Reducing energy consumption in companies has become a strategic issue. Regulatory pressure, decarbonization targets, CSR requirements: energy now directly impacts the competitiveness and resilience of organizations.
Good news: in most companies, potential savings are still largely untapped. This is provided they adopt a structured, item-by-item approach and consider the overall scale of the site or property portfolio.
What consumes energy in a business?
Energy usage varies greatly depending on the sector of activity, but certain items are recurring systematically.
Tertiary
French tertiary sector buildings represent 973 million square meters : they are responsible forone third of building energy consumption and 25% of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the real estate sector.
In offices, shops and public buildings, energy consumption is primarily linked to the comfort of the occupants.
The main areas of consumption are:
- heating , ventilation and air conditioning(HVAC),
- lighting,
- computer and office equipment ,
In light of this situation, commercial buildings larger than 1,000 m² are subject to the tertiary decree, which imposes a trajectory for reducing final energy consumption:
- -40% by 2030
- -50% by 2040
- -60% by 2050
This obligation transforms the reduction of energy consumption into a compliance issue, requiring monitoring, justification of actions and targeted investments.
Health
According to a study by Ademe carried out in 2008, the average level of energy consumption of health establishments in the Ile-de-France region is approximately 270 kWh / m2 / year.
The top expense category is heating (170 kWh/m2/year), followed by electricity (100 kWh/m2/year).
Hospitals require a significant amount of energy to operate medical equipment , radiology services , air conditioning in patient rooms, and to run laundry and kitchen operations. This energy consumption can represent up to 7% of a healthcare facility's expenses, excluding payroll.
Read also: Why is energy-efficient renovation in hospitals a priority?
Industry
According to key energy figures published by the Ministry of Territorial Development and Ecological Transition, industry is the third largest consumer of final energy in France in 2023, with 19% of the share.
The main energy expenditure items in industry are:
-
- processes (heating, ovens, drying),
- electric motors ,
- industrial refrigeration
- compressed air,
- utilities (steam, hot water, ventilation).
Reducing energy consumption in companies by workstation
Good news: this energy consumption is not inevitable. By identifying the right levers and targeting each area, it is possible tosustainably optimize usage and significantly reduce the company's energy expenses.
Energy audit
Energy auditing is the cornerstone of any approach to reducing energy consumption in a company.
It allows you to:
- analyze actual consumption by use,
- identify abuses and waste,
- prioritize actions according to their impact and return on investment,
- to build a coherent energy roadmap.
In some cases, an audit is mandatory. For example, since October 1, 2025:
- Companies whose average annual energy consumption over the last 3 years is greater than or equal to 2.75 GWh must carry out their first energy audit before October 11, 2026 (regardless of their size or workforce)
- Companies with energy consumption exceeding 23.6 GWh must install an Energy Management System (EMS) compliant with ISO 50001 before October 11, 2027
But beyond the obligation, it especially avoids common mistakes: investing in high-performance equipment without having addressed the structural causes of overconsumption.
Powesco, an energy services integrator, provides industrial companies with an integrated design office capable of carrying out regulatory audits (compliant with the NF EN 16247 standard) as well as voluntary ones.
Energy supply
Reducing energy bills also requires a suitable purchasing strategy.
The main levers:
- renegotiation of electricity and gas contracts ,
- adjustment of subscribed power levels ,
- securing prices in the face of market volatility,
- tax and regulatory optimization ,
Powesco offers a quality energy brokerage service , designed to help professionals reduce their energy bills and carbon footprint.
Thermal insulation
Before investing in new, more efficient equipment, it is essential to ensure that the building does not have significant heat loss. Even highly efficient heating or air conditioning systems lose all their effectiveness if heat or cold is constantly escaping.
Priority actions:
- building envelope insulation (roofs, walls, joinery),
- thermal bridge treatment,
- thermal insulation of heat, steam and hot water networks.
Our expert teams carry out all types of insulation, including triple insulation, external thermal insulation (ETI), and insulation of specific areas. We ensure seamless coordination between the various trades involved to minimize disruption and guarantee optimal, high-quality results.
HVAC (heating, air conditioning, ventilation)
As mentioned earlier, heating, air conditioning, and ventilation are among the most energy-intensive aspects of energy use. Fortunately, they are also among the most easily optimized.
Levers for action:
- Precise temperature and setting adjustments via smart thermostats: ADEME recommends 19°C for occupied rooms, 16°C when unoccupied, and 8°C if the premises are unoccupied for more than two days. Note that lowering the temperature from 20°C to 19°C can save 7% on your heating bill.
- maintenance of equipment to avoid overconsumption and malfunctions.
- replacement of obsolete and fossil fuel-based systems (fuel oil, gas) with more efficient solutions:
- Heat pumps, heat pumps,
- biomass boilers or other renewable energy sources
- cogeneration according to usage.
Powesco offers the supply, installation and maintenance of HVAC :
- THPE condensing boilers
- Heat pumps
- Heat pump refrigerator
- Next generation electric radiators
- humidity-controlled mechanical ventilation
Furthermore, control is crucial: BMS/BAS systems allow consumption to be measured, monitored and adjusted in real time.
