strategic energy management

In my last blog, The State of Strategic Energy Management in the Northeast, I gave an overview of NEEP’s efforts to assist with the adoption of Strategic Energy Management (SEM) in the commercial, industrial and municipal sectors in the Northeast.

For over a decade, utilities have rigorously explored a variety of approaches in their quest to achieve predictable and reliable energy savings data. One approach that combines energy efficiency, behavioral changes, and integrated demand-side management is strategic energy management (SEM). SEM is a holistic approach that continuously examines and manages a customer’s energy usage in pursuit of deeper, long-term savings.

Have you ever made a New Year’s resolution? You know, you’ve wanted to do something like eat healthier, become the next “Biggest Loser”, or lift increasing amounts of weight in your workout. You do well at the outset; powered by excitement and engagement. After several months, though, you discover that your willpower starts to fade. This is, of course, one of the main challenges of continuous improvement efforts – despite knowing that sticking to our plan can make a big difference over time, we get lost in the daily steps while losing sight of the end goal.