Strategic Energy Management 101 (SEM 101)

Strategic energy management (SEM) is a specialized field of energy efficiency and that consists of systematically understanding, controlling, and thereby reducing organizations’ energy consumption and demand along with correlated expenses and greenhouse gas emissions over time. The approach involves understanding and addressing gaps in areas such as energy and climate policies, human resource capacity, energy efficiency project development practices, monitoring and reporting systems, and financial resource allocations. Without a strategic approach, organizations may attempt to address energy efficiency on a piecemeal, project-by-project basis, thus resulting in unclear outcomes and unsustainable energy and demand reductions. SEM enables organizations to adopt a stable, controlled, and predictable continuous improvement cycle.

The Strategic Energy Management 101 (SEM 101) course delivers multiple modules over two days. Each module entails a comprehensive presentation of concepts supported by engaging exercises and useful SEM tools, including templates and worksheets.  

• Day one serves to emphasize an organization’s energy management strategy, assessing its capacity, and addressing gaps in planning, financial resource allocations, and communication.  
• Day two is focused on identifying and prioritizing energy efficiency initiatives, developing energy efficiency projects, and reporting on progress. 

Organizations that adopt SEM principles have demonstrated the ability to achieve annual energy and cost reductions of up to 5% in their portfolios. This two-day course will empower your organization with the knowledge and skills to master SEM. Participants learn how to develop a winning energy management strategy, set and communicate clear energy management goals, and systematically reduce energy consumption to meet their climate objectives. 

In this course, you will learn to

• Develop an energy efficiency strategy. 
• Assess an organization’s capacity to manage energy consumption and GHG emissions. 
• Recognize the policies and organizational structures that advance an organization’s energy efficiency goals.  
• Identify and prioritize energy efficiency initiatives.  
• Communicate the performance of energy efficiency initiatives. 

This course is ideal for

• Energy and environmental managers 
• Sustainability managers 
• Energy and environment policymakers 
• Facility and fleet managers