Good to know: These devices can be coupled with solar panels, in order to reduce purchased energy and secure costs.
Lighting
Since a decree dated January 25, 2013, interior lighting in offices and shop windows is prohibited between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m.This is because it represents a significant and unnecessary source of energy consumption. To optimize your lighting and comply with the law, you can:
- replacing light fixtures with LEDs,
- installation of presence and light detectors ,
- adapting lighting levels to actual uses.
Our teams of experts carry out all types of relamping.
Machines
In industry, machines represent the largest energy expenditure (high-temperature heating for plastics processing , for example, extreme cooling for cold storage rooms):
Key levers:
- measurement and monitoring of consumption per machine (SEME),
- optimization of hot/cold production cycles,
- waste heat recovery for other uses,
Energy data here becomes a fully-fledged industrial management tool
Nextep is the energy management platform designed to optimize the energy management of your real estate portfolio. With Nextep's SEME (Energy Management System), you can visualize your entire portfolio, your buildings, and even your meters through dashboards. Benefit from a clear and precise overview of your buildings to better understand and manage your energy consumption and costs.
Mobility
Traditional mobility represents a significant cost for companies with a fleet of vehicles or company cars. Fossil fuels remain more expensive than electricity, and companies that maintain a fleet of internal combustion engine vehicles may be subject to taxes if they do not meet vehicle greening. targets
The levers:
- transition of fleets from combustion engines to electric vehicles,
- deployment of charging stations to charge vehicles on site or at employees' homes
- Optimizing usage and travel: electric bikes, public transport, eco-driving training, sustainable mobility package
Electricity consumption replaces that of fossil fuels, with a positive impact on costs and emissions.
Powesco offers a full range of services for the delivery, installation, supervision and maintenance of charging stations for electric vehicles.
Employees
Finally, no energy strategy works without the involvement of the teams. 21% of an office company's electricity consumption comes from IT equipment.
Concrete actions:
- training and awareness-raising on energy issues,
- adoption of simple eco-friendly actions:
- turn off the computers,
- reduce screen brightness,
- limit unnecessary email storage,
- report malfunctions.
These individual actions, when combined, produce measurable results.
Financing without crippling cash flow
Investing in energy efficiency should not be a drain on a company's cash flow. Several solutions exist to finance these initiatives without requiring significant equity investment.
Aid and subsidies:
Numerous programs exist to support energy efficiency projects: energy savings certificates (CEE), regional or local subsidies, and tax credits. This aid can cover a significant portion of the investments and reduce the net cost for the company.
Third -party financing is a particularly attractive solution: the savings generated by the project are used to repay the investment. The company improves its energy performance without an immediate cash outlay and secures a measurable return on investment.
Powesco pre-finances the work in return for the payment of royalties over a period of 5 to 10 years while committing to the resulting energy savings or avoided costs.
Conclusion
Reducing energy consumption in businesses does not rely on a single solution, but on a comprehensive and structured approach :
- understand the uses,
- to act position by position,
- to manage over the long term,
- to finance investments intelligently.
It is precisely this integrated vision (technical, financial and operational) that Powesco offers!
FAQ
1. How can I identify and reduce the main areas of consumption in my company?
To sustainably reduce electricity consumption and optimize the energy performance of buildings, it is essential to conduct an energy audit and measure consumption item by item (HVAC, lighting, machinery, IT equipment).
The main levers are:
- Thermal insulation and heat insulation to limit heat loss.
- Replacing energy-intensive equipment with high-energy-efficiency or certified equipment
- Optimization of heating, air conditioning and lighting, coupled with tools to monitor consumption and smart meters.
These actions enable companies to achieve energy savings, reduce energy bills and contribute to the energy transition and the reduction of carbon footprint.
2. What actions, procedures and training might involve employees?
Everyday eco-friendly actions are a key factor: turning off unused devices, reducing screen brightness, and limiting unnecessary email storage . To maximize impact:
- Establish a clear usage policy and procedures for monitoring energy consumption.
- Raising awareness and training employees through workshops or modules on energy and energy balance.
- Engage your employees in data collection and savings monitoring to create responsible behavior and a culture of sustainable energy management.
These actions promote energy efficiency, reduce invisible consumption and help to lower energy costs in the long term.
3. How to finance and implement energy-efficient works or equipment?
Investing in energy efficiency shouldn't strain your cash flow. Several solutions exist:
- Aid and subsidies : Energy Savings Certificates (CEE), local subsidies, tax credits for energy renovation and theinstallation of solar panels.
- Third-party financing : the savings generated by the project are used to repay the investment.
- Turnkey approach : audit → works → follow-up, including the management of your energy, theinstallation of energy-efficient equipment, and the implementation of procedures to monitor consumption.
This approach reduces electricity consumption , achieves sustainable savings , and contributes to a low-carbon environmental impact , while modernizing your facilities and improving the company's overall energy efficiency
