Podcast #2 / Interview with Tomáš Korpáš, Director of Facility Management Division, on why it is more important than ever to link Facility Management (FM) with the energy industry.
Today, there is probably no doubt that the link between FM and the energy sector is not only important.
TK: That’s right. The main reason why this interconnection is important is to ensure continuity of operations and increase efficiency in terms of reducing the cost of running it.
Until recently, companies in this area focused mainly on services related to energy audits or energy management. How is it today? Have client requirements changed? What energy services are most in demand?
Energy audits are still mandatory in terms of legislation. Perhaps the difference is that, with such extreme increases in energy prices as we are experiencing now, energy audits are no longer carried out simply to fulfil a legislative obligation. On the contrary, clients are using the results of the audits to set up energy saving measures, increase efficiency and reduce energy costs.
Before we start an energy audit with a client, we usually go over the complexity of the audit and the areas we want to focus on together. The aim is that the subsequent findings and proposed measures can also be actionable. We don’t want to do audits in a drawer, but for clients and their projects.
Is it possible to quantify in percentage terms what savings an audit can bring to a company?
Implemented cost-saving measures based on audit recommendations can help a company reduce costs by tens of percent. Audit results are often based on partial or aggregated measurements of different types of equipment, their operating modes, times or consumption. This is when we find out whether or not the equipment is being operated in an energy-efficient manner. And this is actually where FM and energy intersect.
To be more specific, I can give an example. We did an energy audit for a shopping centre and, as part of the long-term measurements, we found that a lot of the equipment is in operation even when the centre is closed. On the basis of these findings, we have proposed non-investment measures within the operating regimes. And I have to say that these measures have had an almost immediate impact on reducing energy consumption and, therefore, costs. In the case of this particular shopping centre, we are talking about saving tens of thousands of euros a year. Only thanks to the change in the operating mode of the facilities.
In addition to a well-adjusted equipment operating regime, we also look at whether the technology in the facilities is outdated. Because even meaningful equipment replacement with a short-term return on investment can deliver significant savings for clients.
Is it an advantage for a client to work with one partner who knows their facilities and equipment perfectly, as they cover not only FM but also energy services for them?
This is often an advantage, but it is not a necessity. At ENGIE, we have the advantage of being able to find the best solutions for our clients through the collaboration of different expert teams from several segments – energy, FM and installation. In addition, we know the client’s projects intimately and have information about the plants that an external company would not be able to obtain in a single assignment.
Currently, the number one topic in the B2B energy segment is the construction and use of photovoltaic power plants. ENGIE is also experiencing a boom in demand for these solutions.
Photovoltaics, as such, is interesting because of the reduction of energy costs. It is easy to install, easy to operate and has a long lifetime. That is to say, at current energy prices, the profitability of such a plant is excellent.
However, it should not be forgotten that the photocell needs to be designed to be suitable for the specific type of building and equipment. Simply to make the technology as usable as possible. At ENGIE, for example, we are currently trying to use the roofs of our clients’ buildings to install photovoltaics.
This sounds like a good idea, as it puts the PV plant in a space that would otherwise be unused. However, I know that there is no roof like a roof.
As far as the actual implementation is concerned, we must reserve the required capacity for the building before installation. Then we deal with the statics or the specific type of technology. For new constructions, the type of construction of the building or hall can still be influenced so that the statics are suitable for the proposed photovoltaics. In Slovakia, unfortunately, we also register a number of buildings or halls where it does not work out statically. But on the other hand, there are types of photovoltaic technologies that allow installation on such roofs.
So surely you recommend thinking about the statics of the roof before building the hall, with the idea that it may one day be used to install a photovoltaic system?
Exactly. The price difference in building a new hall with reinforced statics is a few percent. But the potential for renting it out or using it yourself certainly exceeds this initial investment.
At ENGIE, we often work with clients who approach us during the construction process itself. As part of our consultancy, we make sure that the design includes facilities that will ensure sustainable and efficient operation in the long term. And also that the technologies that will be used make sense. Because it is often the case that owners want everything to be SMART, digital and remotely controllable. But in reality, not everything is always used. We try to explain to our clients that they also need to look at profitability. Every technology costs something and if it is not used, it is an investment wasted.
Today, we also install and operate photovoltaic power plants for many clients in the FM segment. In your opinion, is it advantageous if one partner covers these services for them?
Energy and FM are now completely intertwined. In the past, it was not perceived as much as it is now, with the sharp rise in energy prices. If a client works with a good FM service provider, they can realistically reduce their energy costs by tens of percent compared to a comparable building.
That is why the choice of a partner for the implementation of these services is very important. What is the risk taken by a client who underestimates this choice and chooses an unsuitable partner?
It is often the case that nothing happens in the short term. Usually this is because the client has worked with a correct contractor who has kept the equipment in excellent condition, and so the operation continues to operate as it should for some time. Maybe half a year, a year. But after a year or two, the first problems with the equipment start to emerge and the client finds that they have no one to deal with it. This is what we encounter most often. Or instead of the service provider, these problems are solved by X number of subcontractors who don’t know the history of the equipment, or don’t know its connection to the operation’s activities. And when something is set up and serviced without knowledge of the circumstances, it usually has a negative impact on the continued operation of the entire operation. For example, there can be a rapid reduction in the life of the equipment, the quality of the building and so on. So, ultimately, the building owner pays for the bad decision.
We said that the present is connected with photovoltaics. What trends do you foresee for the future in connection with the use and interconnection of FM and energy services?
I see the future in the diversification of the energy sector, not only at the European level, but also at the local level. Other renewable sources and associated equipment – such as wind power plants or cogeneration units – will certainly gradually be added to and increasingly used in our country.
In the future, it will also be necessary to think about the correct setup and interconnection of technologies, or the correct balancing of generated electricity between the consumption points. This means that if, for example, electricity is generated by photovoltaics on the roof of a building in Dunajská Streda and it is not consumed, the owner does not have to short-circuit it or pass it on to the grid for free. He can use it in another of his buildings, in another place, for example in an industrial hall in Trenčín. Today, companies can transport the electricity generated in this way to another location within the grid for a client. So the source of production can be in Dunajská Streda and consumption in Trenčín. As a result, it will not be necessary to purchase electricity externally from a third supplier, but directly from the company that will take care of its production and transport.
