Contributor, The Textile Industry and the Environment, UNEP

106 ANNEX E
Experience in manufacturing and chemical industries has been that the first waste audit at a plant
commonly leads to considerable cost-savings for the company because excessively wasteful practices
and inefficient equipment is identified. Subsequent audits gradually deal with the more difficult
problems some of which may lead to reinvestment in more efficient plant. Here the cost-savings are
more often of a medium or long term nature. In all cases the methodology allows a concentration
on the most important problems, and encourages cost-effective waste minimisation rather than aiming
immediately at expensive treatment installations.
2. ENERGY AUDITS
A detailed study of energy use can be well worthwhile for many plants. Energy consumption can
often be reduced by adopting more efficient operating procedures and equipment.
There is a double benefit to such a study. Not only does it identify major cost-savings to the company,
it reduces a number of indirect environmental impacts from transport of fuel, and CO 2 emissions
from fuel use. CO 2 is the major greenhouse gas implicated in global warming, and a number
of legislative measures will soon be aimed at reducing such emissions from industry.
Energy audits are similar in concept to other audits. Careful preparation, a rigorous methodology
and subsequent follow-up, remain the keys to success. Subsequent to the audit, it is of course necessary
to identify appropriate conservation measures.
PROCEDURE FOR ENERGY AUDlTS
Phase 1 An audit of historical data
Collect and analyze company records of energy use LO determine:
• the cost and physical quantities of energy inputs used
• annual and seasonal trends in energy use and cost
• the energy use per unit of output
Phase 2 The screening survey
Undertake a screening study of energy use in the operation. This will be a fairly quick, low cost
preliminary investigation of an operation using existing data to indicate:
• major energy consuming plant and processes
• obvious energy waste and inefficiencies
• gaps in the metering and reporting of energy use
• priority areas for investigation of inefficient or inappropriate energy systems
Phase 3 Detailed investigation and analysis
Processes or plant identified by the screening survey as justifying funher investigation will have
to be examined in order to determine the size of avoidable energy losses and the cost of reducing
this waste.
Detailed surveys may incur considerable cost and/or time, therefore it is vital to select only those
processes, areas or plant which are most likely to yield significant cost-savings for a reasonable effort.
Source: National Energy Conservation Programme. Australia.