—people do. Forward-thinking companies are combining infrastructure investment with engagement programmes that educate and empower teams to take ownership of energy performance.

• Real-time dashboards in shared spaces help build awareness.
• Incentives tied to performance targets encourage participation.
• Training sessions and feedback loops build long-term behavioural shifts.
Carbon reduction becomes a company-wide mission—embedded in culture, not just confined to facilities teams.

The Payoff: Cost, Compliance and Carbon
The rewards of proactive energy management are clear:

• Lower operating costs through reduced energy bills and better equipment performance
• Regulatory compliance with SECR, ESOS and future net-zero frameworks
• Improved ESG scores, satisfying investor expectations and enhancing brand reputation
• Substantial CO₂ reductions, directly supporting the UK’s 2050 target
A 10–20% cut in energy use across a large estate can equate to thousands of tonnes of CO₂—and hundreds of thousands of pounds in savings.

The Role of Elcomponent
For decades, Elcomponent has supported large businesses in designing and delivering scalable energy management strategies—combining smart metering, sub-metering, LoRaWAN technology and centralised dashboards to provide full visibility and control.

From offices and schools to production facilities and logistics hubs, Elcomponent’s expertise enables businesses to take immediate action—and keep improving over time.

Should business act now?

Meeting the UK’s 2050 carbon goals won’t happen with good intentions alone. Businesses—especially those with large estates—have a responsibility and a strategic opportunity to lead the way. Energy management isn’t just a cost-cutting tool. It’s a lever for meaningful environmental impact.
And with the right systems in place, that impact starts today.

To explore how Elcomponent can support your energy and carbon goals, get in touch for a free consultation.

 

In energy monitoring, technology is only half the story. True success comes from working with people who know what works — and who have the experience to deliver it right, first time. That’s what sets Elcomponent apart.
With more than 30 years of real-world experience, we’ve helped organisations of every size take control of their energy usage — from single-site facilities to sprawling multi-site estates. We don’t just provide meters and dashboards. We provide practical, proven solutions that work in the field, not just on paper.

Trusted by Energy Professionals Across the UK

Whether you’re chasing compliance targets, trying to cut costs, or simply want better insight into your site’s energy usage, Elcomponent delivers:

Reuse of existing kit where possible — cutting cost and disruption
Open standards and non-proprietary systems — your data, your way
Fully commissioned installations — checked, tested, and ready from day one
Turnkey or data-only options — built around your needs
Portable and permanent systems — from fast audits to long-term insight

Our flexible service model means you can scale up, bolt on, or retrofit — without starting from scratch. We make systems that work with what you’ve already got, not against it.

Deep Experience, Down-to-Earth Expertise
Some suppliers will sell you a black box. We bring solutions backed by three decades of engineering knowledge, hands-on commissioning, and client-led thinking.

We’ve delivered:
• Large-scale sub-metering for universities, NHS Trusts and manufacturers
• Portable monitoring systems used by leading UK energy consultants
• Wireless LoRaWAN networks for hard-to-reach plant rooms and substations
• Integrated systems supporting ESOS, SECR and Net Zero goals

No guesswork. No lock-in. Just accurate, reliable energy data — delivered by people who know how to get it right.

One Building or a Whole Estate — We’ve Got You Covered

Elcomponent supports clients across:
• Commercial and industrial sectors
• Public services and local authorities
• Healthcare, education and retail
• Energy consultants and BMS integrators

Whether you're managing one building or a nationwide portfolio, our approach remains the same: honest advice, expert delivery, and technology that works — today and tomorrow.

Let’s Make Sense of Your Energy

If you’re ready to improve your energy visibility, streamline usage, and future-proof your metering strategy, we’re ready to help. With Elcomponent, it’s never just about the tech — it’s about the people behind it.
elcomponent.co.uk – Making Sense of Your Energy