A June 3, 2010, global survey of over 2,800 decision-makers in the world-wide commercial building sector, conducted by Johnson Controls and the International Facility Management Association, shows that energy efficiency has continued to grow in importance in the past year, driven by bottom-line cost savings prompted by the still-sluggish economy. Some highlights of the survey include the following:
- Investment in energy efficiency as a method of cost savings topped the list, with 97 percent rating it as at least somewhat significant. Attracting and retaining customers ranked second as an “extremely significant” influence in energy efficiency decisions.
- Building efficiency is of primary importance for those determined to decrease their carbon footprint, with 34 percent giving energy efficiency as their main strategy.
- About two-thirds of global respondents expect energy prices to increase in 2010, with the most likely increase amount being about 9 percent.
- The majority of decision-makers think energy or carbon legislation is likely within the next two years. European respondents rated it as the third most important reason for energy efficiency, India rated it fifth, the United States and Canada ranked it seventh and China, eighth.
- 39 percent of India’s respondents ranked energy management “extremely important,” compared to 27 percent for China, 16 percent in the U.S. and 14 percent for Pan-Europe.
- Nearly 100 percent of respondents in China and India stated that they have planned operating expenditures for energy efficiency investments, compared to 73 percent of the respondents in the United States.
- Looking forward as energy costs rise, corporate leaders think that PV and lighting technologies will see the greatest performance-to-price improvement, followed by smart building technologies and electric vehicles in third and fourth positions.
