Just a few weeks ago, the consulting firm A.T. Kearney, Inc., released a report titled, "Green Winners: The Performance of Sustainability-focused Companies in the Financial Crisis." The report looked at 99 companies identified as having a strong commitment to sustainability and compared their performance with industry averages. The analysis found that in 16 of the 18 industries studied, companies committed to sustainability outperformed industry averages by 15 percent over the six months from May through November 2008. The study concluded that investing in sustainability for the long term may be the best way to protect a company’s value through the months — and years — ahead.
This report only reinforces the work that Ecos has done on behalf of our clients since 1997. As all of us look back at 2008, we are very pleased with the accomplishments we made as a company, delivering energy and carbon savings for our growing list of utility and business clients, as well as conducting feasibility studies and providing advisory services. According to our preliminary calculations, last year Ecos-run programs saved 842,462 MWh and 559,157 therms on behalf of our clients. Using “real world” examples, these savings translate to 609,313 metric tons of CO2, which is equal to the greenhouse gas emissions of 111,596 passenger cars, or the yearly energy use of all the households in Springfield, Ill.
Ecos recently launched a redesigned Web site that more accurately reflects our three focus divisions: Utility Solutions, Business Solutions, and Research Solutions. Our utility programs have been and will continue to be at the core of our business, and we build from our core strength. Existing utility programs can be the basis for new business programs; business program needs drive new research, and research drives new business and utility projects. We invite you to visit www.ecosconsulting.com to learn more about our expanded service offerings and solutions.
Last month, Ecos stepped into international waters as our partnership in the U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Alliance was announced. This California-based nonprofit is dedicated to assisting China in the implementation of demand-side management programs to help them reduce energy use and lower their greenhouse gas emissions. If implemented properly, energy efficiency can meet up to half of China’s forecast electric growth load through 2014, which is the equivalent of avoiding the construction of more than 500 new power plants over the next decade. Ecos is eager for this opportunity to add our expertise to help solve this global energy challenge.
Energy improvements don’t only come from products – they come from new behaviors. Last year, Ecos dedicated time and expertise in the development of the ISO 50000 spec for energy management, a standard we believe is the future of energy efficiency improvements around the world. We’ve worked for years in commercial and industrial efficiency, implementing continuous improvement-based energy management on behalf of our customers. Companies have realized that to sustain savings over time, a system like ISO must be in place. ISO estimates that this new framework could influence up to 60 percent of the world’s energy use, and Ecos is excited to see our efforts reflected and accelerated by this initiative.
While the business world is buzzing about the economic challenge to come over the next couple of years, and the new President leads new policies focused on saving energy and reducing the effects of climate change, Ecos sees even greater opportunities to assist our utility and business clients with meeting energy savings goals and saving money.
