The Green Initiative and CMMS

Going green, green businesses, green initiatives; if youve been following the news lately, you cant escape these buzzwords. Suddenly, everyone is finding new ways to decrease energy use. And why not? Not only is saving energy great for the bottom line, it ensures that our future generation can enjoy the benefits of a healthy environment.


But a lot of businesses are asking; how do we start? Invest in new technologies? Replace equipment with more energy efficient models? Actually, you may already have a terrific tool for helping your organization go green; your CMMS software. By tracking the various functions of the business, youll see gains in your energy efficiency and sustainability. And a CMMS designed with your business in mind will provide you will useful information towards your energy saving goals.

Some of the features you should be utilizing are:
1. Preventive Maintenance: The more effective your equipment is running, the less energy it will useand the greater the savings for you and your organization. Proper and timely preventive maintenance not only saves wear and tear on equipment, but it also saves the energy expense of sending out staff for repairs that may have been avoided. Your CMMS should include preventive maintenance and on demand work order features, which will automate most of your scheduling and internal communications.

2. Quality Inspections: Making sure energy-using equipment works to its full efficiency is vital towards cutting energy costs. Many CMMS software programs will automatically generate a corrective action work order to record deficiencies. Should an energy saving device on a certain piece of equipment become defective, for example, an automated work order will be triggered to quickly correct the problem, putting the equipment back on track to saving more energy.

3. Mobile Technologies: The recent increase in the development of hand-held devices and other such technologies has been integrated in some CMMS software for the convenience of working outside of the main office. But another advantage of this is the reduction in paper flow. Not only are there obvious savings by purchasing less paper productsless trees are used, leading to a cleaner environment with less pollution.

4. Create An Energy Plan: While each of the above are great ways to start, they work better within a coherent and well thought out energy planin which some CMMS software can actually assist you. Day-to-day tasks, routine maintenance, and energy goals can be integrated within the program, so that you can carry out your energy plan with ease.

The best way to start is to evaluate how you are consuming resources right now and consider what you are willing to do to improve costs and efficiencies. It is not enough to want to be green, there is a significant amount of work required to actually achieve the goal.

A CMMS can assist every function of your organization to greater energy savings and efficiency. By establishing energy-saving programs, youll begin to build a greener organization. And some of that green may just end up in your companys pocket.