CforC is organising a seminar for local businesses on managing energy costs on Wednesday (June 4) which will hear from experts including David Browne of the Carbon Trust and Professor Neil Hewitt of the University of Ulster. The event, at the Comfort Inn hotel in Antrim from 8am, is intended to help local businesses understand, monitor, reduce and manage their energy usage.

Centre for Competiveness Chief Executive, Bob Barbour, says: “Maximising energy efficiency is one of the most pressing competitive challenges for Northern Ireland businesses at present. Costs for lighting, heating, ventilation, cooling, machinery and equipment usage are escalating. When considered in the context of consumer belt-tightening, higher raw material costs and increased borrowing costs, surging energy prices can be very detrimental to a firm’s competitiveness.”

Firms attending the event will hear how they can control their energy costs through simple measures such as monitoring, metering and target setting. They will also hear how creating awareness amongst staff of the importance of energy efficiency in business success is vital.

Attendees will hear how energy efficiency measures can include ensuring effective insulation and glazing and how firms should ensure that they are using the most efficient machinery available.  Discussions will take place on generating your own power and heat, independent of commercial suppliers.

The Centre for Competitiveness is a private sector, independent, not for profit, membership organisation with members in all sectors of business and in the voluntary and public sector. Its purpose is to actively support the development of an internationally competitive economy through innovation, productivity and quality excellence across all sectors.